10 Common traits of the successful
How often do we come across people who rue about not being lucky enough or being talented enough to surge ahead of the competition? They (we?) are constantly cribbing about how the other guys are smarter, luckier and what not which accords them with an unfair edge, which in some oblique way explains their (our?) failures. I do not ascribe to the view. I believe that both our successes and failures are due to us – call it willingness or effort – and that it is all a mind game. Everything depends upon how badly we crave success and on just how much we are willing to put on the table to embrace her.
No I don’t believe that we have to be lucky, or talented to be successful, that we have to have in us that unknown and undefined trait in us. On the contrary, my experience has taught me that one must inculcate the 10 habits of the super successful in order to be triumphant on a regular basis. “Traits” that can be cultivated with little effort, a lot of hunger and nothing else.
- Punctuality: Being on time, every time, doesn’t cost the world and often marks the difference between the winner and the also ran’s. Be punctual and start whatever you are up to with a head start.
- Passion: being passionate too is a game-changer. Whatever you do, you must love it. You must approach your work, however mundane with zeal, excitement and enthusiasm to the extent that your tasks look like an obsession to you.
- Attitude: You can either run with the hares or hunt with the wolves. And, running away is not an option. So learn to hunt with the pack and the attitude of the predator at the top of the food chain will be yours. Success? That’s easy game once you learn the swagger.
- Effort: there is no such thing called a free lunch and to be successful one has to put in the effort, simple. The greater the effort, the more is the probability of success. The relationship is liner. E=mc2 remember?
- Positivity: Always think and act positive. Success does not belong to the nay-sayers, nor does it belong to the wimps. You have to think, act and radiate positivity to the extent that it shows in your body language. Success does not come to the slouched shoulders or the faint hearted or the weak kneed.
- Energy: tell me something, if you were success, would you bless that dead tired looking guy yawning in the corner? Or would you cuddle that bundle of energy, raring to go? Energy, my friend, is the key and the faster you replace your batteries the better.
- Work Ethics: Hard work and diligence, hasn’t kill no one and are stuff that success stories are made of. If you want success to be your crowning glory be prepared to burn the midnight oil and continue pushing at it long after the others have left. There is no alternative to hard work, really.
- Preparedness: Always be prepared, that too for the worst. Remember that guy called Murphy? Yes, he’s the one who famously proclaimed, “if anything can go wrong, it will”. Be prepared for things to go wrong, you have to take them in the stride, refocus and move on.
- Willingness to learn: keep an open mind, for there is no better time to learn something, than on the job, hands on. What you learn, when or from who is not important, neither are the why’s and the how’s, what is important is your willingness. Accept that you don’t know everything and be willing to imbibe new knowledge, inputs, anything that helps you to the ever elusive finishing line.
- The extra step: and finally when all else is done, be prepared to take that extra step, walk that extra mile, give that final burst of energy – that is the proverbial icing on the cake of success.
Now you know why they say, “success is sweet”?