8 Things Remarkably Successful People Do
The most successful people in
business work differently. See what they do--and why it works.
I'm
fortunate to know a number of remarkably successful people. I've described how these people share a set of specific perspectives and
beliefs.
They also share a number of habits:
1. They don't create back-up plans.
Back-up plans can help you sleep
easier at night. Back-up plans can also create an easy out when times get
tough.
You'll work a lot harder and a lot
longer if your primary plan simply has to work because there is no other
option. Total commitment--without a safety net--will spur you to work harder
than you ever imagined possible.
If somehow the worst does happen
(and the "worst" is never as bad as you think) trust that you will
find a way to rebound. As long as you keep working hard and keep learning from
your mistakes, you always will.
2. They do the work...
You can be good with a little
effort. You can be really good with a little more effort.
But you can't be great--at
anything--unless you put in an incredible amount of focused effort.
Scratch the surface of any person
with rare skills and you'll find a person who has put thousands of hours of
effort into developing those skills.
There are no shortcuts. There are no
overnight successes. Everyone has heard about the 10,000 hours principle but no
one follows it... except remarkably successful people.
So start doing the work now. Time is
wasting.
3. ...and they work a lot
more.
Every extremely successful
entrepreneur I know (personally) works more hours than the average person--a
lot more. They have long lists of things they want to get done. So they
have to put in lots of time.
Better yet, they want to put
in lots of time.
If you don't embrace a workload
others would consider crazy then your goal doesn't mean that much to you--or
it's not particularly difficult to achieve. Either way you won't be remarkably
successful.
4. They avoid the crowds.
Conventional wisdom yields
conventional results. Joining the crowd--no matter how trendy the crowd or
"hot" the opportunity--is a recipe for mediocrity.
Remarkably successful people
habitually do what other people won't do. They go where others won't go because
there's a lot less competition and a much greater chance for success.
5. They start at the end...
Average success is often based on
setting average goals.
Decide what you really want: to be
the best, the fastest, the cheapest, the biggest, whatever. Aim for the
ultimate. Decide where you want to end up. That is your goal.
Then you can work backwards and lay
out every step along the way.
Never start small where goals are
concerned. You'll make better decisions--and find it much easier to work a lot
harder--when your ultimate goal is ultimate success.
6. ... and they don't stop there.
Achieving a goal--no matter how
huge--isn't the finish line for highly successful people. Achieving one huge
goal just creates a launching pad for achieving another huge goal.
Maybe you want to create a $100
million business; once you do you can leverage your contacts and influence to
create a charitable foundation for a cause you believe in. Then your business
and humanitarian success can create a platform for speaking, writing, and
thought leadership. Then...
The process of becoming remarkably
successful in one field will give you the skills and network to be remarkably
successful in many other fields.
Remarkably successful people don't
try to win just one race. They expect and plan to win a number of subsequent
races.
7. They sell.
I once asked a number of business
owners and CEOs to name the one skill they felt contributed the most to their
success. Each said the ability to sell.
Keep in mind selling isn't
manipulating, pressuring, or cajoling. Selling is explaining the logic and
benefits of a decision or position. Selling is convincing other people to work
with you. Selling is overcoming objections and roadblocks.
Selling is the foundation of
business and personal success: knowing how to negotiate, to deal with
"no," to maintain confidence and self-esteem in the face of
rejection, to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, to build
long-term relationships...
When you truly believe in your idea,
or your company, or yourself then you don't need to have a huge ego or a huge
personality. You don't need to "sell."
You just need to communicate.
8. They are never too proud.
To admit they made a mistake. To say
they are sorry. To have big dreams. To admit they owe their success to others.
To poke fun at themselves. To ask for help.
To fail.
And to try again.
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