5 Things Successful People Have in Common
I have interacted with hundreds of extremely successful individuals who are making a big impact.
This article was written by Kristel Bauer and was originally published on Entrepreneur.com. Click here to access it on Entrepreneur.com.
While there is not a magic recipe resulting in instant success, there are some traits that can help pave the way. After talking with hundreds of extremely successful individuals from top CEOs to professional athletes, I have discovered some threads they have in common.
Here are five of the special ingredients that I have seen in many of the successful individuals I have been fortunate to connect with and learn from.
1. Embrace failure
I have found that the most successful people embrace hearing "no" and even use it to their advantage. Every experience is a learning opportunity, giving you feedback that you can take and use to excel. I heard “no” quite often when I started on my podcasting journey. I’m not going to lie — in the beginning, it stung and my ego took a bit of a hit.
But as I progressed, I learned how to better navigate the setbacks that come with entrepreneurship and even use them to my advantage. As an example, I once sent an email asking for a well-known celebrity to be a guest on my show. The answer came back saying that they were passing on the interview, which resulted in me feeling a quick pang of disappointment. I then responded with a "thank you" and an invitation for the PR agent to reach out if they had any clients they felt would be a good fit for my show. This resulted in me getting pitched 3 highly visible guests that I was very excited about.
Long story short: Don’t let hearing "no" hold you back. Something even better could be waiting around the corner.
2. Excel at relationship building
Have you ever had a meeting with someone and you’ve known within the first 10 seconds that you like them? On the flip side, have you ever had a meeting or call with someone new and known within the first 10 seconds that you did not want to work with them?
You give off a vibe whether you realize it or not. Your tone, your body language, your word choices, your energy level and attentiveness — these all come into play when it comes to how you are perceived. People want to work with people they like and trust, so being able to communicate in a way that leaves people feeling good is key. Being authentic, genuine, present and bringing value to your relationships are all ways to help build trust and more meaningful relationships.
3. Are comfortable being uncomfortable
Progress, personal development and success are all outside the boundaries of your comfort zone. Change can be hard and scary, but it is also necessary if you are looking to do something great. The individuals who are making a huge impact have needed to be ok with being uncomfortable along the way. Embracing the awkwardness and pings of discomfort as you venture out of your comfort zone is a great way to set yourself up for success.
4. Get curious
The most successful people are innately curious and are comfortable asking questions about things they don’t understand. Get curious about life and embrace trying new things. This will make your life much more exciting and will also help you adapt and learn as you walk your path towards your vision of success.
5. Have a personal mission
Having a personal mission is an innate way to ignite inner motivation, courage and success. If you don’t care deeply about what you are working on, it’s going to be hard to put up with the setbacks along the way. Aligning your goals with things that are important to you will not only set you up for success, but will also make life a lot more fulfilling and fun.
Remember that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to success. Embrace your uniqueness and embrace the journey.
Disclaimer: This content purely represents the opinion of the author and is not medical advice or treatment recommendations. Always talk to your healthcare provider about recommendations specific to you.
Written by Kristel Bauer 2022