If you were to study the lives of individuals who have done very well and achieved a great level of true success in their respective fields, you would see some similarities. In this blog post, I will show you three qualities that are consistently present in the lives of ALL successful people.
(In my next blog I will give you three more qualities of successful people, so subscribe and stay tuned in for more).
Let’s jump right into this and look at three traits of ALL successful people.
They LOVE what they do.
This is the most common trait among successful people. They don’t just do something with their life - they do what they are in love with. So many times when we think of what we want to do in life, we tend to think in monetary terms. Economics is definitely on a lot of people’s mind. The aim for many, unfortunately, is not to be truly successful, but to be rich at whatever cost or die trying.
Solomon, the richest king who ever lived said:
“Don’t wear yourself out to get rich....” (Proverbs 23:4)
Unfortunately, many people are running after money instead of true success and in doing so they miss out on the beauty of living doing what they were wired to do. Don’t trade anything for what you were wired to do. Don’t let your life-calling turn into your hobby and instead of pursuing your purpose, you waste your life chasing the dollar.
(If you’re not sure what your purpose is check out the book ‘21 Days to Knowing God’s Will’. It is a very good guide, that can help you come closer to knowing what you were born to do).
They WORK really hard
It shouldn’t be surprising at all that successful people are hard workers.
There is a popular poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that says:
“The heights by great men, reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but they while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
This poem says it all. Being successful is not easy work by any stretch of the imagination, it involves hard work day in and day out.
If you struggle with working hard don’t be quick to assume it is because you are lazy. It could actually be because you have not given your energies to that which you were called to do. It is very difficult to consistently work hard at something that is not your purpose. Knowing your purpose - what you should be doing with your life - is essential in developing a hard working attitude.
But, if you do struggle with laziness, here is a good verse to keep in mind:
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”
(Proverbs 6:6-11)
These verses would move anyone out of the lazy realm quickly! Laziness has only one end - poverty and it’s not just financial poverty, but the greatest poverty of all - wasted lives. So, let’s learn from the ant and develop a hard working attitude.
(Remember, when you know where you’re going, it’s easier to consistently work hard).
They Focus on ONE thing instead of everything
I’m sure you have heard the statement ‘jack of all trades and master of none’.
This statement accurately defines unsuccessful people. The successful person masters something. All their energies are poured into one thing and they develop that one thing as much as they can.
When you think of Lionel Messi, you think of a great footballer. When you think of Reinhard Bonke, you think of an outstanding evangelist. When you think of Benjamin Carson, you think of an excellent neurosurgeon. On and on, if we mention the names of successful people, you would think of something they have done very well over and over. These people have become masters in their respective fields.
Although successful people will do many things, they have mastered something. They have delved deeply into their area in such a way that they are world renowned leaders in their fields.
Possibly, what sums up these three qualities in one statement is:
When you know your purpose in life, you live with direction and meaning. Life just makes more sense and one’s contribution to the lives of others is of immense value. That’s what successful people do, they impact others in a meaningful way as they live out their purpose.
Purpose is so important. Do you know your purpose? Are you walking it out? I challenge you to move beyond simply living life in a mundane manner and live in purpose - your God-given Purpose.
In the next blog post, I will give you three more attributes of successful people, so subscribe and stay tuned in for more.
