There is no magic pill or exact formula, there is no quick fix and there definelty isn’t a “one size fits all” solution.
But …
You only have to look at those who have achieved success to see some clues. While there might not be a “right answer” there are many traits that are common amongst those who are at the top of their field.
So I’ve put together 8 traits for you, 8 key things that make success…
Passion:
You must have a genuine passion for what you are trying to do and be willing to throw yourself in head first. A genuine passion is going to fuel you long past the initial enthusiasm wearing off. It will carry you through the hard first steps, the late nights, the moments when no-one else seems to get what you are doing.
And more importantly… people will see it. True passion is recognisable, you can see it in someone’s eyes, in the way they move, in the things they say. It’s not a pushy sales man, it’s someone who is genuinely dedicated to what they are doing.
Work (but have fun):
I’ve never met an “over-night success” who didn’t have years of work behind them. Years of long days and nights, years of putting in the hours and doing the groundwork. There is always a lot of work behind that scenes that you just don’t see.
Being successful takes work, I’m sorry, but it does. It takes someone head down, bum up, doing the grunt work.
But all of this doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun at the same time. Find a way to put the fun back into what you do, get the music going, celebrate the progress, build a team around you and enjoy the work. You’ve got to do it, but no-one said you can’t enjoy it.
Be good at it:
To be successful you need to be dam good at what you do. For a very few people on this planet that may come naturally, but most of the time you need to work hard at being good at what you do.
Tiger Woods was playing golf since he was a toddler, Michael Jorden failed far more shots than he ever achieved… these people didn’t just become good over-night, they worked hard for it.
Being good at what you do isn’t an end point… you don’t just stop one day and suddenly be the best you’ll ever be, it’s a journey.
Practice, learn, invest, study, practice (yes, I realise I said that twice), run beta tests… find as many ways as you can to get good at what you do. Schedule time for it, get into the routine of taking time to increase your skills.
Focus!:
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”
If you want real results you have to focus.
Focus on one task and smash it, focus on one project and get great results from it.
Focus on one niche and really work it.
Focus on the vital tasks and learn to say no to anything that doesn’t meet those needs.
Stop spreading yourself thin, take all of your energy and focus it into one area.
Push yourself and have others push you:
One very common trait of those who have great success in their area is that they hold themselves accountable to a high standard, they don’t take second best, or half-assed as an option.
Plus, they build an incredible team around them who can push them too. You won’t find an Olympic athlete or successful sports person who doesn’t have a coach pushing them further than they could ever push themselves. Just as successful musicians have voice coaches, publicity managers, marketers and a record label to direct them.
You might not have an Olympic coach, but you can build a team around you to push you and hold you to a higher standard. Find an accountability partner to hold you to your deadlines, make sure your business partner pushes you to be more.
And better still – hire an expert. Someone who has been there, done that and got the t-shirt. If you do hire a coach, make sure they’ve run their own successful businesses, or that they have achieved success in the industry that you are trying to break in to. Learn from the best.
Serve people:
Success isn’t always about the numbers, but about the impact that you can have on someone’s life and the problems you can solve.
Take time to understand your customers and clients, really get to know them. Become invested in getting results for them and solve their problems for them.
Under promise and over deliver!
Be in business not for the dollars (it’ll be a long hard slog if that is all that you are here for), but to serve. Take that passion of yours and really make an impact!
Make ideas:
There isn’t a magic pill or a formula… no matter how many people you see selling the answers.
Success requires you to make your own ideas, create your own waves.
Each of us has a little creativity inside us. I’m not saying that we are all great artists, dancers or musicians… trust me, you don’t want to see me do any of that.
But we all have our own ways of creating things and coming up with new ideas. To be successful you need to recognise what works for you, find your zone and do the things that get you there.
Maybe it’s a little music, maybe it’s a very strong coffee….
Spend time each week making ideas, working on your business, creating your content, creating your marketing.
Persist! :
Persistence is a vital component to success. There will be days when it is all too hard, when it is easier to throw in the towel, when you wonder what the hell you are doing with yourself…
And when the idea of a 9-5 job, where you can go home and stop caring, actually almost sounds attractive (note: almost!)
Persistence will keep you going when others have stopped, persistence is the stubbornness that will get you through.
(But learn to recognise the difference between persistence and flogging a dead horse. There will be times when you need to let go of an idea and move on to something new, or try something different. Persistence isn’t following an idea that’s not working for years on end… !)
There might not be a magic pill or a quick fix… there might not be one way that works for everyone… but these 8 traits kick ass, and definitely create results.
Share your thoughts with me, what do you believe is vital to success?
– Your tough love specialist and ass kicking training buddy,
Sam
My whole life I’ve not had the opportunity to mix with those who are successful or better than me in my industry for several different reasons. I now have met someone with a business head( which I do not have at all) who not only is I terested in my goals but can and will be my partner. I have really started to grow since being involved with FB groups for women in business and groups for those in my industry. I see my dreams and now know that they can and will indeed happen. I will forever be grateful to those on FB and this new dried and business partner.
Sarah,
That is great to hear 🙂 It is always wonderful when you can find someone to support you on this journey.