The Secrets of Success

What is it that makes people successful and I mean really successful compared to you and me? Are they smarter or do they work hard? Are they risk takers or have powerful and influential fiends? The financial newspaper Investors’ Business Daily (IBD) asked the same questions a few years ago and started a multiyear search for the answer. They studies investors, industry leaders and entrepreneurs to understand the traits they all had in common that contributed to their success. Reproduced here is their list of ten secrets of success along with my commentary on each not-so-secret secret:

1. How you think is everything: Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment. Your belief that you can accomplish your goals has to be unwavering. The moment you say to yourself, “I can’t…”, then you won’t. Always keep it in mind that you never have to say “I can’t…” to yourself.
2. Decide upon your true reams and goals: Goals are those concrete, measureable stepping stone of accomplishment that track your progress towards your dreams. You might have heard of an old quote, “A New Year’s resolution that isn’t written down is just a dream, and dreams are not goals.” Dream is not what you see in sleep, dream means which does not let you sleep.
3. Take action: Goals are nothing without any action towards them. Be like Nike and “Just do it!” Take action actions towards your goals. Without any action, how the hell you can even dream of success?
4. Never stop learning: Get training, education and acquire skills in accordance with your ambition. Becoming a lifelong learner is beneficial, accepted by the successful people.
5. Be persistent and work hard: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up. Ever story of success entails long hard hours of work.
6. Learn from mistakes: To err is human. Even those who have great success make huge mistakes, accepting and learning from them is one of their many qualities. No problem if you make a mistake, just realize what have you done, accept it and try your best not to make the same mistake in the future.
7. Focus your time and money:  You have probably heard of the proverb, “Time is money”. Don’t let other people or things distract you. Remain laser-focused on your goals and surround yourself with positive people that believe in you. Don’t be distracted by the naysayers or tasks that are not helping you achieve your goals.
8. Don’t be afraid to innovate: Be different. Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity. Follow on the burst-through ideas you have.
9. Deal and communicate with people effectively: Learn to understand and motivate others. Successful people develop and nurture a network and the only do that by treating people openly and fairly.
10. Be honest and dependable: Take responsibility and matters in your own hands, be truthful and trustworthy until the end of time; otherwise it is fruitless to assume that these will lead you to your success.