You’re no different from me. You know uber successful people and ones that only talk about success. If you’ve spent any time studying them, you’ll have discovered a few interesting ingredients that separates the two. In order to make all your dreams come true in 2016, I think it’s pertinent to understand the difference. Here are a few ways you can leave the dreamers behind and begin living the life of your more successful friends.
- Fear
Everyone experiences fear. The difference is it’s not a deterrent for successful people. Less successful people will see fear as an indication they shouldn’t move forward. They stop even before they’ve entered the gate.
2. Failure
Failure is a necessary part of success. No successful person has gotten to where they are without a few epic failures. It’s how you learn. It’s how you grow. It’s how you get better. This is often the step that propels an unsuccessful person towards success.
3. Belief
Successful people believe that they will eventually get there. They may have experienced the above two, but this third tenet is what keeps them going. I’ve heard people say, “I didn’t know how I would do it. But I knew I’d get there one day.” And they did.
4. Work
It takes brutal rolling up your sleeves work to get what you want. You may love it. It may excite you. But there will come a time when your big dream will require some heavy duty effort. Elizabeth Gilbert calls this the, “Shit sandwich.” When you meet the not so fun part of what you want to do (e.g. paperwork, cold calling, networking events) and throw in the towel, it probably means you’re not serious about what you’re trying to do. Everything good takes hard work. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you will get there eventually.
5. Perseverance
I’m embarrassed to admit it now, but last year my goal was to publish my first children’s book. This is great and all. But just doing the above four were not enough. Patience, shaping my work so it was the best it can be and continuing despite ongoing rejections were key. All the successful entrepreneurs I know persevere despite a rocky economy, uncertainty and fear. There will always be an excuse to not do something. Deciding to do it anyway is what keeps them at the top.
What successful qualities have you witnessed in someone you admire? What qualities have helped you soar and grow?
