10 Behaviours that Lead to Success

We often equate success with talent. But the reality is, talent and technical skills alone are not enough. We've all have seen talented people squander their success by making poor decisions, while some people who lacked technical skills but were driven to succeed through sheer determination made it to the top.

Here are 10 behaviours that require little talent, yet have a huge impact on success:

1. Being on Time - Many people have a habit of being late to meetings, work and appointments. For most people, time is money and they hate for their time to be wasted - it's disrespectful. Being on time takes zero talent and shows discipline. It gives a good first impression.

2. Work Ethic - Cutting corners may seem like the easy way out, but it always leads to dead-ends. Doing your work with honesty and dedication will take you to new heights. Take pride in the quality of the work you’re doing.

3. Effort - Give your everything when you do something. You shouldn’t regret afterwards that you didn’t make enough effort to make things happen. Always do your best.

4. Body Language - Your body language speaks volumes about you. Be aware of your body language and make sure it is saying the message you want to communicate.

5. Energy (Motivation) - There can be days when our energy levels are low, we don’t feel motivated and we don't want to get out bed, but you might want to review your lifestyle or do a health check if this is happening too often.

6. Attitude - A positive attitude can go a long way in a workplace. Having a positive attitude is essential to succeed. Your attitude determines the course of your life. When you’re negative, you act as a roadblock in the path of your own success.

7. Passion - The enthusiasm you show when you are passionate about something is easily noticeable and can rub off on others. Being passionate about something also gives you the ability to endure in times when things may not be going your way.

8. Being Coachable - Be always open to learning. You can never know everything. To increase your chances of success, you need to be a continuous learner.

9. Doing Extra - Doing something extra will not cost you much, but it will definitely add a lot to your character and make you stand above the crowd. "There are no traffic jams along the extra mile." - Roger Staubach

10. Being Prepared - “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. Always be prepared, formulate a plan before you do something. Being prepared reduces the chances of failure.

11. Soft Skills – These are invaluable in every organization, and each will boost you towards greater personal and professional success! Soft skills are a combination of people skills, social skills, communication skills, character or personality traits, attitudes, career attributes, social intelligence, and emotional intelligence quotients that enable employees to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well and achieve their goals.

You can improve your soft skills by:

- Encouraging and being open to feedback, it will help you to grow and improve.

- Communicate often and observe how others communicate.

- Engage in team work opportunities, join a club or society.

- Build positive relationships, try and meet new people.

- Learn how to adapt, be open to learning new skills.

- Push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Overall review what skills you are lacking and where you feel you occasionally fall short? Most of the big opportunities that we get in life come as a result of the little choices we make every day. Poor choices can potentially harm your future success. In life, a lot of the time your competition isn't other people, it's the negative thoughts you think, the time you waste, the procrastination you allow, the unhealthy food you eat and the personal development you ignore.

Take time to reflect on what you are doing for your own self development.

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