When many people imagine success, they think of those who have a lot of money, power, and fame. Although a person can have all of these things and still be unsuccessful, a person who is not wealthy, powerful, or famous can still be considered successful.
For example, a person may have a successful business and a solid career. He may have a great job and be very well-respected by his co-workers. However, this person still may not have enough money to find a place in the top 10% earners. Even so, this does not mean that this person is not successful or happy.
Taking a closer look at what success means to you is a good first step. A study done in 2018 found that having a clear picture in mind of what their future will look like can motivate students to keep going despite the challenges of college life.
Activating imagined successful future identities appears to provide a potential pathway to enable vulnerable students to effectively navigate everyday stressors,
said Northwestern University’s Mesmin Destin, the lead author of the study.
A person can achieve success in his life in many ways, even if he does not take the most prestigious jobs or reach a very high income.
So, what makes a person a success? Consider these traits:
Forgiveness
Truly successful people know the importance of forgiveness. To a successful person, forgiveness is not something they “should” do, but something that is “natural” for them. If someone offends them, they know that forgiveness will help them move forward.
Rather than hold on to a grudge or allow the offense to affect their day-to-day happiness negatively, they choose to forgive the offender and move forward with their lives.
This trait makes them successful because their ability to forgive others relieves them of many of their negative emotions and allows them to focus on moving closer to the goals that they want to achieve.
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
A truly successful person knows when to keep doing the things that they’re already doing and when it’s time to try something new.
When they’re working on something that they are currently passionate about, successful people stick with their projects and don’t get frustrated or burned out because they feel stymied or bored. When they realize that they no longer enjoy what they’re doing, they move on to something new.
They rely on their intuition and gut instincts to determine what they should continue doing and which projects they should abandon.
And usually, they’re right because they have a mountain of experience under their belts, so they can easily recognize when work is no longer worthwhile for them.
Failing To Fail
Successful people don’t fear failure – they welcome it. A truly successful person knows that failure is not harmful. They understand that the only failure is giving up.
They know that when they fail, it means that they’re not doing something right and that the failure helps them to learn and grow.
Research from 2019 on West Point Military Acadamy attendees shows that factors other than intelligence, such as perseverance, or “grit”, factor into someone’s ability to succeed.
The grittier you are, the less likely you are to drop out during that very discouraging time. There’s such a thing as quitting at the right time. But there’s also such a thing as quitting on a bad day when you’re discouraged and maybe shouldn’t be making such a big decision,
explained University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth, lead author of the study.
Many people buy into the concept of overnight success. But we all know that this is impossible. Success comes over a long period, requiring a lot of hard work and patience.
Beneficial Habits
Successful people build good habits that help them to succeed. It’s essential to live a balanced life, including eating nutritious food, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep. Successful people have healthy habits that help them maintain their overall health and vitality.
They recognize that all of the work they put in now will set them up for tremendous success down the road. But that doesn’t mean you need to kill yourself in the quest to succeed.
While money and power can be helpful, they are not essential to success. Success is not contingent upon becoming famous or making a lot of money.
Instead, the key to success is having beneficial habits and adopting positive behaviors. If you can do this, you will be fine regardless of whether you’re rich or poor.