Anyone who works with their hands will tell you the importance of having tools. And anyone who has ever worked with their hands for a career will tell you that it isn’t just having tools, but having the right tools that counts. So what are the tools for success? Well that depends greatly on what it is you are trying to succeed at. However, there are some tools that everyone needs in order to succeed.
Awareness
To many people live in a box. They only see what they want to see and therefore they miss opportunities to excel. Have you ever heard the term “keep your head on a swivel”? It means be aware of what is going on around you. This can be because there are problems that can come from anywhere that you will need to address, or it could be because you don’t want to miss that hidden opportunity. Whatever the reason, you are setting yourself up for failure if you are not being constantly vigil, and aware of your surroundings (both physically and figuratively).
Optimism
A recent study showed that people who believe they are healthy outlive those who worry about their health. That says a lot about the power of positive thinking. In business, people tend to want to be around people that are optimistic more then they like to be around downers. This gives the optimistic person more opportunities. People also have more trust in confident people, and if you are not optimistic, you can’t be confident in your abilities. It may take more then just believing to get ahead, but it is a great place to start.
Humility
on the surface, humility can seem to be adverse to confidence and optimism, but that isn’t so. Humility is understanding that you may know a lot, but you don’t know it all. However, you have the ability to learn. When you combine humility with optimism, you have a person who understands that they might not know the answer now, but they are confident that they can learn what they need to know to have the answer in time to make it count. Someone who lacks humility, but has confidence and optimism, will blindly trudge along thinking they already know all they need, and they will fail. Having the humility to know that you do not know it all yet, makes you more likely to succeed in the long run.
Motivation
Something has changed in the business landscape over the past 20 years. According to several new studies, money is no longer motivating the workforce. Employees are more interested in companies that are investing in their professional development and career growth. Good employees want to learn and grow. They are motivated by becoming better. Training, seminars, and team building events all motivate the employee and are worth more then you could imagine. A motivated team is more productive, and more successful.
If you manage a team of professionals, then remember to supply them with these tools to achieve the greatest success. When a person is aware of what is going on around them, confident in their abilities to do the job, open to learning new approaches, and motivated by additional training, they can do anything.