Traits Every Effective Person Has in Common I’ve spent many years studying successful people and have identified the skills, talents, and characteristics that enable them to succeed. When learning about these individuals, I often notice that they all have common traits, which lend to their success. I’ve captured these into the top things that all of them share. If you can think of others, please leave them in the comments.

2. Do you have what it takes to rank among
the remarkably successful? Discover the
habits of the most remarkably successful
people, and find out why those habits work.

3. Successful people know that it doesn’t come
easy and often fail more than they succeed.

4. Successful people
are always
learning and push
themselves out of
their comfort zones.
While many
people think that
when they finish
college, they are
done being a
student, successful
people continue
learning.

5. Successful people
are enthusiastic
and are excited
by what they’re
doing, and that
excitement is
contagious. They
draw people to
them because
these people
want to work
with them, be
with them, and
do business with
them.

6. Successful people create not consume. While most
folks are watching TV, reading emails, or listening
to iTunes, successful people are building new tools,
PowerPoint’s and coming up with great ideas.

7. Successful people have
ambition. It’s in their
blood to accomplish
something. They have
motivation,
commitment, and
pride. You won’t find a
successful person that
doesn’t have a burning
desire to succeed. Be
assured, they’re willing
to do whatever it takes
to get the job done.

8. Successful people set
goals they can
achieve. They wake
up to a planned day,
while everyone else
is scrambling to
figure out what to
do next. Their goals
are big, very specific,
yet achievable and
are aligned to their
strengths.

9. Successful people take
accountability for
themselves and their
actions. They don’t rely
on other people to make
it happen. In other
words, they look inward
for the solution, while
using existing assets.
When they mess-up,
they own up to it and
immediately consider
ways to avoid making
the same mistake.

10. Successful people make it happen. Luck is about hard
work over time and positioning for success. “You won’t
randomly get lucky and successful people know that.”

11. Successful people are
more excited about
the journey than the
pay-off. They ignore
“get rich quick
schemes”. Most are
focused on building
sustainable careers
through hard work,
risk taking and
creativity.

12. Successful people
create change
instead of being
influenced by it.
They don’t wait
around to be
influenced by
economic trends.
They create
trends and make
it happen.

13. Successful people
ask the right
questions to those
who can deliver the
right answers. They
know they need to
solve problems by
tapping into their
networks. They
don’t hesitate to
email or call the
best person who can
answer their
questions.

14. Successful people are
able to adjust to changes
in the marketplace. They
are willing to change
themselves to stay
current in the business
world. They know that
if you get lazy and
ignore trends, that you
will be left in the dust.
They are frequently
coming up with new
ideas, seeking out the
next big thing and
getting new skills.

15. Successful people go beyond what’s asked of
them. They always take on more.

16. Successful people know how to communicate their
story effectively. Ask a successful person what they
do, and they will let you know very concisely.
They are very confident and persuasive.

17. Successful people
have a dream
and a well-defined
purpose.
They know what
they want and
aren’t easily
influenced by the
thoughts and
opinions of others.
They have
staying-power.

18. Successful people know who they are and their place in
the world. They are confident and can lead themselves,
as well as others. “They have their own vision and
mission and seek to bring it to life on a daily basis.”

19. “Successful people
know exactly
when they
should change
employers, start a
company or fold
their company. “

20. Created by Michael Kaplan