We live in a time of uncertainty, and if you are a working professional, the only thing you can expect is that things will certainly become more unpredictable, when speaking of the economic condition, at least. For this reason, it is crucial that you possess a new set of skills that will be needed to stay ahead of the competition, skills that only the highly successful people possess. The following are seven habits that highly successful engage themselves in, and habits that you, too, should acquire in order to stay on top in a period of unprecedented change.
They Learn Specific Set of Skills That Make Them Indispensable
One of the main habits of highly successful individuals is that they continually learn skills that make them irreplaceable. When you have skills and abilities that are both value adding and unique, it will be difficult for employers to let go of you. How do you become indispensable? By getting skills, training, insights, and capabilities that are difficult to beat. The harder the skill is to come by, and the more difficult it is to outscore, the higher the chance for you to become irreplaceable.
They Strive to Continually Grow and Improve
Another interesting habit of highly successful people is that they strive to constantly grow. They make personal development through education an unending mandate for themselves. They are never satisfied by their current accomplishments, but actively seek out experiences that will give them skills they know will be in demand in the years to come. In the same manner, you should also ask yourself what types of trainings and educational developments you should undergo in order for you to meet the needs for the future. Take the time to think where you want your career to take you, and purposely seek for opportunities that will help you prepare. Don’t worry about the growing and improving part, because as long as your heart and mind are ready, it will surely be easier for you to learn and grow the moment the opportunity presents itself.
They Create New Opportunities for Themselves
Speaking of opportunity, highly successful individuals don’t just rely on luck to get where they want to be. Instead, they work hard, and at the same time, create new opportunities for themselves. In your case, it would mean actively seeking out prospects and other open doors and not just sitting around doing the same thing again and again. It would also mean learning new skills and engaging yourself in activities that will provide you with new experiences. Don’t be afraid to intentionally place yourself in difficult situations, such as volunteering to work on a very difficult project at work that may require teaming up with unfamiliar people and brainstorming for creative ideas.
They Actively Seek Out Difficult Tasks
Highly successful people are not afraid of difficult tasks. In fact, they seek them out themselves. They don’t shy away from tasks that most people avoid, but consider them as opportunities to grow and improve. They understand that such opportunities are what will help separate them from the rest of the pack. After all, if Bill Gates and Steve Jobs didn’t spend 10,000 hours mastering their craft, they wouldn’t be among the richest and most influential men of all time. In the same manner, some of the greatest innovators of our generation didn’t become great by simply staying in their comfort zones, but by actively brainstorming new ideas and focusing their energy completing difficult tasks.
They Constantly Invest in Personal and Professional Development
A quality that’s present in almost all successful men and women is a hunger for learning. Highly successful people do not settle for the knowledge that they already possess, but constantly invest their time, money, and energy learning new things for their personal and professional development. In life, we should also desire to be lifelong students and strive to increase our knowledge, skills, and abilities. The goal is not really to get smarter than the rest, but to become more conversational in various subjects, not just one. For what purpose? The more skills you have in your bag, the more adaptable you become and the more secure your future will be.
They Don’t Mind Walking the Extra Mile
Highly successful people don’t work from 9 to 5. In fact, their work doesn’t stop the moment they leave the office. They don’t mind working overtime as long as it helps them produce the best result possible. They don’t complain that the task is too difficult, and they don’t mind the time. Now, it’s important that we don’t take our work home, but the point here is that we should also not work simply for the sake of making money, but rather for the sake of excelling in what we do. When you maintain a mindset that your work stops the moment the clock strikes five, you will end up producing mediocre results. On the other hand, if you don’t mind walking the extra mile and going above and beyond what is expected of you, you will end up producing unparalleled results, and the best thing is that your boss or your client will notice it and commend you for a job well done.
They Don’t Avoid Risks
Human beings have a tendency to avoid risks and gravitate towards an easier and more convenient way to do things. Highly successful individuals, however, are not afraid to take risks. They welcome difficulties, challenges, and pressure, and consider them as opportunities to get stronger. Consider the deep-sea fish. Compared to other sea creatures, they have the greatest endurance, and that is because they are not afraid of pressure. If you want to be highly successful in life, learn to welcome risks and don’t be afraid of pressure. It is only by learning to thrive in random, chaotic, and difficult situations that we become resilient, and in the process, indispensable.