The traits and habits of successful people

This time I  focus on the traits and habits of successful people. So how is that relevant to you? Well there may be some areas where you want to sharpen up your act and here are some ideas of what to do! The material for this comes from working with a number of clients over the years and seeing what really works. Books are useful to find out what the gurus say but what really works in practice is what is talked about here.

What is success?

“People do not wander about and find themselves at the top of Mount Everest.”  Zig Ziglar

Firstly, determine what it is you really want. What is your vision of success? Next list all the benefits. Leave your ideas and come back to them after some reflection. Use your intuition. Ask yourself “what is important to me at work and in life?” Other than materialistic goals research shows that most people want to be valued and have their efforts recognised. Really think hard about what the cost of this success will be for you. The effort, time, money, energy-are they worth it? What is the price of success or failure? Does the thought of failure even stop you dreaming of what you would like?

Does motivation matter?

Motivation is a key tool to achieve what you desire – so be in charge of your motivation and tap into it rather than letting it be in control of you. Motivation takes us to the pinnacle of success but can take us to a low point – the enemy within. Be realistic about what you can achieve in what time frame. Think about your key drivers or values as these are the core source of your fulfilment and satisfaction. Ask yourself what will happen if I don’t achieve this? Are the consequences serious if you don’t make this happen?

Success strategy into action

Having focused on what you want (your vision) and written it down, plan in detail how to achieve it. Think of this as the architect’s drawing and the builder’s plans. Be aware of goal conflict when you have two goals in direct competition. For example, “I want to go to the gym after work and get fit” versus “I have had a long and tiring day at work and want to comfort myself by going straight home, raiding the larder and watching junk TV.” Prepare for the easier temptation by taking a healthy snack and only watching targeted TV later! Each day start with your to do list and focus on the important not just the urgent. Consider what is time well spent? Prepare ahead for obstacles and things going wrong and build in a plan b. Concentrate on one task at a time and complete it, allowing for the fact that there are distractions and interruptions.

To sum up; success doesn’t just happen, it needs a plan and action but not at any cost.

If you need help with planning your success, get in touch. Tweet