Traits of Success

(c) 2002 by Cheryl Williams Levey, http://www.cherylsweb.com

Building a business, any business, is harder than it seems at first. There are several qualities we must have to become successful.

In addition to industry knowledge, the willingness to continuously learn, the ability to do several jobs to build the business (or to hire appropriate people to do them), financial capability to keep the business going until it profits, and other "business" related skills, if we want to succeed -- whatever our individual definition of success is -- we must have or develop the following personality traits:

• Determination -- the desire to make it work no matter what.
• Persistence -- the desire to keep going no matter what.
• Diligence -- the desire to work it even if we don't feel like it no matter what.
• Willpower -- the desire to turn away from distractions no matter what.
• Resolve -- the desire to see it through to the end, no matter what.
• Stamina -- the desire to make it to the next level, and the next, and so on, no matter what.
• Purpose -- the desire to define and refine the "why" to build the business, no matter what.
• Vision -- the desire to develop and hold dear the vision of where we want to go, what our version of success is, no matter what.

Yes, desire. We have to DESIRE success, and take action on that desire, in the form of determination, persistence, diligence, willpower, resolve, stamina, purpose, and vision, among other valuable traits!

Many people think that just knowing the mechanics of a business, e.g., how to run it, what tasks to do, etc., is enough, but it isn't. Growing and developing personally play such an essential role in the process. Super-successful people challenge themselves to achieve -- this forces character growth. We must get better, be better, and get better than that!

Super-successful people will tell you that it never ends. They are constantly learning more and reaching higher and pushing themselves beyond anything they could have imagined in the beginning. They refuse to accept defeat or failure, and often deal with ridicule and disbelief from friends, family and other people when they talk about what they will accomplish. They deal with it by ignoring it, because they know deep inside that they are capable of far more than anyone can know.

We are all capable of far more than anyone can know. Don't get hung up in just the work to be done or the negativity you will encounter. Invest and believe in yourself and your DESIRE and there's no way you won't succeed. How will you challenge yourself today?

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