17 Traits That Make a Successful
Person Stand out from the Crowd
If you are like most people, you probably
have big goals and dreams that you would like to succeed in — you want to be
the top in your career, live a healthy lifestyle, or flourish in your
relationships.
Everyone dreams of a positive future, but
most people don’t realize the secret to a truly successful life:
You determine your future in the way you
spend your everyday moments. If you want to be a successful person, you must
consistently develop good daily habits. As Aristotle pointed out:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence,
then, is not an act, but a habit”.
Building positive daily habits is a huge
challenge, but can you imagine the amazing things you could accomplish with
just a little commitment and determination?
Creating lasting, healthy habits is the real
key difference between people who are successful in life and those who are
unsuccessful.
You might be wondering which specific habits
make the biggest difference. Not to worry, I’ve compiled a comparison list to
help you get a jump start on a successful future.
1.
Successful people embrace change. Unsuccessful people fear change.
Change is a constant for all of humanity, and
it is important that you develop a positive relationship with it.
When unexpected or unwelcome changes arise,
ask yourself how you can embrace it instead of running away. A few practical
ways to reverse a change-fearing mindset include:
- Take a moment to recognize and address any
fears associated with the upcoming change.
- Communicate with a person you trust about your
negative feelings toward change.
- Practice positive thinking, which you can read
about in the next section.
2.
Successful people exude joy. Unsuccessful people think, say and do negative
things.
A joyful, positive disposition can seem like
a distant reality in today’s cynical world, but it may be easier to achieve
than you think. All you have to do is notice the good things around you and
practice being thankful.
Mindfulness and gratitude are not just buzz
words – choosing a positive attitude can honestly change your life. Many
studies have found that thankfulness leads to greater happiness. Furthermore,
research indicates that gratitude may even have a lasting positive impact on
the brain and overall mental health.[1]
3.
Successful people forgive others. Unsuccessful people hold grudges.
As a human being, you have likely been
offended or hurt by others plenty of times. Don’t give in to the temptation to
hold a grudge. Let it go.
Note that forgiving someone does not equate
to giving up your boundaries (which are very important) or even admitting that
the offending party is right. You should choose to let go for your own peace of
mind.
4.
Successful people track progress. Unsuccessful people just criticize.
Some kinds of criticism, such as constructive
criticism, are good for personal and professional development. The kind of
criticism I’m talking about is the pessimistic, nagging, unhelpful variety.
This is the kind of criticism in play when you are unfairly harsh to yourself
or others.
Toss unfounded criticisms aside and consider
tracking your “wins” or your progresses, no matter how small. Take mental notes
or keep a progress journal.
If you have a solid sense of what you have
achieved, you will be less tempted to be hard on yourself.
5.
Successful people share information, data and ideas. Unsuccessful people hoard.
If you have useful information or generate
brilliant ideas on the regular, your first instinct may be to keep it all to
yourself for personal gain and solo recognition.
Instead of hoarding bright ideas, share them
with your team. Your talents will be on display for the team, and the team will
be able to support you and make your ideas a reality.
6.
Successful people are humble. Unsuccessful people talk more than they listen.
Humility is key. The ability to listen to
other people, really listen and understand, is essential to success in both
work and relationships — and to listen you have to be humble.
Everyone has experienced the frustration of
being in a one-sided conversation. When someone approaches you with a question
or concern, put your own world aside for just a moment and give them the
kindness of your full attention.
7.
Successful people take risks. Unsuccessful people take the easy way out.
The next time your heart is racing and you
want to walk away, consider embracing the risk. You never know what might
happen if you take a chance.
Embracing risks looks like accepting the
speaking engagement even though it seems a little scary. Success takes the
courageous route, not the easy route.
8.
Successful people learn, improve and read every day. Unsuccessful people stop
learning.
Instead of binge-watching a show tonight,
save an hour before bed to read a book and expand your mind.
Unsuccessful people are afraid to be flexible
– they don’t challenge themselves to learn new things. Avoid this pitfall by
exposing yourself to new thoughts and ideas every day.
9.
Successful people handle problems well. Unsuccessful people act before they
think.
The next time you run into a problem or even
an emergency, try to work through your initial panic reaction with a few deep
breaths.
Instead of acting rashly, think through your
next actions as quickly but as logically as you can.
Learning to handle problems thoughtfully is
an absolutely essential tool in the successful person’s toolbox (that’s you!).
10.
Successful people accept responsibility for their failures. Unsuccessful people
blame others.
Along with a previous tip about humility,
this is one of the hardest things you’ll ever learn to do – but also the most
rewarding. When you’ve failed, you must fight the urge to pass the blame.
Successful people are able to fail honestly and gracefully.
And, hey, don’t feel bad about failing. Some
of the most successful people in the world have
failed too many times to count. It’s all a part of the
process.
You can check out this article for more tips
on how to fail well:
How Failure Helps You To Succeed and
Grow
11.
Successful people work with passion and commitment. Unsuccessful people have a
sense of entitlement.
A short and sweet lesson for you:
You should never expect to achieve the things
you want without working hard.
Follow your passion and stay committed to
pursuing it. Work hard and stick to your habits every day. You’ll earn your
reward.
12.
Successful people spend time with the right people. Unsuccessful people think
they already know it all.
A lot of people miss out on useful
relationships and information sharing because they think they can do it all
alone.
Spend time with people who inspire you, spur
you to be a better person, and remind you that you can’t go it alone.
13.
Successful people make to-do lists and maintain proper life balance.
Unsuccessful people waste their time.
Ah, time management. Unsuccessful people never
master the art of organization and planning.
Here are a few tips for you when it comes to
time management:
- Make to-do lists. Seriously, this will help
you. Make time to do it every morning, evening, or whenever you are able.
- Keep track of your time. Are you happy with
the way you are currently balancing things? What changes can you make?
- Keep a calendar full of your long-term goals
(see next tip).
14.
Successful people write down goals and think long term about their burning
desires. Unsuccessful people get distracted every day.
Why is it so important to keep a long-term
goal calendar? Here’s the deal:
The things you are passionate about today
need a backbone.
Give your passionate ideas sustainability by
writing down goals and staying on task instead of succumbing to distraction.
15.
Successful people compliment others. Unsuccessful people try to bring others
down to their level.
There is no greater confidence than saying
“no” to sudden jealous or envious feelings and choosing to sincerely admire
someone’s talents instead.
Unsuccessful people live in a world driven by
competition, but successful people know that building people up is far more
rewarding than bringing them down.
16.
Successful people want others to succeed. Unsuccessful people secretly hope
they fail.
In the same vein as the point above, this tip
is all about good intentions.
Care for the people around you. Encourage
them toward their successes. Hoping that others fail will not help you at all.
17.
Successful people know their purpose and mission. Unsuccessful people don’t
know what they want to be.
The last thing that differentiates successful
people from unsuccessful people is one of the most important:
Keep your mission in mind.
Don’t be swayed to and fro by passing
emotions and events. Know who you are and pursue your dreams wholeheartedly.
Final
thoughts
Above all, stay confident. Truly believe that
you can be and are successful. Strive to prove it in your day-to-day habits and
activities!
What are you waiting for? Choose one of the
habits above and get started today.
Leon
Ho
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/successful-people-unsuccessful-people-the-habits-that-differentiate-them.html
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