Who are the most successful people you know? Now think for a moment: list the traits they have in common; Similar childhood? Career track? Academic parallels?
The truth is, there is no secret to success. Success is an aspiration for all of us. Although paths and personalities differ greatly, there are similar attitudes and habits for those we view as successful. Perhaps if we harness these traits, success can be realized and is closer than we imagine.
According to Ashley Stahl, a job coach and writer for Forbes, there are 5 traits successful people employ that help them achieve success:
Take risks! While holding back can sometimes be the safe option, those who never take risks will never reap the rewards. Successful people set goals for themselves and take risks to achieve those goals. In other words, we must want to achieve our goals so badly that we are willing to risk failing. Even if we fail, we can pick ourselves back up and try again. But if we hold back, we will never reach our full potential.
Work [hard]! While traits such as intelligence and talent seem innate, studies have shown grit, hard work, and determination are just as important. And another study proves that dedicating enough quality, focused time to really any task or skill is ultimately what makes one an expert in something, more so than any other factor. This means success is not limited to innate intelligence! Anyone who is willing to expend time and effort can truly master any skill. Commitment to the effort and mastery of the skill is a key element of the grit and hardworking effort.
Admit when they are wrong! Success is not easy, and therefore we will experience setbacks on the way. This comes along with taking risks. What differentiates those who ultimately fail from those who succeed is the ability to humbly admit where you went wrong, learn from your mistakes, and move on. Do not dwell on the setbacks and instead accept them as part of the process. Admitting to and learning from mistakes and setbacks will be key to advancing one in their journey to success.
Adapt! In our ever-changing world, learning to adapt to new processes and environment is vital to success. Successful people are open to change and do not get too set in their ways because they know they may need to change their way of thinking or doing things at any time. While planning is important, we must realize that few plans go off without a hitch, and the ability to roll with the punches is critical. Adapting to changes propels us to success.
Delegate without micromanaging! Learning what to let go of and what to outsource is key, as it enables people who achieve success to focus only on the most important tasks that really can only be performed by them. Trying to shoulder everything is risky and is a surefire path to burnout. In other words, successful people do not think “How can I get this done?” but “How can this best be done?” with the support of their team in mind.
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
– Winston Churchill