5 Top Tips for Success

Up until a couple of years ago I didn't realise that there is a formula for success.  Success has a touch, feel and smell.  If you study any of the greatly successful men and women there are a few things you will hear over and over again that they relate their success to. 

1. Follow your dreams

If you are going in to business, be passionate about what you are going to do.  This will get you through the tough times.  Success is hard, it takes blood sweat and tears, if you aren't in love with what you do it will be all to easy to quit when the going gets tough.

2. Get Comfortable With the word 'No'

Not everybody will want the service or product you have to offer, and thats ok.  Sometimes no doesn't mean never and it is more often that not, not personal.  Take the emotion out of it and get comfortable with hearing the word no.  You will also have to be ok with saying no yourself, apparently women find this harder to say than men.  Practice makes perfect!

3. Be Persistent

Success takes stamina, patience and a massive amount of persistence.  There are hundreds of stories of successful people who had to hear 'no' or got things 'wrong' before they succeeded, but they persisted and that persistence paid off.   The secret.. never give up.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas.

 

In one of Fred Astaire's first screen tests, an executive wrote: "Can't sing. Can't act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little.

 

While developing his vacuum, Sir James Dyson went through 5,126 failed prototypes and his savings over 15 years.

 

4. Wake Up Early

It is no coincidence that successful people wake up early.  Research actually shows that early risers tend to be happier and more pro active.  Starbucks' President Michelle Gass wakes up at 4:30 every morning and goes running. Vogue editor Anna Wintour is on the tennis court by 6 every morning before work. Square ceo Jack Dorsey is up at 5.30am to meditate and go for a 6 mile jog.  There is even a book about it "What the most successful people do before breakfast".

5. Set Goals

"The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score" - Bill Copeland.  Goals propel you forward, having a goal written down means you are 80% likely to achieve it, a goal in your head has only an 8% chance of success.  The more specific your goals the better.  This is a great article with a more in depth look at goal setting.

I hope you found this useful.  What are your top tips? Do you agree with these?

Ashly xx