Do you want to be the best of the best? Are you trying to master life and maximize your potential? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Living your life to its fullest doesn’t require a Ph.D. in life reorientation. You simply need to embrace some simple strategies to maximize your achievement. Here are the 6 skills and traits of high achievers.
Persistence.
Life rarely goes according to plan. Even a well-conceived concept is bound to be subjected to alterations and deviations. While many globally-oriented thinkers like to pride themselves on the ability to think ahead, just as valuable are the ability to persist through adversity and to be resilient in the face of setbacks, these are the traits of high achievers.
Persistence plays an even greater role for those facing some degree of adversity in achieving their goals, making the motivation to surmount obstacles and stay on track even more valuable.
Persistence and resilience aren’t static qualities, however. Persistence is as much about comprehensively evaluating all possibilities relative to finding successful solutions as it is about engaging with a plan until it comes to fruition.
Likewise, resiliency, the more optimistic counterpart to persistence, also requires thoroughness and diligence in ensuring that all bases have been covered when re-evaluating one’s trajectory. Persistence is not about being thoughtless and stubborn as one plods along but about being thorough, deliberate, and intentional in one’s objectives.
Courage
Courage takes many forms in the realm of achievement but generally revolves around two secondary attributes: creativity and individuality. Those who are creative seek to make something that hasn’t been done before. The frequent response to such endeavors is to reject or resist since those who lack creativity can’t envision the success of such efforts.
A creative individual, or anyone who wishes to contribute a new or alternative idea or process, has to have the courage to endure such negativity and resistance when evidence and personal motivation suggest otherwise.
Of equal importance is the need to be distinct and independent rather than go with the herd. Many, in the name of achievement, try to ride on the coattails of others or follow in others’ footsteps. One can easily be lost in the crowd and fail to be any more distinct than the variety of applicants, participants, or contributors to any endeavor.
Being individual and distinct doesn’t mean being individualistic and superior but being courageous to embrace one’s unique attributes, style, and performance to be able to present yourself in a package that allows you to find a role where you can contribute to the best of your ability. Those who have the courage to embrace their unique traits and distinctness are often those capable of rising about the pack.
Willingness to learn.
High achievement is all about embracing consistent, personal growth and personal growth is a reflection of how much you are willing to learn. No one comes out of the womb knowing everything, and those who do either are bypassed because they are too stubborn to embrace new and more effective approaches or because they are revealed to not have the performance to back up their presentation.
Flexibility is a reflection of an individual’s responsiveness, openness, and willingness to accept change. A flexible individual has a knack for finding creative solutions when other suggestions haven’t panned out and is willing to balance various interests, whether from upper management, clients, and even personal interests to find solutions that meet all parties needs.
Ability to find balance.
One of the great challenges when it comes to achievement, whether at the group or collective level, is finding balance in orientation and vision. Some organizations seek to be specialists within a specific field, producing state-of-the-art laser-guided construction equipment or high-end cooking ware, whereas other firms seek breadth in products and services provided.
As an individual, the achievement is also dependent on the ability to balance breadth with depth when it comes to one’s skillset. Balancing the two can seem mutually exclusive but generally revolves around finding breadth in experience and depth in knowledge.
While you can’t know everything, you can familiarize yourself with a variety of applications within your specific field, the personnel responsible for dealing with a variety of issues, and the mechanisms implemented for finding solutions as well as their track record.
Finding depth in knowledge allows you to gain expertise in finding solutions that you are best suited to explain and reconfigure for a variety of challenges. A successful individual is able to meet both demands to be able to constantly contribute to any endeavor and not be pigeonholed into one professional realm.
An ability to enjoy the process, not just the destination.
Whether in overcoming learning disabilities or running a company, finding intrinsic motivation in what one does to enjoy the process and not just the product is critical to sustained achievement.
Along with flexibility, persistence, and balance, how one does something is as important as what one achieves and, from the individual’s perspective, offers more control and opportunity for personal investment.
When a person is invested in the process of achievement, there is a greater capacity to respond effectively to the many challenges that arise rather than to stubbornly try to meet a targeted quota or design idea without any conception of how to achieve this product.
Able to build a community and set aside personal interests.
High achievement is not about being the best but creating the best environment around you, including who works and lives with you. Whether it’s your employers, co-workers, friends, or family, bringing out the best in others creates a reciprocal effect when they try to bring the best out in you.
A collective sense of achievement creates a greater sense of contribution and productivity, allowing everyone to achieve to the best of their ability while simultaneously achieving their goals. Bringing the most out in others takes some simple practice. Being receptive to others’ feedback and responsive allows you to feel engaged, while communication and transparency create a feeling of respect.
Kindness, compassion, and a sense of humor are all valuable in fostering a sense of connectivity that can drive your performance in addition to those around you.
In the end, whether it’s regarding bringing out the best in others, enjoying the process, finding balance, being flexible, being courageous, or being persistent, living a life of high achievement is always within reach.
What are the dominant characteristics of high achievers?
- Goal–oriented: High achievers are clear about what they want to accomplish and set specific, measurable goals to help them get there. They break down their goals into smaller, manageable steps and create a plan to achieve them. They also regularly evaluate their progress and make adjustments as needed.
- Resilient: High achievers understand that setbacks and failures are a natural part of the journey toward success. They don’t let setbacks discourage them and instead use them as an opportunity to learn and grow. They are persistent and have a strong work ethic, which helps them keep going even when it gets tough.
- Self–motivated: High achievers are driven by internal motivation, meaning they are motivated by their desires and goals rather than external rewards or pressures. They are passionate about what they do and take pride in their work, which helps them to stay focused and motivated even when faced with challenges.
- Continuous learners: High achievers constantly seek to improve themselves and their skills. They are always looking for opportunities to learn and grow, whether it’s through formal education, training programs, or on-the-job experiences. They are curious, open-minded, willing to try new things, and take risks to learn and grow.
- Persevering: High achievers are persistent and tenacious. They are willing to put in the time and effort required to achieve their goals, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. They don’t give up easily and are willing to push themselves out of their comfort zones to achieve success.
- Positive mindset: High achievers have a positive outlook and a can-do attitude. They believe they can achieve their goals and are not easily discouraged by setbacks or challenges. They focus on solutions rather than problems and look for ways to overcome obstacles rather than giving up.
Examples of high achievers
There are many examples of high achievers across various fields and industries. Here are a few examples:
Oprah Winfrey: Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul, talk show host, and philanthropist. She overcame a difficult childhood and rose to fame as the host of her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. Today, she is one of the world’s most successful and influential women, with a net worth of over $2 billion.
Elon Musk: Elon Musk is an entrepreneur, inventor, and engineer. He founded SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. He has been instrumental in revolutionizing the electric car industry. He is working towards making space travel more accessible to the general public.
Serena Williams: Serena Williams is a professional tennis player who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles. She is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time and has been a role model for young athletes worldwide.
Barack Obama: Barack Obama is a former President of the United States who served two terms from 2009 to 2017. He is known for his inspiring speeches, progressive policies, and his efforts to promote social justice and equality.
Malala Yousafzai: Malala Yousafzai is a human rights activist and Nobel Prize laureate. She has been an advocate for girls’ education and women’s rights since the age of 11 and survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012. She continues to work towards promoting education for girls and empowering women around the world.
Stephen Hawking: Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist and cosmologist who made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of the universe. Despite being diagnosed with ALS at 21, he continued to work and publish scientific papers, becoming one of the most renowned scientists of the modern era.
J.K. Rowling: J.K. Rowling is a British author best known for writing the Harry Potter series of books. Despite facing rejection from multiple publishers, she persisted in pursuing her dream of becoming a published author. She went on to become one of the best-selling authors of all time.
Jeff Bezos: Jeff Bezos is the founder and CEO of Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. He has revolutionized how we shop, read, and consume media and has been instrumental in advancing the field of artificial intelligence.
Michael Jordan: Michael Jordan is a former professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. He won six NBA championships, five MVP awards, and countless other accolades throughout his career. He has been a role model for aspiring athletes worldwide.
Marie Curie: Marie Curie was a physicist and chemist who made groundbreaking discoveries in radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes in different fields of science.
