Successful people have a lot in common. It’s usually not their background (poverty or riches), where they came from (LA or middle-of-nowhere Kansas) and what they’ve been through (lavishly spoiled or battered and bruised). It’s usually not how they were raised or who they rely on. It all comes down to the choices they make.

According to Dr. Henry Cloud’s book, 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life, successful people exude similar qualities that make them a success. Today we will touch on qualities 1-5.

Successful people . . .

1. Pursue Their Dreams
I’ve touched on this topic before in Seeking a Dream and Focus on Your Strengths. Successful people know what they’re good at and that’s where they place their energy. They have dreams and find ways to pursue them vigorously.

2. Face Life Struggles
Successful people don’t dwell on the past. They don’t carry baggage with them through life, but, rather, seek emotional freedom from the hurt, sorrows and struggles life has thrown at them. And when they fail, they pick themselves right back up and start over. They don’t dwell on the fact that they messed up, but count it as a learning experience.

3. Live Life to the Fullest
Rather than simply going through the motions of life and looking back one day with regret, successful people decide ahead of time how they are going to live each day and do it. They wake up determined to be positive, productive and motivated, regardless of what comes their way. They lay out the steps for accomplishing their goals and pursue each one.

4. Are Proactive, Not Reactive
Successful people never consider themselves the victim, but, instead, work to influence the outcome of every situation into their favor. No blame is cast upon others. Rather, they always consider themselves responsible for where they are and where they’re headed. What their past contains, even if it is the grimmest of pasts, does not decide their fate. Their choices, in the midst of and through the outcome of those circumstances, make that decision.

5. Work Like Ants
That’s right, ants. Ants keep going. They never give up no matter how tired they are, how much work is left, and how dull the outcome appears. They recognize that a life worth living takes hard work and time. It takes time, grain by grain, to build a life. And, even after success is reached, they keep on working. And even after a little boy destroys the ant hill they worked so hard to create, they start all over again. Successful people are like ants.

Monday’s post will contain qualities 6-9, so be sure to check back.

What Successful People Do - Part 2

Bookmark to: