There
is no single secret to success. Successful people do have many traits and habits
in common. Emulating the habits of successful people, and practicing how to be
more productive in your own life, can help you become a successful personnel in
whatever you pursue. To become successful, you have to take in the habits of
success and live by it. Don’t just live a carefree life, watch yourself,
meditate in yourself, find out your flaws, correct your mistakes and set a
successful life pattern for yourself.
Learn from failure. Successful people aren't born; they are made through
accumulated life experiences and that includes risk as well as failure. While
acting impulsively is never recommended, taking calculated risks can pay off in
the long-run. Even if you don't succeed at everything you undertake, studying
failure and learning from it is a key feature of all successful people.
- Steve Jobs was fired from Apple in 1985 in large part because he was difficult to work with. However, he returned 12 years later and turned the then-failing company into a success because he had become a better leader.
Be proactive, not
reactive. Research has linked personal
success with proactivity. Therefore, instead of waiting for opportunity to find
you, brainstorm ways to improve your life and career and act sooner rather than
later. Below are some tactics for becoming more proactive: Useful brainstorming
techniques include freewriting, making lists, and mapping.
- Anticipate what obstacles you will face and how to tackle them. Related to skills like visualizing is prediction. When we realistically project a path to success, necessarily, we also project the pitfalls along that path.
- Prevent avoidable obstacles while not all obstacles are avoidable, many can be circumvented by preparation, funding, and training in advance.
- Appreciate timing. Research shows that, just important as taking action, is learning when. Act too soon on something you are unfamiliar you, you may look unprepared or fool-hardy. Act too late and you may not get the opportunity to use your skills and demonstrate leadership.
Surround yourself with successful
people. Success doesn't happen in a vacuum.
Every successful person has a long list of friends, teachers, mentors,
co-workers, etc. who assisted them along the way.
- Look to people you already have in your life who are talented, positive, supportive, motivated, and knowledgeable. Spend time learning from them and collaborating when possible.
- Internships, seminars, and job-shadowing are other great ways to interact with successful people and to learn from them.
- Maybe your goal falls outside of the rat race and you are looking for ways to be successful as a parent, or teacher. The rule is still the same. Find those people who are successful and who you admire. Spend time with them and learn what makes them tick. Emulate good habits to bolster your own ambitions.
Nurture strong, positive
relationships. Are you attempting to improve
delivery of a product or service to a client? Are you seeking out mentorship
from other, more senior professionals? Are you looking to improve your skills
as a competitive cyclist? Whether thinking logistically or personally,
fostering strong relationships is an integral part of success, no matter what
the playing field. The following tactics can help you grow these relationships
in productive ways:
- Grow your personal network. While every entrepreneur knows that a strong brand and social media presence is key to professional success, these do not take the place of personal encounters, which are the most common source of opportunity and growth.
- Foster relationships outside your serious aspirations. Think about your personal life as practice for managing people in professional or employment-related contexts. When you don't listen to the needs of family or aren't a loyal friend, these relationships fail to thrive. It's also important to seek out opportunities to develop relationships with new friends as well, so consider joining a club or attending a hobby meet-up.
Ask questions and listen more than
you talk. Asking questions is a great way to
not only be a part of important conversations but it grows your knowledge and
increases your likability, as it gives others the opportunity to share.
- Listening to others also gives you the ability to benefit from their expertise and utilize what you learn toward future tasks.
Take responsibility. When you outsource blame for your actions, you also take
away the ability to take credit for your success.
- Don't blame failures on outside forces. Instead, analyze what you did and how, next time, you could do it better. Remember that only you decide whether you succeed or fail.
Adhere to high standards. Successful people are intensely motivated and possess a
strong work ethic.
- Apply yourself fully to each task you undertake. Exceed the expectations of co-workers and supervisors. Do not accept "adequate" but instead always work toward improvement and progress beyond what is required.
