7 Characteristics of Successful People ...

To make it big in life, you need to also dream big. One of the characteristics of successful people is that they don’t restrict themselves with limits to what they can achieve. Ambition partners with creativity, with successful people choosing to think outside the box of what is possible.

Once you have your ideas the next step is having the courage to follow through with them. It's all very well saying that you want to get into shape, but do you really have the guts to sign yourself up to run a marathon? Successful people often thrive on achieving their goals; they feel the fear of the challenge and nether the less go after it. They do not hesitate before taking a risk, but instead choose to take a leap of faith.

The familiar saying that "our only limits are the ones we place upon ourselves" could not be more apt. We all get scared sometimes, but having the courage to face our fears sets the weak from the chaff. One example of a common fear is public speaking. Talking in front of people can seem both daunting and nerve wrecking, successful people acknowledge this fear, yet get up and give a speech anyway. Having the confidence to stand out from the crowd will enable you achieve great things.

Resilience is a critical characteristic of a successful person. We all have setbacks and grey days, but successful people choose not to dwell on their problems. People who choose to fight back when the going gets tough are able to persevere no matter what. Financial problems, a horrible boss or relationship crisis are simply a challenge to overcome. If you want to be successful harden-up (just a little) and turn into fighter like Rocky!

This one is pretty straightforward really; success doesn’t come cheaply, it comes with a big spoon of hard work and often patience. The biggest and best plans don’t happen over night, they require diligence and grafting. If you want to get noticed for doing well, you need to try your best – time and time again. Don’t lie in; get up early embrace the day and see how hard you can really push yourself.

Although not 100% essential, the majority of successful people have a good network of contacts. Value and put time into developing relationships with people that might be able to enhance your career or personal interests. Now don’t misread this, I am not encouraging you to use people, just to consider that successful people see the worth in the people they meet. Whilst a work colleague might not be your new best friend, they could be the perfect partner for a project idea that you have. Take time to build your connections.

Successful people tend to have multiple talents; they are active and like to have their fingers in many pies. A fine example of being a multi-tasker is millionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson. His Virgin brand is not limited to one product; his portfolio encompasses shuttles into space, flights, music and even condoms. Richard has also been seen to attempt numerous world records, made guest appearances in films and is a humanitarian activist. The message here is don’t put all your efforts into just one project; dabble in a few things that interest you that way you will simply have more chances to succeed.

If you want to be successful in life, you need to be a go-getter. You only get one chance at life, a mantra successful people are only too aware of. Don’t waste time worrying about whether you can do something, simply have a go, and remember to work hard and try your best… everything else will naturally fall into place. Which of these traits do you think most identifies a successful person?