What makes successful people so different from unsuccessful people? First and foremost, is the mindset that these two types of people have. Successful people have an entirely different mindset; they think differently than everyone else. Common setbacks aren’t failures to them, but rather are learning opportunities. Getting up early isn’t just something they must do, it’s something they want to do in order to maintain their success. While the term “success” may carry a different definition for everyone, the overall meaning falls somewhere in the definition of being happy, healthy, and financially secure. Here are five characteristics of successful people.
- Patience
Patience is a skill in itself. Whether you’re the impatient one or you know someone who’s impatient, you must understand how detrimental impatience can be to your success. Patience is a virtue, as they say, and that’s nothing less than the truth. Patience keeps you grounded when things seem like they’ll never line up, and gives you the invaluable ability to wait out the storm rather than trying to run from it. Of all the traits of winners, patience is perhaps the most important, because from patience stems many other attributes.
Someone who is impatient will often rush into things head-on without planning or working as a team. This can lead to disastrous consequences, leaving you broken, defeated, and wondering where it all went wrong. Mastering patience isn’t rocket science, but it does require a bit of practice. Practice waiting for things you really want and not staying hyperfocused on when they’ll arrive. This level of “obsession” with things that haven’t come to pass can generate a lot of negative feelings such as anxiety and even sorrow.
- Discipline
When you consider the characteristics that set successful people apart from everyone else, you’d be a fool to skim over discipline. In fact, it can be argued that discipline is one of the most essential tools for success in any form. Whether you view financial freedom or a rich lifestyle full of experience as success, both require discipline to achieve; and discipline is much more than just waking up early on a daily basis.
Discipline also has to do with your mindset, or how you view things. Disciplining your mind to eliminate thoughts of failure and negativity takes a lot of practice, especially in a world where we’re conditioned almost from birth to be negative. The news, our politics, pop-culture, and even movies all create negative influences on our self-esteem and our view of personal limitations.
Societal pressure would have us gather under a single expectation and become one of the flock, but successful people ignore the mold and instead, strike their own path. You’ll never get anywhere trying to be someone else. Yes, it’s perfectly ok to have influences, motivators, and people you look up to, but strive to be your own best version of you. Be a product of your influences, not an imitation of them.
Discipline will help you navigate the obstacles you’ll surely encounter in your journey toward success. It drives you when your motivation is low, it hardens your will against temptation, and emboldens your sense of self-worth.
- Motivation & Ambition
What is the definition of ambition? Of motivation? Aren’t they the same thing? While the two are commonly mistaken for one another, they are not, in fact, the same; but rather are dependent on one another. Ambition is the dream itself, or what you aspire to; that strong desire to become successful or reach new heights. Motivation is the reason behind that ambition. What motivated you to seek out success? To achieve this goal or goals?
Tapping into what motivates your ambition can help you craft the perfect specific vision for reaching your success. Like anything, the more you understand it, the better you can use it to your advantage. Knowledge is certainly power, and knowing what drives you will come in handy when things get tough. When you find yourself stuck, you can reflect on that motivation and find new inspiration to keep moving forward.
- Adaptability
Adapting to unforeseen circumstances or situations is a skill that anyone can benefit from mastering. Some of the most successful people in the world have been forced to adapt to sudden changes and navigate their existence in a whole new way. Let’s say you’re on your way to achieving financial freedom; you’re paying down bad debt, increasing your income, and being wiser about your money, but suddenly, you get a letter from an attorney. A debt you’ve long forgotten about has resurfaced, and you’re being threatened with wage garnishment. How do you adapt and overcome in this situation?
Adaptability is one of mankind’s best traits. We’ve adapted to climates, technological changes, and threats of all kinds over the millennia. Adaptability is practically built into our DNA, and successful people understand and take advantage of this fact. You already have the ability to adapt and overcome hardwired into your brain; you just have to learn to access and utilize it when the circumstances call for it.
- Studious
Successful people never stop learning. Whether you enjoy reading books, attending seminars, or listening to other people who have achieved similar goals, you should never, ever stop learning. The world is so full of knowledge and information that you couldn’t possibly absorb it all in one lifetime, but should always be absorbing as much as you possibly can. With so much opportunity at hand, it’s a waste not to take every chance to learn more that comes your way.
