What do successful people know and do that sets them apart? How do they rebound from failures and setbacks? Why do they succeed when all around them similar businesses are failing?
IS IT TALENT, PASSION OR ARE THEY JUST PLAIN STUBBORN?
Turns out that no matter what line of work these people are in, they often share in ten common traits.
1. SELF STARTERS
These people don't wait for someone to shout "GO". If you ask for something they provide it and ask what else you need. They answer e-mails, texts and phone messages. They follow up.
2. RISK TAKERS
Far from being frightened by risk, they embrace it. Along with hard work and long hours it is a welcome and almost necessary part of their lives. They recognize they will not always be right or win, but in the long run they expect to.
3. GOAL SETTERS
For them, success is rarely due to luck. They invest their time and energy in laying out a plan and following it. They break it down into achievable steps and keep track of their progress. If they are presented with an opportunity or a problem, they pull out the plan and check on their course goals to stay on track.
4. DETERMINED
Tenacity is the name of their game. Long terms goals require a profound commitment with hazards along the way. They resist the temptation to give it all up and return to 'normal'. These people do not want to be doing anything else, their work is necessary for their happiness, sanity and personal pride.
5. FLEXIBLE
When one approach is not working they simply shift gears and try something else. They don't see setbacks as reasons to quit but as challenges and learning experiences. They absorb the lesson and move on.
6. TALENTED (?)
Not necessarily the most talented in their field. Talent comes a dime a dozen. Talent often hinders an artists progress because they cannot deal with setbacks. What makes the successful stand out is a talent for hard work. Without perseverance and passion no amount of raw talent would have helped them withstand the roadblocks they faced.
7. SELF RESPECTING
Many of these people credit parents, teachers and coaches for teaching them life skills and instilling in them a sense of self worth and personal pride. These two things made it easier for them to believe in and do the hard work necessary to make their dreams a reality.
8. NETWORKERS
As much as we deny it, a large part of success is who you know. If you don't know this, then you don't know anyone. Networking to meet the people they needed to know helped them get ahead.
9. SELF KNOWLEDGE
They know what they want. Early on in the planning stages they decided which sacrifices they would or would not make. They did not care who was watching or approving. They knew themselves. It is difficult to embrace success if you are not comfortable in your own skin.
10. STAYING POWER
The goblin lurking behind every dream of success is the fear that there is nowhere to go but down. After reaching their first goals some people drop off the radar totally. It's as if they were only looking a few feet ahead instead of further down the road.
This is where all of the other positive elements pay off. Far from fading away after obtaining their objectives successful people hang in and search for the next path branching out or the next challenge waiting to be met. They always look for the next opportunity.
These are people who find their freedom in the pursuit of excellence.