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Highly successful people come from many walks of life. Some have highly successful or affluent parents, which almost forces them to become high achievers, while others succeed in order to avoid poverty. Moreover, some are outgoing while others are painfully shy and withdrawn. Still, despite all the differences among the most successful people, following are five primary characteristics they all have in common.
Love What They Do
The most successful people tend to love what they do. They live by the credo, “If you’re doing something you enjoy, it doesn’t seem like work.” Consequently, they tend to put in countless hours to reach their goals. Money is not always their primary objective, but a nice perk. Many of these folks probably knew what they wanted to do for a living from a young age, possibly turning their favorite avocations into careers. Others may have discovered their life’s work after starting their vocations, and the love for their jobs motivated them to reach the apex in their aspirations.
Self-Confident
Despite their demeanor, whether shy, outgoing or brazen, the most successful people are highly confident in their abilities. Many people need more positive affirmation to gain confidence, whether on their jobs or in business ventures. Those who achieve great things in life tend to gain confidence through small successes over time. This inner confidence comes from an unshakable trust in themselves, according to Inc., which puts these aspirants a step or two closer to achieving what they want.
Good Communicators
High achievers must know how to communicate their goals and strategies to reach them. And effective communication is not just a matter of sending out some emails, giving a good pep talk and then sending workers off to tackle a big project. Successful people are constantly communicating with their superiors, subordinates and anyone involved in the projects in which they’re working. They not only tell people what they want done, they listen to them. They aren’t so proud as to ignore someone if they have a more efficient way of accomplishing a task. In reality, highly successful people hear not only what people say but what isn’t being said, according to Inc. And when people are good communicators, people are more likely to trust and follow them.
Work Well With Others
It’s difficult to be successful in life without the ability to work well with others. Even the most egotistical and arrogant people with the best ideas rely on others to carry out the tasks that make them successful. And the self-employed, who often start out working for themselves, must eventually work with suppliers or potential buyers to accomplish their objectives. The most successful people know they can accomplish much more working with other people.
Not Afraid to Fail
People who excel at their jobs and accomplish the most in life are usually not afraid of failing. They may fail to accomplish a particular task or project in the short run, but they don’t let it defeat them as it might others. They study what they’re doing wrong and find workable solutions to accomplish the desired effect. Years ago, a Midwest hamburger chain ran a string of commercials that featured great achievers who people laughed at before their ideas took off. Whether it was the concept of flying, which the Wright brothers aspired to, or Thomas Edison’s proposal to light an entire town, these giants in their industries didn’t get discouraged from the ridicule of others. They were visionaries who knew they would succeed at what they were doing, even after many failed attempts.
Jessica is a professional blogger who writes for Faxage, a leading company that provide Internet fax service for individuals and businesses.