The 7 Strengths and Habits That Successful People Possess There's no secret recipe that will make you a successful person, but these seven strengths and habits can greatly increase your chances of success.
By Debbie Allen
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The following excerpt is from Debbie Allen's book Success Is Easy. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | IndieBound
Finding and developing success within yourself can come easily when you look at the strengths and habits of other successful people. The attributes of successful people don't develop overnight and didn't just happen by accident -- although they may make it look effortless.
Successful people continue to work on their success habits as part of a daily routine so that success becomes a way of life. Let's walk through seven of the most important strengths and habits of successful people.
1. They have a success-driven mindset and the passion to achieve
Successful people have a strong will to succeed and achieve in life. They look forward to growth and have a deeply rooted desire to do much more than the average person. These people take action to make positive changes and move outside their comfort zone. Even when their attempts fail, they can quickly see opportunities that surround them, adjust when things go wrong and move in a new direction.
Unsuccessful people, on the other hand, feel defeated, throw their hands up in the air and give up way too soon.
Related: Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Millionaire?
2. They are self-aware and have self-confidence
Successful people face challenges with confidence and trust their skills and knowledge. Even when they don't have the right skills or knowledge to begin with, they move forward with enthusiasm and commitment to succeed despite the odds. Successful people have a strong sense of self, which allows them to make stronger commitments. They are comfortable speaking their minds. Successful people stand up, speak out and enjoy sharing ideas and opinions.
Unsuccessful people who lack confidence are often unwilling to open up and speak up, which holds them back and causes missed opportunities.
3. They are vision-focused and achievement-oriented
Successful people create a clear vision for goals and take action toward achieving that vision, which doesn't allow anything to stand in their way. A strong vision serves as a guideline to keep them motivated and on track to achieving their goals. They set and conquer smaller goals first and then move on to bigger and bolder benchmarks so they can hit larger targets.
Unsuccessful people are frequently unclear, unfocused and misguided, so they often waste time and money getting to their goals or even missing the targets altogether.
4. They value time wisely
Successful people are extremely productive. They value and use their time wisely and don't allow others to take advantage of or waste their time. They create barriers around their time by adding structure and systems into their businesses, which are respected by clients and peers. They clearly understand that time is their most valuable asset.
Unsuccessful people waste time doing unproductive things that don't allow for effective growth and give away their time too freely to others. Therefore, they create fewer income-generating opportunities.
Related: Harnessing the Power of Positive Thinking to Grow Your Business
5. They own it!
Successful people build a solid business and brand foundation that sets them apart from the competition. They are known as experts and authorities within their respective industries. They own their business and their brand, which allows them to easily maximize their avenues to success.
Unsuccessful competitors either do things like everyone else, lack a success plan to build on, or do just enough to survive.
6. They think differently than the average person
Successful people think differently. They look one step -- or more -- into the future and see opportunities everywhere. They think outside the box and come up with creative and innovative ways of doing business.
Unsuccessful people follow the crowd or wait to copy other people's ideas, so they usually remain one step behind the competition.
7. They love what they do
Successful people don't think of work as work. They take pleasure in their business and love what they do for a living. This gives them a sense of achievement and happiness that fulfills their definition of success.
Unsuccessful people see work as survival, and they work simply to earn a living. Most don't enjoy what they do for a living and consider what they do to be a J-O-B.
