Tweet

15 Tips for Career and Life Success

Written by: Bud Bilanich

Article Overview: In my work as an executive coach, keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author I have spent the last five years studying what it takes to succeed in your life and career. I have found that successful people share five traits in common: 1. Successful people are self confident; 2. Successful people have positive personal impact; 3. Successful people are outstanding performers; 4. Successful people are excellent communicators; 5. Successful people are interpersonally competent. If you follow the 15 common sense pieces of advice I've presented in this checklist, you'll be able to build a successful life and career.

15 Tips for Career and Life Success

In my work as an executive coach, keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author I have spent the last five years studying what it takes to succeed in your life and career. I have found that successful people share five traits in common. 1. Successful people are self confident.

2. Successful people have positive personal impact.

3. Successful people are outstanding performers.

4. Successful people are excellent communicators.

5. Successful people are interpersonally competent.

Here's a list of things to do to become self confident, create positive personal impact, become an outstanding performer, excellent communicator and interpersonally competent.

Becoming Self Confident

Become an optimist. Look at the bright side, don't let problems and set back stop you from achieving your goals.

Face your fears and take action. Identify those things that you fear. Admit our fears. Accept your fears. Take action.

Surround yourself with positive people. Actively seek out positive people. Rid yourself of the negative people in your life. Find a mentor to guide and help you.

Creating Positive Personal Impact

Create and constantly promote your personal brand. Figure out what sets you apart from everyone else. Capitalize on your uniqueness. Remain on brand all the time.

Dress for success. Dress appropriately for your job. Observe the successful people in your company - dress like them. Make sure your clothes fit, are clean and in good repair. Keep your shoes looking good.

Know, understand and practice the basic rules of etiquette. Good manners never go out of style. Do whatever you can to make the people around you feel comfortable. Use two simple, but powerful words - please and thank you.

Becoming an Outstanding Performer

Stay technically competent by becoming a lifelong learner. Join and participate in professional societies. Get an advanced degree. Read. Attend seminars and workshops.

Set and Achieve S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results Oriented, Time Bound) goals. Write your goals. Review them frequently. Share them with your friends. Take at least one positive step towards one goal every day.

Get organized. Adopt the Pareto principle - focus on the critical few, not trivial many things competing for your attention. Set priorities and stick to them. Do what's important, not urgent.

Becoming an Excellent Communicator

Develop your conversation skills. Learn and use people's names. Ask them questions. Listen and respond appropriately to what they have to say.

Develop your writing skills. Write like you speak. Use small words and short sentences. Avoid jargon - or explain it as you go. Read what you've written. Edit and rewrite until you're happy with it.

Develop your presentation skills. Determine your message. Analyze your audience. Organize your information for impact. Create supporting visuals. Practice out loud.

Becoming Interpersonally Competent

Understand yourself. Use a commercially available instrument, like the MBTI or DISC. Or just think about what's important to you and why. Use this knowledge to better understand others. Use your knowledge of others to tailor your communication style to their needs and wants.

Build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. Be honest. Be humble. Be courteous. Take responsibility for yourself. Build consensus. Listen well. Respond appropriately. Respect others as human beings.

Resolve conflict in a positive manner. Focus on where you agree with a person with whom you are in conflict. Build a solution that meets both of your needs.

If you follow the 15 common sense pieces of advice I've presented in this checklist, you'll be able to build a successful life and career.

Related Articles
  Manage Yourself for the Career You Want
  Put Your Money Where Your Dream Is
  How to Change Careers and Still Pay the Bills
  Career Tips - Is there a Bright Side to Job Loss?
  4 Tips for Managing a Mid-Life Career Change

Article Tags: career success, common sense, communication, interpersonal competence, life success, success
Referred by: http://www.jimbouchard.org



Related Forum Posts
Business Tips - How about: Tips for managers to handle employees more effectively? Tips on how to deal with difficult customers? Tips on how to deal more effectively with suppliers? The only three I have in mind right now, but will try to come up with something else. Chris
The Second Life Platform - Greetings! I'm not sure how many of you have heard of or are sensitive to Second Life and its related entities. However, Second Life is a fantastic platform to mimmick real life business operations in a real currency based economy. There are plenty of successful stories for creative individuals, but I'd highly suggest doing your research and appreciating Second Life for what it is, and what it isn't.
Re: The Second Life Platform - [quote="JBunion":fhe23fsu]Greetings! I'm not sure how many of you have heard of or are sensitive to Second Life and its related entities. However, Second Life is a fantastic platform to mimmick real life business operations in a real currency based economy. There are plenty of successful stories for creative individuals, but I'd highly suggest doing your research and appreciating Second Life for what it is, and what it isn't.[/quote:fhe23fsu] Hi JBunion, I've heard about the site. So are you currently a member? And more importantly, have you tried to open a store front in that virtual world?
Re: Charge what you're worth - [quote="Tami Szabo":292ze3jd]People will pay you what you ask. Very few will ever up the price. You are the one who decided what you are worth. The key is that we believe our services are worth the price we are asking.[/quote:292ze3jd] Hi Tami, You're absolutely right. In "Think and Grow Rich", Jessie B. Rittenhouse says "For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial's hire Only to learn, dismayed , That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid" (Napoleon Hill 35). I think the same can be said when setting prices on eBay or Craigslist, especially when people are trying to haggle you.
Re: Require Info on CAD Fed/Prov Grants for Restaurant Start-up - I know the Ontario government is starting a "Second Career" campaign, full of internship opportunities for new chefs and catering staff. It may be worth your while to research the possibilities with that. It may work itself out to be cheap labor in the form of a grant. Good luck regardless!


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

What is an Adaptive Organization

Are You Remarkable Enough?

What Is The Foundation for Your Vision?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.