It's
not that hard to be successful. But it is hard to be extraordinarily
successful. Yet
we all hope to achieve exceptional success (something we all define
differently – and
should
define
differently.)
Unfortunately,
there is no magic bullet. There is no one-size-fits-all prescription.
But there are certain qualities that incredibly successful people
share.... especially those who also make a significant impact on the
lives of other people.
See
how many apply to you:
1.
You find happiness in the success of others.
Great
business teams win because their most talented members are willing to
sacrifice to make others happy. Great teams are made up of employees
who help each other, know their roles, set aside personal goals, and
value team success over everything else.
Where
does that attitude come from? You!
Every
successful person answers the question, "Can you make the choice
that your happiness will come from the success of others?" with
a resounding "Yes!"
2.
You relentlessly seek new experiences.
But
according
to Dr. Robert Cloninger,
"Novelty seeking is one of the traits that keeps you healthy and
happy and fosters personality growth as you age.... If you combine
adventurousness and curiosity with persistence and a sense that it's
not all about you, then you get the creativity that benefits society
as a whole."
As
Cloninger says, "To succeed, you want to be able to regulate
your impulses while also having the imagination to see what the
future would be like if you tried something new."
Sounds
like every successful person I know.
So
go ahead. Embrace your inner novelty seeker. You'll be healthier,
you'll have more friends, and you'll be generally more satisfied with
life.
3.
You don't think work/life balance, you just think life.
Symbolic
work/life boundaries are almost impossible to maintain. Why? You are
your
business. Your business is your life, just like your life is your
business--which is also true for family, friends, and interests -- so
there is no separation because all those things make you who you are.
Incredibly
successful people find ways to include family instead of ways to
exclude work. They find ways to include interests, hobbies, passions,
and personal values in their daily business lives.
If
you can't, you're not living -- you're just working.
4.
You're incredibly empathetic.
Unless
you create something entirely new--which is really hard to do--your
business or profession is based on fulfilling an existing need or
solving a problem.
It's
impossible to identify a need or a problem without the ability to put
yourself in another person's shoes. That's the mark of a successful
businessperson.
Success
isn't a line trending upwards. Success is a circle, because no matter
how high your business--and your ego--soars, success still comes back
to your employees.
5.
You have something to prove – to yourself.
Many
people have a burning desire to prove other people wrong. That's a
great motivator.
Incredibly
successful people are driven by something deeper and more personal.
True drive, commitment, and dedication spring from a desire to prove
something to the most important person of all. You.
6.
You ignore the 40-hour workweek hype.
Studies
show that working more than 40 hours a week decreases productivity.
OK...
Successful
people work smarter, sure, but they also outwork their competition.
(Every successful entrepreneur I know who reads those stories
probably thinks, "Cool. Hopefully my competitors will believe
that crap.")
The
author Richard North Patterson tells a great story about Robert
Kennedy. Kennedy was seeking to indict Teamsters head Jimmy Hoffa
(who some still believe is hanging out in Argentina with Elvis and
Jim Morrison). One night, Kennedy worked on the Hoffa case until
about 2 a.m. On his way home, he passed the Teamsters building and
saw the lights were still on in Hoffa's office, so he turned around
and went back to work.
There
will always be people who are smarter and more talented than we are.
Successful people simply want it more. They're ruthless--especially
with themselves.
7.
You see money as a responsibility, not a reward.
Many
entrepreneurial cautionary tales involve buying 17 cars, loading up
on pricey antiques, importing Christmas trees, and spending $40,000 a
year for a personal masseuse. (Wait -- maybe that's just Adelphia
founder John Rigas.)
Successful
people don't see money solely as a personal reward; they see money as
a way to grow a business, reward and develop employees, give back to
the community... in short, not just to make their own lives better
but to improve the lives of other people, too.
And
most importantly, they do so without fanfare, because the true reward
is always in the act, not the recognition.
8.
You don't think you're special.
In
a world of social media, everyone can be their own PR agent. It's
incredibly easy for anyone to blow their own horn and bask in the
glow of their insight and accomplishments.
Truly
successful people don't. They accept their success is based on
ambition, persistence, and execution... but they also recognize that
key mentors, remarkable
employees,
and a huge dose of luck also played a part.
Exceptionally
successful people reap the rewards of humility, asking questions,
seeking advice, and especially recognizing and praising others
because…
9.
You realize that success is fleeting, but dignity and respect last
forever.
The
most important thing successful people provide their employees,
customers, vendors -- everyone they meet -- is dignity.
And
so should you... because when you do, everything else follows.
End
Of Guest Post