Why are some people more successful than others? Why some feel accomplished while others feel like they are stuck in career rut? The answer is – their vocabulary. Though, granted, your vocabulary is heavily dependent on your mentality and the way you see your life, both personal and professional.
Here are the things you will probably never hear successful people say and the reasons why that’s the case:
It’s impossible!
“This can’t be done” is just not in their DNA. Successful people know that there is always a solution to any problem. Sometimes you’ll have to get creative, but there is no such thing as impossible. And when the goal seems too huge to accomplish, they tackle it in little pieces – they know that a lot of small steps eventually lead you to the top of the highest mountain.
I don’t care!
Passion, on the other hand, is in their DNA. You will never hear innovators say “I hate my job!” or “I don’t care!” If you don’t have this key ingredient – passion coupled with vision – you will never be able to overcome challenges and take risks to push the envelope, innovate, and grow your business.
Stop asking questions!
Smart people know that there is no such thing as a “silly question.” They know that as soon as curiosity halts and we stop asking questions, the radical innovation ends. Some of the most distinguished leaders, such as Steve Jobs and James Dyson, encouraged their teams to consistently question the way they should do things and challenge conventional wisdom. Their favorite questions are” “Why?” “Why not?” “What if?”
Why should I be the one doing this?
In any business, especially in a growing business, multiple people have to wear multiple hats. What’s more, those people to voluntarily identify gaps and take on filling them are usually the ones that get the most visibility internally, get to grow their responsibilities and teams the most, and ultimately get to build something truly amazing. “But it’s not my job to do this” is just not in their vocabulary.
I don’t think we should change the way we do things.
Visionary people always challenge the way things are done. They find better, quicker, more effective ways to accomplish tasks and execute on the right strategies. They push themselves into the areas they may not be comfortable with just so that they could continue to evolve and help their teams stay on the cutting edge. They understand that change is necessary and that comfortably resting on their laurels is not the path that’ll lead to continuous success.
Thank you, but I am not looking for any feedback.
To truly succeed one has to be open to new experiences, new ideas, and new perspectives. One has to always be open to feedback: on how you are executing, how you are shaping your vision, how you are leading. Those who are constantly open to feedback not only get the respect of their teams and colleagues, but also get an invaluable chance to look at themselves through the eyes of others. None of us are perfect, we all can use feedback to help us grow. At the end of the day you have to be yourself, there are some things you might not want to change. But sometimes feedback and diverse perspective can help shape the way you communicate with others or approach projects in a positive way.
But what if we fail?
Failure is just a part of business as usual. James Dyson failed 5,126 times before he created his famous bagless vacuum cleaner. Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he invented the light bulb. For them, failure was just another solid stepping stone to an amazing discovery, another necessary checkmark of what not to do. Successful people are not afraid to fail. They know it’s only the matter of time they do fail (everybody does), but that doesn’t stop them from innovating and trying out new things.
I know better!
There is no such thing as a self-made man. Behind every successful person is a smart team. Success is a team sport. Building a great team around your vision means admitting that you don’t know everything and hiring people that fill in the gaps in your knowledge, experience, and perspective, and trusting them to help you build something extraordinary.
But that’s just too hard.
People who achieve the most in their lives never take an easy way out at the times when it truly counts. They have the passion, the perseverance, and the grit to shape the new path. Being the first and conquering new roads is never easy. And sometimes you do have to learn from other people’s mistakes and successes to help shape your path. But at the end of the day, when the critical time comes to shape their own destiny, successful people never chose the path of less resistance.
It’s your turn. What are your experiences? Did I miss anything?
Originally posted in Forbes