Ask ten different people what you need to be successful and you get ten different answers. The former will say that you have to work hard, someone else claims that it is a matter of being born with the right talent. A third person is convinced that successful people have brilliant ideas at the right time.
The truth is much more stubborn than that, because there is no magic formula for success, and success is not dependent on coincidences such as talent or an idea. The more I look at successful people, the more often I see that they have a number of characteristics and habits in common.
- They regulate stress
15,000 years ago we were still walking around the savannah-like some sort of glorified monkeys. Nowadays we walk through cities and work in the office. Our body has not yet been able to adapt to this new environment. Our response to a presentation or a deadline does not differ from the reaction the prehistoric man had on a snake or a tiger. Our brains treat these as physical threats. The brain opts for one of the three possible reactions: fight, flight or freeze. Successful people realize this and know better than anyone how to deal with these types of threats.
Top performers train their brains through mindfulness and meditation to better deal with difficult situations. They also realize that our brains are not built for knowledge work. They use time management methods, such as Action Method or Getting Things Done. This ensures peace in their heads because they do not rely on their memory, but on an external system. In this way they are able to address these threats systematically, in other words, they embrace 'the inner ape' that is in our body.
- They take care of their biological machine
Just like our psyche, our body is not entirely adapted to contemporary life. Man is built to perform physical work. The prehistoric man walked about 15 kilometers a day to get food and also performed other physical work. Most people earn their money nowadays with the result that they pay too little attention to maintaining their bodies.
A healthy body is a basis for a clear mind. Top performers ensure that they eat well because they realize that healthy eating is the key to more energy. Sports not only provides a healthier body, but it also helps you deal with stress. And last but not least: peace. Many hard-working people forget to take sufficient rest. You can relax through biohacks such as floating in Epsom salt or meditation, but spending time with loved ones or sleeping is just as important.
- They have formulated clear goals
Most people are very busy with their daily worries. As a result, they lose sight of what they really want to achieve in their lives. They sometimes make progress, but it is usually linear. They receive a promotion or a salary increase, but they do not work on realizing their dreams. What is the purpose of your life now?
Visualizing your future I plays a key role in achieving your goals. What would the hero do in your own film? If an aspiring writer imagines that he signs his bestseller in a full bookstore, then that motivates him to write. In addition, your goals send your frame of mind. If you set yourself the goal of becoming a fashion designer, you will notice that you pay more attention to how other people dress. A good tool to formulate your goals more sharply is to draw up a personal roadmap.
- They always think solution-oriented
How do you eat an elephant? As you might imagine, some practical objections hang around this. For example, where do you buy an elephant and how do you bring it home. The answer to the question of how to eat the elephant is simple: in small pieces. If you eat a few hundred grams of elephant meat every day, you finally eat the elephant completely. Successful people know this and therefore do not expect equal success. They know that it can take a long time before the hard work pays off, but they keep going. Giving up is wasting all the effort you have done before.
A pragmatic way of thinking is one of the keys to success. Successful people not only know what they want to achieve, but they also know what the next physical action is to get there. Because their goals have been established, it is easier to think about what the next action should be.
- They eat their frogs
"Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and you will not want to miss out on the rest of the day." ~ Marc Twain
Successful people do not shy away from challenges. However you turn or turn, these challenges do not usually resolve themselves. You have to eat these frogs yourself. Brian Tracy writes in his book "Eat That Frog" about how top performers do not escape these challenges, but rather defy them! This comes back in all aspects of their lives. They say to others what it stands for. Whether it concerns business topics or deep emotions; they create clarity, not only for themselves but also for others.
So successful people do not postpone the hard work. They grasp the cow by the horns. Then they freewheel through the rest of their tasks because they are easier. By not avoiding difficult things, you also learn that you can do more than you think.
- They have GRIT
A frequently heard statement is: 'The road to success is always under construction'. And that is true, of course, because if the road to success was a nice paved road, everyone would have taken it. To be successful, you have to work continuously on the road to success and that requires a fighting spirit. To continue disciplined and to have and keep trust, in your own abilities. Having or being able to come up with a plan B when you are hit, and coaching yourself so that you see where you need to improve. This perseverance to achieve a goal is grit.
Successful people are not afraid to fail. They have a so-called Stoicist attitude to life. They know that if things go wrong, they can learn enough from this. It is no coincidence that many successful entrepreneurs first went bankrupt before they became successful. Top performers know that what they are afraid of is often not as bad as they think. Is it really that bad to have no money for a while? If you have been sitting on black seed for a while, then change your lifestyle and notice that it is not too bad.
- They do it for the love of the game: passion
Passion provides the icing on the cake. If the goal that you are aiming for really comes from yourself, then that will ensure that you give that little bit extra. This is evident from the career of serial entrepreneur Elon Musk. At the beginning of his career, he sacrificed all quality of life to save money. He slept at the office, showered in a sort of neighborhood center and tried to eat for less than a dollar a day. Even when the money flowed in, he stayed here for a long time, while other entrepreneurs had long bought an expensive car from this money.
Another example is former martial arts champion, Martijn de Jong. In my podcast, he shows how he has become successful: 'If you want to be champion, you really have to give up everything.' In other words, if you do not want to make sacrifices to achieve your goal, stop doing it!
Where do I begin?
You may think after reading these seven properties: 'Where am I supposed to start? If you do not know that, start at the top of this list. A healthy body and a clear mind is the basis. Good nutrition and sport provide more physical energy. Meditation, tranquility and a time management method ensure a clear mind and mental energy. You start to notice that you have time to look beyond your daily worries and that you have time to set goals.
Once you have found your goals, then it comes down to hard work. Seeing what the next step is on the road to success. The cultivation of a correct mindset, in which you learn from your mistakes and you are not afraid to fail. Endlessly continue, even if it's not right. Keep your trust, even if there is no result. Making sacrifices if necessary. Many successful people, therefore, have a mentor who keeps them focused so that they stay on course even if it becomes difficult. The road to success is tough, and it can take a long time before you see results. But if you do not start it, you can be sure that you will not see any results.