None of us admit easily to this but success is something that we don’t take lightly and we make all efforts to ensure that we walk our path as best we can. Granted, we define success differently, and this is only normal taking into consideration the fact that each of us grew up liking other bands, striving for better grades in other subjects and admiring other people. It is only natural that what seems successful to me might be the tip of the iceberg for someone else. But what is observable is that independent of the field they are interested in, effective people do share traits that are common amongst all of which really succeed.
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Vision
The number one thing is that all these people see their point Z clearly. It doesn’t matter if they have gotten from A to B, or if they have absolutely no idea how to get to where they are heading, but the goal is clear in sight.
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Effort
There is a common misconception that people that seem to have hit their goal, and by that I mean not only financial independence but also career security, proper housing, have not worked their way up there but that things have come easy and they just struck rich at some point. There is nothing farther from the truth: some of the most successful people were broke many times, had to live on maybe a few dollars a day and worked at least two jobs at the beginning. Hard work will get you to where you are going, you just have to trust that you will get there.
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Give up on having a back-up plan
The ones that do succeed refuse to have a back-up plan because this would only serve as a safety net on which to land. Instead they put all their efforts into the one and only plan they have.
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Stick to their own opinions
Most of us head common wisdom but few of us realize that it may just be the reason for which most of us are still stuck in mediocrity. Therefore trust your instincts even though no one else would ever consider that which you are considering.
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Taking risks
Although they are notorious savers, successful people use this money to invest (carefully and often) in things they are interested in. Of course everyone invests in real-estate but when going for success, you have to consider other types of investments that will ensure a return.
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Aim for the highest
Your efforts will always be bigger and more effective when you are aiming for the ultimate. It doesn’t matter if you want to be the fastest or the cheapest or the best quality. You just have to set your mind to something and work to get there.
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They never stop
More often than not, these people achieve their first goal, not easily, but when it is achieved, instead of reaping the benefits, they set another, even higher goal. As my grandmother used to say: ”Always try to move forward because if you stand still, the world will pass you by”. Think about that the next time you think you have arrived.
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They are realistic
Which means that when they do err, when they make mistakes or just fail, they are able to admit it first of all to themselves. That just makes it possible for them to start again. So should you.
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They can sell
Although it is not something most of us want to hear, these people are really talented when it comes to selling. That is because they learn to judge people, to socialize, to be kind and understanding of other people’s needs. And as the world relies on human interaction this is something we desperately need to learn.
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They never give up
Yes- even people like Sylvester Stallone had to do things they were not proud of when trying to succeed (he had to sell his dog to be able to buy food and when his script was finally noticed, he was offered an enormous amount of money granted he not star in his movie, and he rejected this offer because it did not coincide with his dream). So never give up. Life is life, you will be rejected, you will have disappointments but if you stick in there, you will undoubtedly succeed.
What remains for you is to decide what success is for you, and as this is one of the most important questions man has asked himself, it is clear that you might have some difficulty with this step. However, when in doubt, one can always turn to Einstein for guidance: “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value”. Set therefore out and live your dreams so that other people don’t pay you to build theirs.
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