8 Things Remarkably Successful
People Do
The most successful
people in business work differently. See what they do--and why it works.
1. They don't create
back-up plans.
Back-up plans can
help you sleep easier at night. Back-up plans can also create an easy out when
times get tough.
You'll work a lot
harder and a lot longer if your primary plan simply has to work because there
is no other option. Total commitment--without a safety net--will spur you to
work harder than you ever imagined possible.
If somehow the worst
does happen (and the "worst" is never as bad as you think) trust that
you will find a way to rebound. As long as you keep working hard and keep
learning from your mistakes, you always will.
2. They do the
work...
You can be good with
a little effort. You can be really good with a little more effort.
But you can't be
great--at anything--unless you put in an incredible amount of focused effort.
Scratch the surface
of any person with rare skills and you'll find a person who has put thousands
of hours of effort into developing those skills.
There are no
shortcuts. There are no overnight successes. Everyone has heard about the
10,000 hours principle but no one follows it... except remarkably successful
people.
So start doing the
work now. Time is wasting.
3. ...and they
work a lot more.
Every extremely
successful entrepreneur I know (personally) works more hours than the average
person--a lot more. They have long lists of things they want to get
done. So they have to put in lots of time.
Better yet,
they want to put in lots of time.
If you don't embrace
a workload others would consider crazy then your goal doesn't mean that much to
you--or it's not particularly difficult to achieve. Either way you won't be
remarkably successful.
4. They avoid the
crowds.
Conventional wisdom
yields conventional results. Joining the crowd--no matter how trendy the crowd
or "hot" the opportunity--is a recipe for mediocrity.
Remarkably successful
people habitually do what other people won't do. They go where others won't go
because there's a lot less competition and a much greater chance for success.
5. They start at the
end...
Average success is
often based on setting average goals.
Decide what you
really want: to be the best, the fastest, the cheapest, the biggest, whatever.
Aim for the ultimate. Decide where you want to end up. That is
your goal.
Then you can work
backwards and lay out every step along the way.
Never start small
where goals are concerned. You'll make better decisions--and find it much
easier to work a lot harder--when your ultimate goal is ultimate success.
6. ... and they don't
stop there.
Achieving a goal--no
matter how huge--isn't the finish line for highly successful people. Achieving
one huge goal just creates a launching pad for achieving another huge goal.
Maybe you want to create
a $100 million business; once you do you can leverage your contacts and
influence to create a charitable foundation for a cause you believe in. Then
your business and humanitarian success can create a platform for speaking,
writing, and thought leadership. Then...
The process of
becoming remarkably successful in one field will give you the skills and
network to be remarkably successful in many other fields.
Remarkably successful
people don't try to win just one race. They expect and plan to win a number of
subsequent races.
7. They sell.
I once asked a number
of business owners and CEOs to name the one skill they felt contributed the
most to their success. Each said the ability to sell.
Keep in mind selling
isn't manipulating, pressuring, or cajoling. Selling is explaining the logic
and benefits of a decision or position. Selling is convincing other people to
work with you. Selling is overcoming objections and roadblocks.
Selling is the foundation
of business and personal success: knowing how to negotiate, to deal with
"no," to maintain confidence and self-esteem in the face of
rejection, to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, to build
long-term relationships...
When you truly
believe in your idea, or your company, or yourself then you don't need to have
a huge ego or a huge personality. You don't need to "sell."
You just need to
communicate.
8. They are never too
proud.
To admit they made a
mistake. To say they are sorry. To have big dreams. To admit they owe their
success to others. To poke fun at themselves. To ask for help.
To fail. And to
try again.
By: Jeff Haden
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