3 things successful people have that you don’t

Holding ourselves back from success is classic self-sabotage — something we all might have participated in once or twice.

Check out your latest book store and give just a few of the mindset books a skim. Among them, you’ll find hundreds of people studied for their path to success, fame or fortune. In these pages, successful people are analyzed for their mindsets, beliefs and actions.

Admit it: we’re all a little bit fascinated by which qualities and characteristics lead to success over those that do not.

These three attributes are a small piece of the equation, to what sets successful people apart from the rest. And ask yourself… do you have any of these qualities?

1. They have a growth mindset

In an article on Inc.com Sebastian Bailey, Co-Founder and President of the U.S. branch of Mind Gym talks about some of the ways your brain tries to hold you back from success.

In the article, it outlines the difference between having a fixed and a growth mindset. Answer this:

Your friend drags you to a new fitness class or hobby you’ve never tried before.

After showing some initial struggle how would you likely react by saying:

1. “This isn’t for me. It obviously doesn’t come super naturally to me.”
    
2. “I need to work harder at this and over time, maybe I can improve.”

The first option would indicate that you have a mindset, the second option indicates that you have a mindset. Research shows that adopting a growth mindset equips successful people with the resiliency to keep going when things get tough.

2. They have a WHY

Anyone who’s ever taken true and deep pride in the work that they do, knows how addicting that feeling is.

Having a WHY is what’s going to ease your 3am thoughts when your dreams feel a little too big or overwhelming.

Having a WHY is often the core of why you started first wanting to tackle your goal in the first place.

Whether it’s starting your own business, becoming a realtor or wanting to smash your fitness goals at the gym — knowing your why is like keeping self-fulfilling fuel in your motivational gas tank.

3. They don’t let stories from their past keep them small

Ever caught yourself post-stupid action and saying to yourself, “you’re so STUPID! That was the dumbest thing you could have done!” Yeah… we’ve all been there at one point or another.

The thing is, negative self-talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Those narratives we repeat to ourselves are what transmute to long-held beliefs.

I want you to start noticing some of the ways that you talk to yourself throughout the day. The narratives we repeat to ourselves turn into our beliefs which informs our actions.

It’s not pseudo-psychology, this is cognitive processing, backed by science with how our brains actually work. Just becoming more aware of how you speak to yourself throughout the day will indicate where you could use some self-coaching and kindness.

The reality is, the opportunities for success are available to all of us. Yes, we might start from different places with a different set of circumstances before us. But that doesn’t change that our own personal land of opportunity is any less fruitful than our neighbours.

Water where you are now, think about these three characteristics and ask yourself: Are you going to be successful? The answer YOU come up with, is the only one that matters.