11 Traits of High Achievers

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Everyone wants to be a success! But the fact is that only a few ever make it to the ranks of being really successful. It is true that all of us have different definitions of success, but only a few have achieved or come close to realizing their dreams.

What makes high achievers tick?

High achievers and successful people seem to have a long string of hits with the occasional misses, but by and large, they seem to lead charmed lives. True, these individuals work very hard, but so do a lot of other people. What differentiates them from the rest? What makes them tick?

After spending over 20 years reading many autobiographies and studying the lives of very successful people, and breaking down their essence of thoughts, I find that they all share pretty similar traits, and set of values. True, many have certain idiosyncrasies, but their success can be attributed to a similar mindset - a set of philosophies and principals. It is interesting to note that this mindset can also be replicated.

Some of these shared traits are intuitively obvious and expected, but research also throws up some unexpected findings.

The expected traits of high achievers are as follows.

• Steel-like determination

High achievers and very successful people display an uncommon ability to try very very hard for what they believe in. What many see of these folks are the results of many years of not just pure hard work. Many do not see the ugly side of what they went through to get to where they are today. The media has made them darlings and the envy of many. However, what many people do not see is that they literally had to pay for their initial success with their blood, tears, and sweat. High achievers see hard work as a given, and their work ethic can seem intimidating to others.

• Extra-ordinary drive

High achievers have boundless energy. They have a hundred and one things to do and they still manage to keep on top of all the various activities going on at the same time. They are very disciplined and organized in their own sort of way. They keep tabs on what needs to be done and are often religious in following up on the significant things that may impact their overall plan. They tend to keep themselves in peak form most of the time and strive for greater things.

• Very competitive

High achievers hate losing! They want to out-sell, out-perform, and out-maneuver their competitors. Many of their colleagues and subordinates find it difficult to keep up with them as they can be very demanding on work performance. High achievers are not only competitive in business but invariably also in the sports they participate in, whether it is in golf, tennis, triathlon, etc.

• Street Intelligence

Many high achievers may not possess high IQ, but they are intelligent in their own ways. They are able to find profitable niches in the myriad of business opportunities out in the world today. Often, they are able to find gems where others see mud. They are innovative and able to think out of the box so as to create something out of nothing.

• Integrity

Invariably, the most successful people usually believe in honesty in their business dealings, and emphasize integrity in their daily lives. They are sometimes troubled by the many tough decisions that they have to take but are guided by their conscience. Many times, they operate in environments that are difficult to differentiate between right and wrong. Some of them run very successful businesses in corrupt regimes. They know that there is no such thing as black and white in business. If they are whiter than white, their businesses will not be able to survive. They often have to trade-off; however, they are very clear that they will not execute ventures that totally compromise their inner values.

• People-Oriented

High achievers and very successful people have strong social skills and are able to relate to the different segments of the people that they encounter every day. They are usually excellent communicators with an uncanny ability to sell ideas, products, and concepts to their partners, customers, and other colleagues. In fact, it is such strong leadership and charisma that enables them to thrive throughout their careers. They are yet still humble and willing to having more talented people help them run their business. They are also willing to learn and be coached by more successful individuals, always seeking to learn from the best.

Some rather surprising discoveries

On the other hand, some of the following traits are not so obvious and quite unexpected

• Focus on Chosen career/ field

Most high achievers and the very successful do not make their money off speculative investments. Many people think their fortunes are found in real estate deals and the stock market, but this is far from the truth. True, there are property billionaires and great investors, but their success is mainly derived from cold hard analysis and relentless execution rather than a lucky toss of the coin and speculation.

Most high achievers are strong believers in their core business or expertise and excel in their chosen field. They are invariably passionate people focused on their chosen field. They may be very busy and tired at times, but you can always see the sparkle in their eyes. They all have a vision for what they want in life and devote most of their time towards that vision. They know that the money will eventually come when they follow this strategy.

• Trusting, sometimes too much

All very successful people have been conned before and been cheated on at some point of their lives. In fact, quite a few of them are willing to share the not so illustrious aspects of their careers. Bad joint venture partners, loans that went unpaid, bad investments due to mismanagement, and many other countless 'unfortunate' encounters.

It seems unlikely that such brilliant business people can be fooled, but such is the reality, and they invariably learn from painful real-life experiences. They can be too trusting at times, especially in the initial phase of their careers, but soon learn to discern the good from the bad in dealing with people and situations.

• Courage

They are brave souls who are willing to take risks. Such moral courage to make a difference in their lives has served them well. They dare to stake a portion of their net worth, time, and energy to realize their vision and gut feel. They realize that things do not happen by chance and one has to push the boundaries in order to succeed. The outside world thinks that whatever they touch will turn to gold, but that is far from the truth. They do make mistakes and apply a whole new total mentality when things are not going well.

They try to make things right by making apt changes and if things are still not right, they rationalize and see if the opportunity is real. In other words, they do not let pride get the better of them. They will withdraw and fight another day if the racehorse they are betting on turns out to be a donkey.

• Are not Spendthrifts

Most high achievers and very successful people can certainly lead a far more extravagant lifestyle but have chosen not to. They can afford far bigger cars than what their income indicates, but they do not splurge. This does not mean they are scrooges. They do appreciate the finer things in life, but they strike a balance in their lifestyle and are unwilling to overpay for things.

• Create their own luck

They have a positive mindset. They think about success and not a failure and look upon occasional failures as temporary setbacks. They deal with it.

Note that they are able to do so, as they do not bet the house away. Sure they take risks, however, they always do their sums and calculate the extent of the downside. Such risk management enables them to thrive. There is an old saying "There are old soldiers and there are brave soldiers, but old and brave soldiers are a rather rare sight."

This statement perhaps sums the need for risk management in their thinking process. Even more important is the fact that they believe their fate is in their own hands. The harder they work, the luckier they become.

Above everything else, they are leaders in their fields.

I take a keen interest in personal development and helping people make the most out of life. I believe in life-long learning and self-improvement to keep being relevant, meaningful, and contributing to society. I have spent many years studying the traits and values of successful people and applying this in my job as a successful fund manager and in my personal life.

To learn more about how to get the most out of life, please visit my website at [http://www.assetmanagementadvisory.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8224709

Dr. Myles Munroe: The Ten Attitudes For Leadership Development

The Optimal Attitude For A Leader: 5 Keys

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With all the necessities, and responsibilities, for effective, meaningful leadership, it's somewhat amazing, we ever locate individuals, with what it takes, to become a true, quality leader. Although, we often discuss, and consider, the many, various, skills, etc, needed and necessary, until/ unless, the potential leader, has what it takes, to proceed, consistently, maintaining the proper, necessary, positive, can-do, attitude, how can he effectively, inspire, motivate, and be considered as, a relevant leader? With that in mind, this article will attempt to briefly examine, review and consider, 5 key elements, for proceeding with the optimal attitude, to be able to make a quality difference, and changes, for the better!

1. Truly positive, can - do, attitude: Many people claim to be positive, and to possess and maintain, the best attitude, needed for leaders, to succeed, and be effective! However, the reality is, you can't fake, your attitude, but rather, must make it your second nature, proceeding with positivity, while most of the rest of the pack, often revert to a degree of negativity! If you are perceived, as, being negative, it becomes challenging, to get others, to want to follow you! This may sound simple, and somewhat, easy, but, generally, takes extreme commitment, personal belief, and internal development!

2. Self - confidence: In my, over four decades, of involvement in nearly every aspect of leadership, from serving as a leader to training thousands of potential and/ or actual leaders, etc, I have learned, there is a fine - line, between self - confidence, which makes someone better, and more capable, and fooling oneself, into believing they are better than they actually are. When one possesses true self - confidence, he becomes more capable of making the best decisions, because he is able to make well-considered, timely decisions, while trusting his personal judgment and/ or wisdom!

3. Be best, one can be: The commitment to leading, must focus, on doing one's best, and striving to make a relevant, sustainable, change, for the better! Will you commit, to being, the best, you can be. regularly and consistently?

4. Don't settle for good - enough: Do you have the genuine pride, and self - image, where you believe, you deserve to be a leader? If so, you will never be willing to merely settle, for good - enough, but, rather, strive for your highest degree of personal excellence, and have the confidence, to believe, and perceive, you can achieve!

5. Seek to inspire/ motivate; make a quality difference: There's a huge, significant difference, between, merely making some changes, and being the type of individual, who inspires and motivates others, to follow, believe in you, and become more committed and involved!

True leaders realize they need to possess and maintain, the optimal attitude, to make others buy - into your visions, etc! Will you be ready, and up, to the task?

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands of leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2lead

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9882763

The Power Of Attitude (Part 2) - How to be a Great Leader by Dr. Myles M...

Marketing Behaviour 2101033 - Wk 7 Attitude Change & Persuasion

Attitude Is a Big Deal

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Attitude has been defined as, "A predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. Attitude influences an individual's choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards (together called stimuli) - Businessdictionary.com. The site adds that there are four major components of attitude which are "(1) Affective: emotions or feelings. (2) Cognitive: belief or opinions held consciously. (3) Conative: inclination for action. (4) Evaluative: positive or negative response to stimuli." There are essentially two attitudes that persons can have: a good attitude or a bad attitude. There is a misconception in some organizations that the only thing that matters to work success is persons' ability to get the job done. This view does not understand the critical importance of workers having the right attitude.

A bad attitude is responding badly or negatively to something or someone; it involves thinking negatively. How are bad attitudes developed? Bad attitudes develop when people allow themselves to become proud. Pride causes people to have an overinflated opinion of themselves while seeing others as inferior. Pride inevitably leads to a lack of love and respect for others. Proud people also think that they are larger than the organization or the common good. They believe that they are indispensable to the organization, and that they are superior in the execution of their tasks.

Bad attitudes may also be due to improper training. Human Resource managers have begun to recognize the necessity of training to achieving and maintaining competitive advantage. Greater priority is being placed on customer service, which requires workers to have a good attitude to the company, to their coworkers and to the customers. When workers are not trained to prioritize these three areas, as well as be held accountable for them, they are more likely to develop bad attitudes.

Bad attitudes often come about because of a negative home environment. Many families today are dysfunctional. The product is dysfunctional individuals who are filled with negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, stress and bitterness and who are unable to relate well to people. Homes are characterized by separation and divorce. These do not simply have a traumatic effect on children but also affect the spouses themselves. Families are also characterized by various forms of abuse: physical, verbal, sexual and emotional. There is typically a lack of healthy communication and a lack of healthy core values. It is no wonder then, that when people come into the workforce, they are unable to function effectively. The situation will soon reach a point where companies will have to hire mental and counseling professionals to deal with this deteriorating problem.

Regardless of the source of bad attitudes, all organizations need people with good attitudes. Persons must first have a good attitude toward themselves. Self-love is not the same as narcissism. Persons who love themselves treat themselves with respect and see themselves as persons of value and importance. It is impossible to have a genuinely good attitude to others when you lack a good attitude toward yourself. Further, persons must have a good attitude to others - to their superiors, their subordinates, their coworkers and to the customers. Persons must have a good attitude to their task. They must recognize the importance of the task to the success of the organization. They must be faithful to the task and always look for ways to improve. Persons must also have a good attitude to the organization. If you are dissatisfied with the organization and nothing is changing for the better than the best thing to do is leave. The rule of thumb is like the place where you work or you will be a miserable person throughout your life.

There are a number of positive things that happen when persons have good attitudes. One of the results is better work relationships. People are more willing to cooperate with each other. They tend to work as a team creating an environment of synergy. People look out for each other and spur one another on to better performance. A natural outcome is increased productivity as persons are not carrying around emotional baggage. People are also more focused. Better relationships mean better communication and cooperation, which lead to innovation and problem solving. Persons with good attitudes motivate others.

However, there are a number of negative things that result when an organization has persons with negative attitudes. One of these is low morale: persons are simply not motivated to perform at their best. This inevitably leads to low productivity; in some cases, productivity may simply be below what the organization is truly capable of producing. Bad attitudes result in conflict and division. Persons with bad attitudes are difficult to get along with. They could be too passive, unwilling to do what needs to be done. They can be aggressive, like corporate bullies. Or, they can be passive-aggressive, quietly working behind the scenes to frustrate progress. When persons with bad attitudes are not dealt with, affected persons begin to lose confidence in the leader. They expect the leader to do something and they are frustrated when nothing is done even though everyone knows who the problem person is.

Speaking of leadership, what do you do with people with a bad attitude? Early intervention is important; a classic mistake is to wait until too much damage has been done. Leaders can talk to persons with bad attitudes to assess the root of the problem. The problem may be quite fixable if leaders are willing to deal with it. Leaders can train persons to think differently and to maximize their abilities for the advancing of the organization; mentoring and coaching can help. A proper assessment of individuals may reveal that they are working in the wrong area: a simple transfer, then, may fix the problem. In worst case scenarios, when everything has been tried and has failed, the only other solution is to terminate persons with bad attitudes. Persons with negative attitudes will destroy what leaders are working to accomplish.

There are several right attitudes that should be encouraged. Here are a few. Organizations need persons with a can do attitude. These are individuals who are proactive and are committed to getting things done. There is also a need for persons with a sharing attitude - those who are committed to partnership rather than just working on their own. Greater results are achieved when we work with others. Organizations need persons with a people attitude, persons who have a genuine concern for others. Charitable organizations need persons with a reverent attitude - those who have respect for God and His work. Any organization that is progressive needs persons with an open attitude - those who are open to change. Finally, organizations need persons with a humble/learning attitude - people who are willing to learn. This has to do with the concept of constant improvement.

Let's look at some ways that can help in developing a good attitude. If you have a bad attitude, then you must recognize that you have a bad attitude. I think there will be sufficient clues to let you know that you have a bad attitude! You must not see yourself as indispensable to the organization. This is not to say that you aren't important, but that you must not be so proud to think that you can't be replaced; a little humility goes a long way. Further, practice the Golden Rule - do you want others to treat you the same way you treat others? If not, then treat others with respect and don't do to them what you don't want them to do to you. Further, see the bigger picture - it's not all about you; the organization exists for a reason. Do you know the organization's mission statement? Christians need to cultivate the fruit of the Holy Spirit: these include such qualities as love, joy and peace. Further, see your work/service/ministry as unto God. Finally, deal with the demons of your past - those unresolved issues that block you from having a good attitude. There are mental health professionals and religious ministers who can assist in this area.

Leaders need to recruit people with good attitudes who are talented, not people that are talented with bad attitudes. Sometimes desperation can cause us to use people with poor attitudes. We must always remember that character is more important than talent alone. Bad attitudes will have a detrimental effect on an organization. Good attitudes will have a positive effect.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7600267

The Power of ATTITUDE - A powerful motivational speech by Dr. Myles.