You see them all the time: people who seem to have it all, who are able to somehow make their businesses take off, win coveted awards, or achieve national acclaim. You watch them make headlines and wonder how you could ever achieve “success” on the level that they have.
What few people realize, however, is that those seen as “successful” actually aren’t so different from the rest of us; they aren’t supernatural beings, but just regular people who happen to be really good at what they do. The way they achieve success is by utilizing a few common qualities that few people ever fully harness. As a result, highly successful people have these six common denominators:
1. Passion
The number one difference between a person who succeeds and one who doesn’t is the passion and effort that they put into their work – because chances are that if you don’t care about what you’re doing, you’re not going to get very far with it. Successful people are highly passionate about their work, and this allows them to work harder without ever burning out, because they care about the outcome of their efforts.
2. Focus
Energy is great in the search for success, but it does nothing if your energies are scattered. Instead, it is important to have goals and focus on achieving them. You can start dozens of projects, but move on to the next one before you really have time to fully develop each one, or you can focus all of your efforts on helping one project succeed and reap the benefits.
3. Risk-Taking
You’ve heard it many times before: “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” Highly successful people take this to heart – recognizing that you can’t really achieve without putting yourself out there and getting out of your comfort zone. This comes with taking risks, and sometimes losing. However, determination will see you through to the idea that finally takes off.
4. Innovation
Success doesn’t come from resting on your laurels; you have to constantly be searching for the next big idea, the newer model, and the next innovation that will catapult your work to the next level. Success means never truly being satisfied. More can always be done and achieved.
5. Hard Work
It may seem like a no-brainer, but success requires hard work. Most of the highly successful people you know haven’t gotten there without a significant amount of time, effort, and sometimes monetary backing.
6. Help
Even though the road to success may be a solitary journey, few people could realistically balance all of the tasks needed to achieve their goals. A virtual receptionist, such as those offered by gabbyville.com, helps you manage your to-do list and keep track of important appointments so that you can focus on the bigger picture.