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Examples of success people are everywhere—on billboards adorning the highways, the front page of the morning paper and the covers of magazines. We see these people in our midst, as well. Thinking back to my small town upbringing, even I can recount interactions I’ve had with some remarkably successful individuals. My neighbor turned restaurant entrepreneur, the principal of my local high school and the CEO of the billion dollar corporation planted in the town come to mind.
These individuals stand as very different people. One is bubbly and constantly beaming, another authoritative and the last quiet and soft spoken. Yet upon reading an article on success recently published by Inc., it dawned on me that these three people have much more in common than I initially thought. In fact, they share a set of unique habits with others deemed successful in the business world.
Whether you’re looking to boost profit margins at your company or increase the visibility of your start-up agency, you stand to gain from emulating them.
Here we explain 3 of their most basic habits to help you do so:
They distinguish themselves: In every crowd, there are usually one or two individuals who stand out from the rest. The high school student with dreadlocks and a band tee, the businessman with the crisp suit and authoritative stance or the runner at the head of the pack. These individuals don’t simply appear in a different light; there is no magical aura drawing our eye to their position. Rather, they take an active role in differentiating themselves. They seek out opportunities to do what others can’t or won’t.
Picasso wouldn’t have become one of the world’s most revolutionary artists had he chosen to paint in classic realism, just as Einstein would not have discovered relativity had he accepted the physics he was taught. In actively distinguishing themselves from those around them, these two men took the first step toward success.
They work toward a goal: It should go without saying that hard work is essential to success, yet there continue to be those individuals who believe success is merely a derivative of luck. Not so. Sure, you can stumble upon the winning lottery ticket and find yourself an overnight millionaire, but is that really success? Success implies attaining a goal; it is the end of a process. The only way to reach this end is to work hard.
Successful people devote a significant amount of time and energy to their work. Yet, so does a large portion of working America. What differentiates those most successful is they are working toward a goal, an end beyond their paychecks. Whether it is the addition of two new clients by the end of the month or increased factory output per hour, these goals give successful individuals the fuel they need to work hard.
They know how to sell: Ever find yourself nodding along to a speech, enticed by the rhetoric and totally on board with the message (even though you may not be entirely sure what that message is?) Successful business people have this effect. Whether they’re selling a product, a service or an idea, they get you saying yes. How? Before they even begin to talk sale, successful business people do these two things:
1. They get you to like them. They smile, show interest and listen to your concerns.
2. They identify your need(s). In getting to know you, successful sellers come to understand what it is you need and then proceed to show you how their specific product or service can meet this need.
For more ways to emulate those successful in your industry, check out Jeff Haden’s recent article for Inc.—8 Habits of Remarkably Successful People.
It’s tough to succeed if your finances are in disarray. For help getting things in order, contact our start-up accounting and CFO services experts.
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