Do you dream of achieving great success in your life? Are you willing to work for that success? If so, keep on reading as you’ll find out the 9 skills to develop to be successful.
1. The Ability to Influence Others
Success isn’t achieved alone and whether your idea of success is heading up a department or running your own business you’ll need to be able to influence others. Influencing others can range from being able to influence the people around you to believe in your vision and help you achieve it, to influencing others to buy from you.
2. Discipline
Most people know what they need to do in order to be successful, but they aren’t disciplined enough to do what is necessary. Successful people are disciplined. They do what the know needs to be done even if they don’t want to.
If they have set themselves a morning routine to maximise their performance for the day ahead – they follow it. If they say they are going to call 5 potential clients every day – they do it.
3. Networking
The fact is that the people around you play a major role in level of success you’ll achieve. Now depending on your current circle that might be scary to hear, however, if you have good networking skills your current circle doesn’t matter. Good networking skills will enable you to meet new people and turn strangers into acquaintances, friends, clients, mentors and more. Some people think that networking is a skill that only needed by those who want to gain new clients or get a new job, but that is not true. Networking skills benefit everyone. You are as powerful as the people you know so start developing your networking skills and grow a dream network.
4. Resilience
Life doesn’t always go to plan. If success is what you truly desire you have to be prepared to put yourself out there and try things that are outside of your knowledge-sphere, as well as your comfort zone. The more you push yourself the more likely you are to face setbacks along the way. This is where resilience becomes important. Successful people aren’t successful because things have only ever gone right for them. They are successful because they kept on going.
5. Visualising
Success doesn’t happen overnight so if you want to be successful you have to develop the ability to create a long-term vision for yourself and then keep that vision in mind. This can particularly be difficult if you have a big goal that many say is unachievable or impossible. History has shown that the ‘impossible’ is absolutely possible so ignore the nay-sayers and build those visualising skills.
Don’t have a vision for your future yet? Try the Perfect Day exercise.
6. Negotiating
Depending on what your definition of success the importance of negotiation skills may vary. However, for many people developing negotiation skills will have a major impact on success, and the amount of money they generate. Maybe you need to negotiate for a new role and you want to ensure you get the pay and terms you desire so it truly is the dream job. Or maybe you are signing a book deal you’ll need negotiation skills to ensure you get the royalties you deserve. Failing to negotiate well on that deal will have implications for the rest of your life.
7. Problem-solving
Successful people are solutions-focused rather than problem-focused. For many people achieving success means having to solve a lot of problems. As mentioned earlier achieving success will push you outside of comfort zone. As you grow, you’ll try new things and along the way curve balls will come your way. In order to achieve success you’ll have to work out how to move forward and this is where having great problem-solving skills will help you assess a situation, come up with a solution and then follow that course of action.
8. Communication Skills
Having great communication skills is a key for success. Previously I’ve mentioned the ability to influence others and negotiating skills both of these rely on good communications skills. In an ideal world you’ll focus on developing both your written and verbal communication skills to ensure that they allow you to present yourself in the best way possible.
9. Adaptability
The rate of change in the world is faster today that it is have ever been. In order to be successful, you have to be able to adapt. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to be first in line to buy ever new piece of technology that comes out. Adaptability is about being able to change in different circumstance. This means don’t continue to do things the way you’ve done things for years just because that is the way you’ve always done them. Instead be open to changes around you and embrace what will help you.
There you have it! You now know the 9 skills to develop to be successful.
In the comments I would love to know which skill you believe is the most important to develop.
