8 Things Remarkably Successful People Do

8 Things Remarkably Successful People Do

The most successful people in business work differently. See what they do--and why it works.

I'm fortunate to know a number of remarkably successful people. I've described howthese people share a set of specific perspectives and beliefs. They also share a number of habits:

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.

Forget the Sheryl Sandberg "I leave every day at 5:30" stories. I'm sure she does. But she's not you.

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

Source: Inc.

4 Decision-Making Mistakes to Avoid

4 Decision-Making Mistakes to Avoid

Every day, you must make decisions large and small. Here's what's keeping you from making them more confidently.

Decision making is critical to entrepreneurs. Every day, you have to set out on a course of action, choose tactics, evaluate results, and otherwise choose from arrays of options.

And yet, making decisions can be much trickier than it would seem. Here are four common mistakes that can trip you up.

1. Monumentalizing the Trivial

A recent analysis from University of Florida and Wharton School researchers offers a reason why people get mired in what should be easy and unimportant decisions. They associate important decisions with difficulty. If, for whatever internal or external reason, a decision on an unimportant matter becomes taxing, the importance of the result is magnified. That is particularly true when you think the decision will be easy to make in the first place.

When that type of association starts, it sets off a feedback loop that amps up the impact. As you think the decision is increasingly important, chances are you spend more time and effort on it, increasing the complexity of decision making. One way to deal with it is to place a limit on how long you're willing to spend addressing the issue. When the time ends, make your choice and move on.

2. Dredging Sunk Costs

One of the classic problems in effective decision making is not recognizing sunk costs for what they are. A sunk cost is one that you've made and cannot recover. For example, you invest in new order-taking software and learn that it doesn't work well for your business and is actually creating more work for employees.

But no one likes having thrown money away, so you think if you just spend a little more, you can salvage the previous expense. All too often, that leads to the situation called throwing good money after bad.

When faced with having invested heavily in sunk costs--whether money, time, or emotion--take a step back and forget them for a moment. Look at how much the decision can be worth to you and your business, and estimate how much it would take in total to follow through. If the tally is higher than the benefit, then it's time to change your decision.

3. Drowning in Data

Businesses have gone data crazy, and for good reason. Data and information can help you make smarter decisions. But too much of a good thing can overwhelm you--and lead to analysis paralysis. Similarly, you might have bad data or pay too much attention to factors that confirm what you'd like to think and not necessarily reality.

The first step to cure this is to make sure that the data you have is relevant. If you're charting a course into new markets or product types, realize that historic data probably won't help, because it tells you only where you've been, not where you're going. Look for data that can illuminate the future, not the past.

Next, look for the two-by-four that should be hitting you over the head, not arcane subtleties. There are only so many factors you can keep in your head at any one time. Identify no more than 10 pieces of data that will have a strong impact on your decision's outcome. Then forget everything else. If things go badly, reexamine whether you've chosen the truly important factors.

4. Do-or-Die Mentality

We live in a world of hype, and it's all too easy to overemphasize the importance of anything: a date, an investment, or a business decision. Very rarely must you make a single make-or-break decision, and if you do find yourself there, chances are that you have made many mistakes on the way.

Realize that every decision is temporary. Conditions will change, and you can almost always change your mind and course at a later date. You might lose some time or money in doing so, but better that than racking up the sunk costs and driving into a brick wall from stubbornness. You want your business to last for the long haul, so use an overall decision-making strategy that stretches over time, not that imagines each moment to be the most critical one for the business.

Avoiding these four problems won't guarantee that you make smart decisions, but it will free up time and energy and improve your odds.

By: Erik Sherman

Source: Inc.

5 Steps to Laser Sharp Focus

Procrastination, fear, and overwhelm are just some of the things that stop us from taking action and reaching our dreams.

Is focus the absence of all distractions, or is it just a state of mind that can be attained whenever, wherever? I believe there has to be a few prerequisites in place for being focused and entering the zone. But I also believe that we are more powerful than we give ourselves credit. Here are a few quick tips on taking your focus to the next level:

1. Build A Routine

The first thing you should start with is getting a routine in place. By routine I mean something ritualistic that gets your mind prepared for what you are about to do.

This can be as simple as putting on your action socks, or meditating on what it is that you want to accomplish.

Or even you making a coffee, sitting down, taking a sip, and starting.

2. Eliminate Distractions

The fewer distractions I have, the better I do.

Eliminate whatever distractions you can. Yes, that means Twitter, Facebook, and email as well. Whenever you check social media or email, you break your flow, and it resets the clock.

Look at it like sleeping; if someone wakes you up, it takes a while to get back to sleep, so guard your state of flow when you enter it.

3. Destroy Excuses

It’s easy to make excuses. Anyone can come up with an excuse that seems to validate them not doing the work they’re supposed to be doing.

But in the end, if you really want to reach your goals and accomplish something that truly matters, your excuses have to go.

You have to ship them off to a galaxy far, far away.

However, if you find yourself coming up with excuses, it’s either time to change your mindset, or examine if deep down you really want what you’re working towards.

4. Implement SMART Goals

You won’t get far if you have a goal that goes something like this: “I want to be wealthy and free.”

Great goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. This is also called the SMART criteria.

Many are afraid of making SMART goals because it makes them accountable. If you say you’re going to make something happen within 30 days, you have to start taking action.

It’s scary, and good, because it gets your mind in the right place. It gives you focus.

5. Just Start

The hardest part is starting in the first place.

Focus comes when you sit down and write that article, get that assignment done, or take one step closer to your goals.

You can sit and analyze what you’re going to do all day, but it’s not going to get it done for you.

Sometimes the best way to increase your productivity is to just begin.

Think less, and do more. 

By: Henri Junttila

Source: Dumb Little Man