Many people in the world are considered to be “successful,” such as Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and others. They are all well-known, wealthy, and generally have positive reputations. Despite having distinct areas of expertise, they frequently share some characteristics.
What makes a person successful?
The typical perception of a successful person is that of a wealthy celebrity. However, this is not the only aspect of success. Those who have fulfilled their objectives and realized their dreams are considered successful (Islam, 2022).
While there are undoubtedly wealthy people in higher social classes, there are also a great number of people who are wealthy yet nevertheless sad or unsatisfied. Most of the time, this is the result of increased work, a basic desire for more, and a lack of a sense of accomplishment (Hill, 2018).
Traits of successful people
- They are hard workers and often do more than they are told. After they are done with the required work, they tend to challenge themselves more with projects.
- Knowing the timing of when to start and leave is crucial for success. Some successful people had to quit their first company and return at the correct time.
- They are not afraid to take on difficult challenges or failure since they think of it as a learning opportunity. Also, most successful people have an optimistic personality, which is a big part of how they can be so bold.
- Having a realistic thinking method also aids them in planning, since they do not need to scramble to figure out every single move. They already have the map in their heads. They set actual goals they can achieve in due time, not dreams that have no chance of happening.
- Evolving and adapting to the current situation of the market is yet another key skill, since even the biggest and most well-known companies could risk danger (Schawbel, 2013).
Successful people born in poverty
While it is true that being born into a rich family gives them the opportunity for higher education and more diverse and selectable paths, many of the current billionaires were born poor, for example:
- Oprah Winfrey, the renowned broadcaster, was born in Mississippi to a teenage single mother. In fact, her family was so impoverished that the home lacked both electricity and running water. She achieved success in her career by working hard at her profession and using innovative techniques. She said that, in her opinion, the individual should be in charge of the money rather than the other way around.
- J.K. Rowling, the author of the world’s best-selling Harry Potter book series, disclosed in a 2013 interview that she was having difficulties raising her children alone before her literary success. And in 2012, she donated almost 160 million dollars to charity, even though the deed caused her to momentarily drop off the list of billionaires.
- Former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz was raised in a relatively affluent neighborhood despite being born into poverty. He claimed in an interview that he has been impacted ever since by “the scar and the shame of being a poor kid living in government-subsidized housing.” It inspired him to grow into the guy he is now (Woods, 2017).
Those who ascended in wealth and those who were born into it differ greatly from one another. Researchers studying psychology at the Universities of British Columbia and California-Irvine have found compelling evidence that 83% of Americans believe that persons who “became” rich are more empathetic to the underprivileged than those who were born into wealth. It is assumed that this is because they were formerly in a similar or worse circumstance to the impoverished (Pomeroy, 2022).
References
Hill, C. (2018). The Dark Reasons so Many Rich People Are Miserable Human Beings. [online] MarketWatch. Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-dark-reasons-so-many-rich-people-are-miserable-human-beings-2018-02-22 [Accessed 29 September 2023].
Islam, S. (2022). The Science Of Success: Why Some People Are More Successful Than Others. [online] www.linkedin.com. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/science-success-why-some-people-more-successful-than-others-islam/ [Accessed 29 September 2023].
Pomeroy, R. (2022). Americans born rich are more sympathetic toward the poor than those who became rich. [online] Big Think. Available at: https://bigthink.com/the-present/born-rich-empathy-poor/ [Accessed 29 September 2023].
Schawbel, D. (2013). 14 Things Every Successful Person Has In Common. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2013/12/17/14-things-every-successful-person-has-in-common/?sh=790bd7883c74 [Accessed 29 September 2023].
Woods, L. (2017). 10 billionaires like Oprah Winfrey who grew up poor. [online] CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/11/10-billionaires-who-grew-up-dirt-poor.html [Accessed 29 September 2023].
