Are you a high achiever?
10 Characteristics High Achievers Share
When we talk about achievement, we think about success.
We all define success differently.
Steve Jobs was a success. Mother Teresa was a success. And so is the guy who owns the neighborhood deli. So are doctors, nurses, teachers, firefighters, police officers, insurance agents, and so on.
Regardless of what success looks like to you, most successful people know and apply similar techniques to achieve their particular definition of success.
I call those people high achievers, not because they necessarily want to be famous or make a lot of money, but because they want their lives to count for something. And if you want to be one, you need to develop the mindset of a high achiever.
What goes into that mindset?
In my studies of and interactions with high achievers, I’ve discovered 10 characteristics they have in common. Let’s take a look at them in no particular order.
1. High achievers think highly of themselves. This isn’t about arrogance, although it’s certainly possible for a high achiever to be arrogant. Even high achievers have flaws. It’s also not about false modesty. This is about confidence. It’s about knowing, liking, and respecting yourself. It’s about being secure in your abilities.
2. High achievers enjoy peace of mind. To achieve our life’s purpose, we need peace of mind — and that means being free of fear, anger, and guilt. Fear stops us from trying the things that we need to do for success. Anger distracts us from our goals. And guilt is a nonproductive energy vampire that can suck all the vitality out of us. When you don’t have peace of mind, it’s hard to achieve much.
3. High achievers are generally healthy and have plenty of energy. It’s hard to enjoy life when you don’t feel well. And you need energy to accomplish things.
4. High achievers have strong relationships. They understand the strength that comes in numbers and the synergy that comes from positive relationships that are caring and mature. We need friends we trust, and we need to be a friend that can be trusted.
5. High achievers are committed to worthy goals and ideals. High achievers understand the human need for purpose and meaning, and they have discovered what works for them. They have goals, a plan to reach them, and ideals to guide them through the process.
6. High achievers have faith. Most high achievers are people of faith. They believe in and depend on a higher power.
7. High achievers embrace change. They welcome change. Change excites them. But not just change for the sake of change — they know how to control the direction of change in their lives. They set goals, they make plans, they implement those plans. And they’re prepared when things don’t go as expected. They know that detours and even failures are an essential component of success and achievement.
8. High achievers are both creative and problem-solvers, which means they are creative-problem-solvers. Innovation is driven by the need to solve problems. Creativity is what drives innovation. The link between creativity and achievement is undeniable.
9. High achievers are good listeners. They know how to listen and they do it.
10. High achievers help others. They believe that success is their destiny, but they don’t want to go there alone. They take pleasure in helping others succeed.
Can you be a high achiever without all 10 of these characteristics? Of course. But if you do two things:
1. Understand how these traits work together to produce amazing results
and
2. Focus on developing them in yourself
You’ll find your path to success — however you define it — much smoother and easier to navigate.
My ebook, The Mindset of High Achievers, is available on Amazon or you can get it for free at CreateTeachInspire.com/mindset.
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