There’s an all too well-known quote by the famous Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: “Watch your thoughts, they become your words, watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
One thing I’ve noticed about people who have achieved what they set out to do, including captains of industry, politicians, actors, to bank tellers, is that they aren’t frightened of who they are. They are kind and fair to themselves and are well-anchored in their values.
For mindset coaches, leadership experts, we touch upon the scientific, data-driven approaches to cultivating strong leadership qualities that help build powerful teams and companies. We don’t often talk in-depth about the core facet of what it is to be an individual. This is a tad more on the spiritual side, but I want to speak to it. When we are in tune with the inner workings of our mind–even the deep subconscious–we can witness our immense capability. The possibilities feel endless. We are also very pragmatic with ourselves. Here are three general that successful people across industries have in common:
Successful People Are Extremely Self-Aware
Goal-oriented leaders who are good at what they do have a fairly accurate estimation of a few things: what they’re good at, what they could be better at, and how their social and professional circles view them. A common question that many executives during the job interviewing process will ask you: “What would your former boss say about you” or “what would your coworkers say about you?” This is a classic self-awareness test. Self-awareness doesn’t mean setting limitations on yourself; quite the contrary, instead, you’re actually removing barriers of entry by identifying the exact skills or knowledge gaps you need to fill in order to execute a job or task effectively. This empowers you by subtly reminding yourself that you are in fact, capable of anything, with the right resources and minds at your disposal.
They Are Humble
In a TED Talk about the “Art of being yourself” by Caroline McHugh, she outlines the spectrum of the human ego: Inferiority, Superiority, then “interiority,” a word McHugh makes up. People who enjoy long-term success in their chosen industry tend to be humble. They aren’t self-aggrandizing, but they aren’t self-castigating either. She describes interiority as a mental orientation that you have to train yourself into–and it’s the “only place in your life, where you have no competition.” People with a healthy relationship to their ego don’t care to flaunt or show off shallow artifacts of their self-esteem.
They might not be ostentatious in their display of status with a fancy sports car and instead, opt for that older model they got from a friend or a used car dealership. If they’re building a trucking fleet, they’re more likely to pick up a used Peterbilt 579 for sale, rather than buy a brand new machine just for show. And if they’re opening a pizza restaurant, they might buy a used pizza oven rather than a new one. They won’t boast wealth or titles, and they’re not afraid to live simply because it all goes back to their comfortability with exactly who they are, what satisfies them, and their values.
I Want To Become Good Better Best In Life
They Choose Themselves, and They Are Helpful
There are often phrases that incorporate the idea of being “selfish” or “self-centered” in order to make your personal goals a reality. This is true, but the wording could use some rebranding. Self-centeredness often has a connotation of prioritizing the self to the detriment of others. In the context of success, this means choosing what is best for oneself. In life, you get pulled and tugged in different directions, but not every direction is going to best serve your needs and values. Making a conscious choice to what causes, individuals, and projects you want to devote your time to means you can give your all to those projects and truly be of service to others. Successful people are extremely helpful because they have chosen where to devote their time, and they make the most of that time to be of service to others.
These qualities barely scratch the surface, but they are some of the toughest qualities to nail. They are intangible, and there is no secret 10 step checklist to achieve these three aforementioned traits–they are simply cultivated over time with small changes to your habits. As Lao Tzu says, “Watch your habits, they become your character.” If there is any place to start, it’s taking stock of your habits, physical and mental.
