List of 10 Essential Attributes for Success

1. Mission Statement

Your mission statement is a simple explanation of your purpose in your life. It’s the basic foundation on which everything you do is based.

Because of this, it needs to be  

·     Short and simple

·     An expression of who you are 

·     What you would like to do with your life.  

Remember, though, you define your mission statement, your mission statement doesn’t define you. 

2. SMART Goals

To get the results you are aiming for, your goals need to be “SMART” and meet certain criteria: 

•               Goals should be Specific 

•               Goals should have Measurable results 

•               Goals should be Attainable based on the knowledge that you have the ability to complete the necessary actions to reach your desired results 

•               Goals should be Realistic, and within your control 

•               Goals should have definite Timelines 

Making goals attainable and realistic is especially important, as doing so will help you to keep from feeling too much pressure and disappointment from setting your goals too high. 

3. Action Steps

It’s all well and good to have a mission statement and goals, but they aren’t going to help you much if you don’t take action on them, right?

You need to take action steps toward each of your goals. And you need to begin them now, to avoid procrastinating, and wasting your time.

You should be able to expect ahead of time that you can realistically reach your goals if you do the actions you have planned. 

The goal and action steps do not need to be complex. The objective is to achieve the goal, not make it complicated, so keep it simple.

4. Organization

In order to be effective and efficient in accomplishing anything in life, it is essential to be organized. Organization also helps to limit the disarray and take care of the clutter around you. 

Don’t worry if you are not the truly orderly type – there are a few simple ways to become organized that will allow you to feel better about your ability to handle your responsibilities:

▪ Use files

▪ Use a calendar

▪ Use a To-Do List

5. Positive Attitude

A positive attitude helps greatly for you to feel better about your personal key life area. It is easy to become down or depressed when things don’t go exactly as planned, which is sure to happen sometimes.

Some of the ways to stay positive include:

▪ Reading inspirational stories

▪ Reading books on positive thinking

▪ Listening to self-growth CDs

▪ Associating with people with positive attitudes

▪ Meeting with a counselor and/or mentor regularly

6. Persistence

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” - Calvin Coolidge

“I didn't fail to make a light bulb, I found 999 ways not to make a light bulb” - Thomas Edison

In the real world, persistence is a necessary attribute for success, as you need to adjust to failures, and keep trying until you succeed.

7. Work/Life Balance

If you want to be successful, you need to adopt a workable work/life balance. There are many different forms of success, not just in work. It is important to keep:

▪ overall wellness

▪ meaningful relationships

▪ financial stability

▪ good mental and physical health

▪ good times with those you care about

8. Prioritizing

Successful people have learned the importance of prioritizing, focusing on what is important to spend time on, to be efficient in the use of their time and effort. Prioritizing also helps you to stay on track with your mission and goals.

If you are a student, for example, you may need to prioritize studying over spending extra time socializing with your friends, in order to reach your career goal. Keep your work/life balance in mind, though.

If you are a stay-at-home mother, you may need to balance cleaning, organizing, preparing meals, and possibly working on a small business, as well as spending quality time with your family.

9. Long-Term Focus

Maintaining a long-term focus is essential to success, and is promoted by this website. This means that you should look past short-term successes and failures (difficult as that may be), and keep your eye on your long-term mission and goals.

Remember, life is like a marathon, not a sprint, so stay focused on what’s important over time.

10. Integrity

Last, but definitely not least, it is important to maintain your integrity. Everyone makes mistakes, and occasionally gives in to temptation, but you need to do your best to keep your character, and try to be honest with other people.

Integrity also means staying aligned with your mission statement, goals, and actions, as this will reflect in your work/life balance, relationships, and overall well-being.