Top 10 Common Traits of Highly Successful People

A universal craving for every human being is the desire for success. We all want to achieve our objectives exactly as envisioned in our minds. There have been countless books written surrounding the topic of ‘success’ – by authors who interviewed thousands of prominent people, and many of them came to the same conclusion.

The most successful people in the world have a set of traits which they all share. The good news is that such traits can also be adapted by anyone that wishes to be successful.

10 Common Traits of the Most Successful People

1. Successful people are passionate about what they do

I’m sure we’ve all been told at one point or another that we must be passionate about what we do if we want to become successful. The word ‘passion’ is described on Wikipedia as a ‘strong feeling about someone or something – an intense emotion, a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something’.

That is deep.

And that is exactly what you need to feel about what you do.

Every mission that we undertake, and aim to flourish at, will ultimately have challenges along the way. If you are not passionate about what you do, then every little challenge will most likely destabilize you. A series of challenges and you will throw in the white towel. Passion is what drives highly successful people through the toughest times.

2. Successful people make things happen

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

Most people like to sit back and go with the flow. They give too much responsibility to other people over the things which they should have total control over. And guess what; whenever things don’t go their way, guess who they will blame? That’s right, everybody else but themselves.

While highly successful people also rely on the strategic alliances which they formed, they usually tend to take the front seat. They are the drivers of progress. They are the ones that make things happen.

Related: How to Become a Millionaire by Adopting 5 Powerful Principles

3. Successful people are willing to fail in order to eventually succeed

Failure is a fundamental part of the game. As a matter of fact, you are likely to fail many more times than you will succeed. But it usually takes just a few major accomplishments to make it worthwhile.

Without failure you would never be able to learn or to grow. Highly successful people know this, and have accepted it to be a part of the game. If you can remain positive each time you fail, take notes, and improve your strategies, you will be successful. It is only a matter of time. Unsuccessful people on the other hand give up easily after failing at something.

4. Successful people have fun at work

If you cannot find the fun in your work, then you should probably find something else to do. It’s one thing working 12 hours a day and another getting 12 hours’ worth of work. A person that has fun at work can easily get the full 12 hours worth of work each day. It’s common knowledge that highly successful people work very many hours a day. Well that is because they really enjoy their work.

The author Richard St.John interviewed over 500 successful people, and then advised that an 80/20 split can be used as a starting point. That means 80% of your work should be enjoyable while 20% should consist of the more serious and less fun things.

5. Successful people focus on one thing at a time

Highly successful people have the ability to completely focus on just one thing and ignore everything else until the objective has been achieved. It’s not possible to succeed at 10 things at the same time. I mean, it is hard enough finding success in just one thing.

Unsuccessful people are usually all over the place. They want to do this, they want to do that, they want to do everything. They don’t have a singular focus. Focusing on just one thing means that you will be able to give it 100% of your effort, thereby increasing the chances of success

6. Successful people push themselves out of their comfort zones

Successful people know that they can never fully prosper by remaining in their comfort zones. They know that they must always seek new challenges on unfamiliar grounds and push past any doubts or fears. The comfort zone is where progress never happens. Unsuccessful people want to prosper but are not willing to face the challenges.

7. Successful people are constantly improving themselves

The most successful people in the world are always looking for ways to improve themselves. They are avid readers – always on the lookout for the latest trends to ensure that they stay ahead of everyone else. They are usually friends with people who are very smart so that they can learn from them.

They also understand that practice makes perfect, and will never skip a day practicing their crafts. While it is impossible to be good at everything, you can focus on just one thing – a strength, and then develop it every single day until you become the best at it.

8. Successful people are persistent through failure

Failure is inevitable. Even the most successful people still make mistakes and often face failures which, at time, are more severe than what average people face. What sets them apart, however, is that they are very persistent.

Each failure only motivates them to make changes to the plan and then try again, rather than to abandon ship. Many unsuccessful people are easily put off by a simple rejection. Failure is something that cannot be avoided, how you deal with it is what makes the difference.

9. Successful people know when to stay and when to leave

Successful people are not afraid of making difficult decisions. When the time comes for a big call, they will not hold back. They know exactly when to start something, when to pull out, when to sell. They tend to go with their intuition, despite opposing forces.

The most important decisions are usually the most uncomfortable ones to make. When faced with difficult decisions, unsuccessful people tend to choose the easiest way out, even if it means that their progress will be hindered.

10. Successful people can communicate their story effectively

Successful people are usually excellent communicators. They have an ability to explain themselves in ways that can make anyone believe in them. They are really good with words and can easily negotiate deals which favor them. That comes through years of practice. They exude confidence and have a strong posture that can help bend things their way, sometimes without even saying a word.