I'm fortunate to know a number of remarkably successful people. I've described how these people share a set of specific perspectives and beliefs.

They also share a number of habits:

1. They don't create back-up plans.

Back-up plans can help you sleep easier at night. Back-up plans can also create an easy out when times get tough.

You'll work a lot harder and a lot longer if your primary plan simply has to work because there is no other option. Total commitment--without a safety net--will spur you to work harder than you ever imagined possible.

If somehow the worst does happen (and the "worst" is never as bad as you think) trust that you will find a way to rebound. As long as you keep working hard and keep learning from your mistakes, you always will.

2. They do the work...

You can be good with a little effort. You can be really good with a little more effort.

But you can't be great--at anything--unless you put in an incredible amount of focused effort.

Scratch the surface of any person with rare skills and you'll find a person who has put thousands of hours of effort into developing those skills.

There are no shortcuts. There are no overnight successes. Everyone has heard about the 10,000 hours principle but no one follows it... except remarkably successful people.

So start doing the work now. Time is wasting.

3. ...and they work a lot more.

Forget the Sheryl Sandberg "I leave every day at 5:30" stories. I'm sure she does. But she's not you.

Every extremely successful entrepreneur I know (personally) works more hours than the average person--a lot more. They have long lists of things they want to get done. So they have to put in lots of time.

Better yet, they want to put in lots of time.

If you don't embrace a workload others would consider crazy then your goal doesn't mean that much to you--or it's not particularly difficult to achieve. Either way you won't be remarkably successful.

4. They avoid the crowds.

Conventional wisdom yields conventional results. Joining the crowd--no matter how trendy the crowd or "hot" the opportunity--is a recipe for mediocrity.

Remarkably successful people habitually do what other people won't do. They go where others won't go because there's a lot less competition and a much greater chance for success.

5. They start at the end...

Average success is often based on setting average goals.

Decide what you really want: to be the best, the fastest, the cheapest, the biggest, whatever. Aim for the ultimate. Decide where you want to end up. That is your goal.

Then you can work backwards and lay out every step along the way.

Never start small where goals are concerned. You'll make better decisions--and find it much easier to work a lot harder--when your ultimate goal is ultimate success.

6. ... and they don't stop there.

Achieving a goal--no matter how huge--isn't the finish line for highly successful people. Achieving one huge goal just creates a launching pad for achieving another huge goal.

Maybe you want to create a $100 million business; once you do you can leverage your contacts and influence to create a charitable foundation for a cause you believe in. Then your business and humanitarian success can create a platform for speaking, writing, and thought leadership. Then...

The process of becoming remarkably successful in one field will give you the skills and network to be remarkably successful in many other fields.

Remarkably successful people don't try to win just one race. They expect and plan to win a number of subsequent races.

7. They sell.

I once asked a number of business owners and CEOs to name the one skill they felt contributed the most to their success. Each said the ability to sell.

Keep in mind selling isn't manipulating, pressuring, or cajoling. Selling is explaining the logic and benefits of a decision or position. Selling is convincing other people to work with you. Selling is overcoming objections and roadblocks.

Selling is the foundation of business and personal success: knowing how to negotiate, to deal with "no," to maintain confidence and self-esteem in the face of rejection, to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, to build long-term relationships...

When you truly believe in your idea, or your company, or yourself then you don't need to have a huge ego or a huge personality. You don't need to "sell."

You just need to communicate.

8. They are never too proud.

To admit they made a mistake. To say they are sorry. To have big dreams. To admit they owe their success to others. To poke fun at themselves. To ask for help.

To fail.

And to try again.

http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-habits-of-remarkably-successful-people.html

Are you saying back up plan is not good? Because it makes you hav somethin to fall back on. If onforseen happen.

What he was saying is dat back up plans mk us lack d zeal and total workability and focus on wat he have @ hand.and surely it is true!

Quite insighteful!

stories .......put it in a movie...plzzzzzz

I love 7, the rest are debatable. Buys popcorn to wait for the trolls

I AM SORRY BUT I AGREE WITH ONLY YOUR NUMBER 7 POINT.

I can openly tell you why other points are not done by successful people.

Dey give to charity.

catch_cold: Dey give to charity.

who?

wrong, back up plan is good. things happen

they are not prouud Donald trump anyone!

The 9th thing that remarkably successful people in the west do is apparently
selling their books that others buy into


Ajanlekoko where are you??
I need my book
I demand my book
I beg for my book ooooooooooooooo

All this one na story abeg, have you not heard that the guy who wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad is bankrupt, save ur inspirational lines for urself

acidtalk: I AM SORRY BUT I AGREE WITH ONLY YOUR NUMBER 7 POINT.

I can openly tell you why other points are not done by successful people.

Please tell us.

The alway have a quiet time to themselves in which they plan,reflect and strategize, they wake up early, they are very good at remembering names.....,

Who can recommend some good book/tips on selling? I know nothin beats first hand experience tho .

And u forget to add...they dont really care how, all the want is result...lol

funky medina: they are not prouud Donald trump anyone!

"The Donald" is not proud, he's just loud.

God forgive me for wasting my mb to click on this topic

Guy u don forget to add spiritual power a.k.a JUJU or Ajò.
Do all dis methods work in Naija without without capital to start with.

9.Most Successful people are often very stingy, and if they most spend for whatever reason it must bring back returns, they see every thing as investment.

esere826: The 9th thing that remarkably successful people in the west do is apparently
selling their books that others buy into


Ajanlekoko where are you??
I need my book
I demand my book
I beg for my book ooooooooooooooo

And Africans don't even have a reading culture.

Nice one @OP, thanks for sharing! Hopefully, one day someone would interviewed me too, ask me for tips and how I got there for others/next generation to learn from.

Every time someone puts up some "successful people' stuffs, you always have people who disagree with many important points, and they wonder why they are not successful. Many will even say I live in the US...I drive a N6m car, I have this and that. Then you dig deeper and you find they are just living off someone elses success. In most cases daddy's wealth, or family connection where they thrive on the institutionalized corruption in Nigeria or smply, they are just employees who think they see the coy's financials , they are co-owners. They have never started any biz of their own, nor ever turn an idea into a venture that has grown or is growing for 5yrs. There are poor people in the US . There are people who drive the latest cars and can't fuel them. Another man money na picture even if you be bank teller wey dey count am.

isaco: Are you saying back up plan is not good? Because it makes you hav somethin to fall back on. If onforseen happen.

crappy as usual on nairaland! Is it not the same business experts that says u don't put all your eggs in one basket? Don't mind d OP..

-Be VERY Smart.
-Knowledge of how money works.
-Fixed focus.
-Read! Read!! Read!!!
Those are the roadmaps i follow...define your destination and choose the right map. Imagine trying to locate Lekki with the map of Abuja...

I'm not convinced by "no back up plan"

they are persistent and resilient.and are willing to pay d extra price and go the extra miles the majority of u will not go.

the way u are living tells us how u will end up except something happens. Successful people run their lives based on plans cos they try to liveout what they see, they do the same ordinary things everyone else does, but with extraordinary commitment. EAGLES DO NOT READ THE WEATHER REPORT THEY DON'T CARE THEY JUST CANT HELP BUT BE IN THE SKY!!!!!!!

tutu1: All this one na story abeg, have you not heard that the guy who wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad is bankrupt, save ur inspirational lines for urself

only one of his companies is bankrupt. he is not bankrupt one bit.

Nice points op, some are debatable. Successful people dont work for money, they make their money work for them. They employ people to do what they dont want to do. Imagine Bill gate cleaning the floor cos he wants to be hardworking(this is just an illlustration), hope you get my point.