#1
Successful people are possibility thinkers. They believe in themselves and in others and their ability to make things happen. They do not accept the status quo as an unalterable given. They laser focus their energies by finding their deep “Why”(s) and then bring them to life via written goals backed up by concrete action plans.

#2
Successful people accept the challenge. They know it won’t be easy, they know that there will be setbacks, defeats, struggles, delays, and regrets. They accept this as a normal part of life, they begin anyway, they persist, they persevere, and they eventually succeed.  They understand life has risks but that the greatest risk of all is to try to avoid all risk.

#3
Successful people are open to feedback. They know they must grow and change, adapt and pivot to succeed in a constantly evolving world. They also know that some of the best lessons will come from painful failures and that some of the greatest instruction may be from some of the most irritating people they meet. The lesson still needs to be learned for life will keep forcing you to repeat the class until you learn the lesson!

#4
Successful people practice the art of the long view; they think far ahead. They never, ever eat the marshmallow (sacrifice what they want most for the “sugar high” of immediate gratification). They know the actions they take today create the life they will live tomorrow. They invest in themselves and they know they must plant, cultivate, and nourish before they can harvest. Many successful people journal in order to increase their perspective, track their progress, and organize and direct their thoughts.

#5
Successful people possess great self-awareness. Too many chase bright baubles that never give them the long lasting satisfaction they really need. Successful people generally have high EQ’s (Emotional Intelligence). They understand themselves, they take the time to stand outside themselves and observe themselves, their emotions and their world view (see journaling above). They have good self-concepts, they accept themselves, and their self-talk is positive and solution oriented. They are can-do, self-motivated optimists.

Closing Quotes:

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” – Fred Devito

“The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke, 1917-2008

“Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” – Marcus Aurelius, 121-180 AD

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” – Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, 1874-1965

As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier