What Successful People Do

What do we mean by successful people? Let’s acknowledge that public recognition and wealth are narrow definitions of success. Many highly successful people aspire to neither, but become the most valued members of their organisations and communities. For others, their success may be largely confined to the family. They make inspirational parents, form close and enduring relationships with their partners and take pleasure in helping others succeed.

Ralph McKechnie Brown describes in his eBook what’s the secret of success.

Know who you are!

Choosing to take control of our own lives gives us an internal locus of control. We accept that success is up to us, that we have options and can overcome setbacks. People who have an external locus of control believe that their success depends on luck, fate, powerful other people or other factors beyond their control.

Studies found out, internalizers significantly outperformed the others. Externalisers put their success down to having an effective teacher, or the teacher liking them or whether the tests of their achievement were easy or hard. So when you know your locus of control, you can start working with it.

Choose to be courageous!

Literally, courage is the ability to face and endure danger; even being immune from fear. For most of us, courage means overcoming fear.

The most common effect of losing our courage is stagnation. We create comfortable habits: the same job, the same fixed opinions and the same interests. There’s something to be said for being resistant to change. It’s not as if all changes are for the better. But sometimes we are simply choosing the apparent security of stagnation.

Choose to be proactive!

It’s a demanding discipline to be constantly anticipating problems and acting before they developBut people who take control are much more likely to emerge better for experiences. They also build their resilience for the next crisis. Less resilient people are inclined, not only to passivity and denial, but less robust mental and physical health.

Successful people choose to being constantly proactive and to have choices – they are in control of their own lives.
 
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Choose your attitude in any circumstances!

We can always choose to be positive and look for solutions, or at least to accept our situation in a positive way. Choosing our attitude frequently allows us to preserve our valuable relationships. Lashing out with angry, contemptuous words is only satisfying for a moment.

Successful people choose their attitude and express their anger in more constructive ways that preserve their relationships.

Choose to be unembarrassable!

Think about the last time you were embarrassed and ask yourself what was achieved by it. Does fear of embarrassment make you less inclined to speak up at a meeting?

When you are landed in what other people might see as an embarrassing situation, being embarrassed won’t change your circumstances. It can only make you feel worse. It’s a choice to give in to it.

Successful people choose not to. If fear of embarrassment is holding you back, prepare a strategy so that if the worst happens you’ll know you can handle it.

Choose to be happy!

Happy people are inclined to think of the positive side of negative events. Whereas unhappy people dwell on the negative, even with events that we could easily see as positive.

Happy people think more positively about themselves and have a network of supportive relationships. They recover from setbacks more quickly and have better problem-solving skills and a sense of humour, even when the going gets tough.

Choose to think and act independently!

Clearly, it pays to drive on the same side of the road as everyone else. Successful people choose to think and act independently when it liberates them to do more with their lives. They refuse to be controlled by what other people might think when it stops them achieving their goals and living their values. They can distinguish between conventional thinking and what they believe to be right, and they refuse to fulfil other people’s expectations when they conflict with their own values or aspirations.

Choosing to be released from the past!

Past resentments, guilt, anger and destructive habits can be overwhelming. But releasing ourselves from the past is a choice we can make. But letting go can be difficult. If you can’t do anything about the cause, it’s time to put the events and the disruptive thoughts behind you. Successful people know that there is nothing to be gained by prolonging the guilt, anger or resentment.
What makes you a successful businessperson, partner, coach, parent, colleague, student or friend? Tell us, what’s your secret of success!
 
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