“What you’re looking for is not out here… it’s in  you (Helen Keller)” — Particularly when it comes to success.

Unfortunately, becoming successful is not as simple as it seems. Successful people have certain personality traits that make them stand out from the crowd. It’s possible to use the traits of successful people to create a template and achieve success in your own life.

Personality traits are defined as an individual’s characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

According to research, when it relates to economic success, personality traits mattered as much as childhood background and resulted in greater overall success (Kajonius & Carlander, 2017).

We all desire success. Yet, most of us don’t understand what it means. And worse yet, we believe society’s concepts of success are the only ones that exist.

So, what exactly is success?

The dictionary defines success as a “favorable or prosperous outcome.”  Success is also defined as the attainment of wealth, position, honors or the  accomplishment of something desired.

But, the question is how do you define “wealth”, “position” or what constitutes “honors”?

Actually, there are as many answers to this question as there are people.

That’s why there is no right or wrong answer, but what’s important is that you define success for yourself.

In fact, to really experience success,  you should have a true definition of who you and what is your real sense of self. Hopefully, it’s grounded in something truly meaningful and worthwhile.

This blog post will explore 36 personal traits that will lead to success. Let’s get started!

"Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have." - Zig Ziglar

Personality traits to become successful people

Here’s a list of the personality traits that you should develop to become successful people:

• Seek personal fulfillment. 
• Be an action taker.
• Be strategic.
• Have self-discipline.
• Learn from experience.
• Act as if you are.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Have a support system. 
• Know what you have to offer.
• Keep pushing forward.
• Find someone to hold you accountable.
• Recognize what’s holding you back.
• Know that leadership is action. 
• Don’t be afraid of failure.
• Don’t stop when you reach your goals.
• Take risks.
• Don’t fear change. 
• Know how to cope with adversity. 
• Take responsibility for their actions.
• Don’t just act – lead.
• Never let others tell you what you can’t do.
• Don’t shy away from hard work. 
• Aren’t dictated by their emotions.
• Know the importance of focus.
• Never make excuses. 
• Are willing to do what others won’t.
• Take care of their health.
• Are self-reliant. 
• Have an attitude of gratitude. 
• Work with confidence.
• Have a track record of excellence.
• Have the passion to go the extra mile.
• Improve their communication and people’s skills.
• Value their time. 
• Never stop dreaming. 

"Success is the progressive realization of predetermined, worthwhile, personal goals." - Paul J. Meyer

1.Successful people seek personal fulfillment

Success is not only about fame and fortune. It is about figuring out what you really desire in life. Do you want to build a business and get rich, or do you just want the freedom that money alone can buy? Are you desirous of making a good living, or doing something meaningful in your life?

To truly be successful, you need to start thinking more about the quality of life you’re trying to build and not only the material things you’d like to obtain.

Your purpose is part of who you are and seeking personal fulfillment will keep you motivated and satisfied.

2.Successful people take action

So many people think that they’re going to “get around” to achieving their goals one day. But often this may just be an excuse to procrastinate. 

Your goals will never become a reality if you don’t take active steps to achieve them.  You need to have a vision, set your goals and have the willingness to pursue them. 

Even if you start by taking small steps, you will still be working on developing your future self. The sooner you start, the sooner it’ll become a reality.

3.Successful people are strategic

Think about your goals as a matter of strategy. What are the steps that you need to take in order to achieve them? If you can figure that out, then it is much easier to plan and execute them. Having a goal is not enough.

You need to think about what you have to do and how you will overcome the obstacles that you will face.. Otherwise, your success is only a wish.

4.Successful people are disciplined

Discipline means you control yourself and can follow through on things you’ve committed to doing.

Self-discipline is one of the most important personal development skills that you can have in your life. It will help you succeed and achieve the things that you want to accomplish.

Self-disciplined persons take their goals seriously. Creating a plan is great, but having actually sticking to it is where your true power lies.

"Adaptability is not imitation. It means power of resistance and assimilation." - Mahatma Gandhi

Use this link to learn why self-discipline is the magical formula for success. 

5.Successful people learn from experience

To become successful, you need to do more than just think about success. You need to reflect and analyze your experiences and those of others.

Reflection will help you decide if or when you need to change course. Notedly, it’s crucial to not only analyze your past successes but also any failed attempts.

6.Keep a positive attitude

A positive attitude is infectious. Positivity is important for becoming successful because it motivates you and it helps you navigate difficult situations in your personal and profession life.

Everyone goes through hardships. However, it’s what you do in response to these situations that truly sets defines you.

7.To become successful start acting as if

To become successful start acting as if you are already achieving your dreams. Acting as if doesn’t mean that you are pretending to be something that you are not. It’s a great way to put your self-belief to the test. 

However, it does mean that you are increasing your awareness and changing your thoughts and actions to align with who you want to be.

This mind-set will eventually become reality, and it will make it easier to remain motivated and focus on your goals.

8.Successful people aren’t afraid to ask for help

Don’t let your pride get in the way of success! Sometimes the best thing to do is to admit your weakness and focus on fixing that area. 

So, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask advice from others. Asking for help could also give you the opportunity to develop a relationship with someone.

9.Successful people have a support system

To become successful, you must figure out what kind of resources you will need. Then, come up with a plan to get and make the most of it.

It has been proven that the people you surround yourself with have a direct impact on your success or failure. As such, you should gather as many people around you who are going in the same direction. 

Start surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and keep you inspired. Having cheerleaders in your life will give you the needed boost, especially when things get tough.

10.Succesful people know what you have to offer

If there’s one thing successful people are good at, it’s that they know their own strengths and weaknesses. And, they find ways to maximize on those strengths.

They discover their talents and learn how to use it to address a need. If your goal is to be successful, then ask yourself, why should someone would want to work with me?

 "Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." - Dwayne Johnson

11.Successful people keep pushing forward

Another thing that successful people have in common, is that they never give up. Even when things are going badly or nothing seems to be happening, they find a way to keep going. 

Perseverance is the single most important factor in determining how much success you’ll have.

In fact, most truly successful people didn’t achieve success overnight — it usually took them years of working hard, failing and never giving up.

12.Successful people find someone who can hold you accountable

This is especially important if you are working personal goals or on building your own business. Having someone to hold you accountable will make it less likely to give up or make excuses when things get tough.

This accountability will help you acknowledge and remember your short and long-term goals.

13.Successful people recognize what’s holding them back

Successful people don’t let their circumstances stop them; they think outside of the box and find a way to overcome problems.

Identify what’s really holding you back, whether it’s fear or bad habits. Only after you’ve identified what’s holding you back that you can stop being paralyzed by it.

14.Successful people know that leadership is about action

Successful people have a natural instinct for taking charge of whatever situation they’re in. If you want to be a leader, then start showing people that you’re serious about what you do.

Don’t make excuses or sit around waiting for something to change; get out there and take charge of your life!

Read about the leadership skills that are necessary to make you excel immediately. 

"Ambition is the first step to success. The second is action." - Unknown

15.Successful people are not afraid to fail

To be successful you should have a clear understanding of how success works. Unfortunately, this often means failing several times until you succeed. 

Although you need to take a calculated approach, you shouldn’t be overly afraid of losing. Those who win are usually are the ones who aren’t afraid to lose.

Most successful people have gone through some form of failure in their lives. Before Thomas Edison became the inventor of the incandescent light bulb he failed 10 000 times! 

He said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Do you believe in yourself enough to keep going?

"Self-reliance is the only road to true freedom, and being one's own person is it's ultimate reward." - Patricia Sampson

16.Successful people don’t stop when they reach their goals

Many people hit a milestone and then stop and take a long rest. They figure that if they’ve already made it this far, then why bother pushing forward?

To become truly successful you have to keep moving forward until you’ve achieved your ultimate goal.

17.Successful people take risks

Have you ever noticed that most of the rich and famous people in the world are entrepreneurs? They’ve figured out something that many others don’t seem to understand — that success comes through taking risks. 

If you want to win big, then you’ll need to take the risk of playing against the odds.

18.Successful people are never afraid of change

To become successful you have to embrace change and be willing to face it and adapt accordingly. This trait will helps you weather the storms that come your way, and turn what could have been a negative into a positive experience.

As such, you’ll be able to experience much more personal and professional growth.

19.Successful people know how to cope with adversity

Disappointment and failure are all around us. Unfortunately, many people give up when they face these challenges.

But, to be successful you have to keep going. One of the most important skills in life is learning how to overcome adversity.

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller

Learn 16 coping tips to help you thrive even in difficult situations. 

20.Successful people take responsibility for their actions

If you want to be a success, then you’ll need to accept some responsibility even when things go wrong. This habit will help you recognize and take steps to correct your flaws/errors.

Thus you’ll have a much better outcome. Additionally, it will substantially help your interpersonal relationships.

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

21.Successful people don’t just act – they lead

You can learn a lot from other successful people. But, you’ve got to understand that success is about much more than just what others have done.

You need to figure out your area of expertise and how to use it. Only then will you be able to show others that you can lead and succeed at the same time.

22.Successful people don’t let others tell them that they can’t do something

You’ll usually hear that you shouldn’t be doing something especially if it hasn’t already been done by someone else.

If you want success, then you’ll need to go out and pursue it. You’ll have to step out of your comfort zone and don’t limit yourself based on what others say.

23.Successful people don’t shy away from hard work

Some people have a difficult time grasping the success formula. They think that talent is all you need, or perhaps that luck is the key factor.

But if you actually look at the most successful people in the world, one of the things they all have in common is work hard.

24.Successful people never let their emotions dictate their actions

You can’t always rely on your feelings, especially if you want to succeed in life. Some of the most successful people in history have risen to the top despite what was going on around them. 

They knew that negative emotions and impulses could stifle their energy, creativity and purpose.

25.Successful people know the importance of focus

If you want to be successful in life, then you’ve got to learn some focus. There are plenty of other things that will distract you along the way.

If you don’t manage your time and priorities well, then a lot of things will keep you from being as successful as you could be.

"If you focus on success, you'll have stress. But if you pursue excellence, success will be guaranteed." - Deepak Chopra

26.Successful people never make excuses

One of the biggest reasons for failure is the tendency to blame everything on someone else.  Successful people don’t make excuses.

They accept responsibility for their actions. This trait allows a person to be honest with themselves and the others around them, which strengthens all relationships involved.

27.Successful people are willing to do what others won’t

Many people talk about their dreams of success, but to be successful people you actually have to go out and make those dreams come true.  

You can’t be afraid of what other people think or the hard work you have to do. You have to be willing to go the extra mile.

28.Successful people should take care of their health

Successful people should realize that their body is the only vehicle they can use to get them through their life.

Therefore, they treat themselves right. Being healthy will gives you the energy, strength and motivation needed to tackle all of life’s challenges.

And, that does not mean only physical, but all aspects of personal wellness.

Test your health knowledge by taking this quick quiz. 

29.To be successful you must be self-reliant

Self-reliance doesn’t mean that you’re self-sufficient. But, that you can take initiative and pave your own path to success, without relying on the accomplishments of others.

You should be able to depend on yourself to work hard, bounce back and not stay defeated.

30.Successful people have an attitude of gratitude

An attitude of gratitude gives you the opportunity to be humble and more appreciative of the opportunities that are currently available to you.

In addition, being grateful enables you to focus on what is important in life, which leaves little time for negative emotions or self-pity.

Read also: 11 Key ways to develop an attitude of gratitude. 

"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier

31.To be successful you should work on your confidence

Being self-confident allows you to be more independent. It will help you to believe in your abilities and take on challenges head on. 
Also, I’m sure you’d admit that there’s a different aura that you exude when you’re self-confident, one that is more attractive and influential.

32.Successful people have a track record of excellence

Having a foundation of excellence says a lot about your character. It proves that you are intelligent, innovative, trustworthy and dependable. 

Regardless of how big or small an activity, having a proven history of success allows others to trust your judgment.

33.Successful people have the passion to go the extra mile

To be successful you have to be highly motivated, persistent and have the passion to go the extra mile to pursue their vision.

Stamina is needed to excel despite life’s challenges. When you’re truly passionate, you’ll have the drive and incentive to not settle for second best.

34.To be successful, improve your communication and people’s skills

To become successful you should always be thinking about how to better yourself. A good place to start is with improving your interpersonal and communication skills. 

This will help you work well with others, build relationship and help overcome differences. Start building your reputation as someone who is approachable and empathetic.

35.Successful people value their time

Successful people realize that their most precious gift is time because it cannot be returned. They understand the importance of finding ways to accomplish more in less time. 

Effectively managing their time allows them to spend more time on the things that are most important in life.

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you're not going to stay where you are." - J.P. Morgan

Discover the ultimate guide to manage your time and improve your personal productivity.

36.Successful people never stop dreaming

Dreams are one of the strongest powers to shape the future. If you want to be successful, never stop dreaming because your dreams will be the fuel to keep accomplishing even great things. Your dreams will give you purpose, inspiration and vision.

Why does success matter?

Achieving success will do a world of good for your confidence, self-esteem. Success also leads to more social connections and greater financial security.

It’ll also prove to others that you are an achiever and can be trusted to get things done by yourself or as part of a team.  Plus, it’ll give you the added boost to stay motivated. 

Success is also important because it helps you stay motivated and work harder to achieve your other goals.

In fact, success affects directly or indirectly affects every aspect of your life; including your physical and mental wellbeing.

Unfortunately, if you don’t know to manage the power and responsibility that may accompany success, it can lead to more stress, arrogance, the development of toxic habits and other psychosocial issues.

Read also: How to break bad habits that affect your life.

Final words on how to become successful people

Success is not a destination, it’s a journey. This article has discussed personality traits that are important to be successful people.

Once you continue to develop these personality traits, you can start to reach your full potential as soon as possible. But, if only happens if you start.

Comment or share your thoughts on this blog post! Have any of these traits helped you succeed? Did the list surprise you in any way? What trait do you think is most important for success?

"The best revenge is massive success." - Frank Sinatra

Related Topics

What are some of the advantages of maintaining a positive attitude?

A positive attitude opens up doors that help us chase our dreams, achieve results faster and discover new opportunities which we may have otherwise been blinded from.

Further, a positive attitude makes us feel better about ourselves and gives us the power we need to overcome hardships. Undoubtedly, a positive attitude would do a world of good for your overall happiness and mental health. 

What influence does your childhood have on success?

Your childhood has a much larger impact on your success than you may think. Childhood is crucial for the development of personality which can shape your success.

The experiences from childhood is important in many other aspects of life and can set the stage for success in adulthood. How are your most influential lessons from children? Use this link to check out my life lessons from childhood. 

Reference 

Petri J. Kajonius, Anders Carlander, Who gets ahead in life? Personality traits and childhood background in economic success, Journal of Economic Psychology, Volume 59, 2017, Pages 164-170, ISSN 0167-4870.