Success Advice
5 Special Ingredients That Successful People Are Made of
We know what a successful person looks like. But how did they achieve success? You’ve heard the old adage that perseverance, some luck, and follow your deepest passion are the keys to success. The problem with that adage, it’s vague and broad. It’s like saying, “I want to be healthy”. What does being healthy specifically entail? Do you want to live longer, become lean, or do you want to stop eating junk food?
Success is vague and broad because there are many ways to be successful. The good news is success has underlying principles. Knowing these principles will help you understand what others did to succeed and why they do it.
Here are 5 special ingredients that successful people are made of:
1. They don’t see themselves as successful
Once they hit their goal, they quickly move on to the next goal. Always trying to exceed what they’ve accomplished. This is how passion is created. The more you achieve, the hungrier you get. The hungrier you get, the more passionate you are. It is a perpetual cycle.
A surefire way to fall short of being extraordinary is to think success as an end goal. People who did extraordinary things are always striving for improvement. They are always striving to get better. And they are always striving until they fail their way to success. There’s no secret. Success is a journey, not a destination.
“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” – Greg Anderson
2. They are small winners
In order to be a big winner, you have to be a small winner. Being a small winner means focusing on small daily achievements. Success is something that is built laying brick after brick. When you compound those small achievements one-percent a day, sooner or later you will find yourself with a well-built wall.
When you are confronted with an obstacle, remember all you need is to lay one brick to win. Because it’s not passion, not willpower, nor any motivational articles that will push you through the tough times. What pushes people is the slight taste of success. Because small progress towards a goal is the most powerful motivator.
3. Successful people know when to quit
One of the most successful athletes that knew when to quit was Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan’s first love was baseball. His father dreamed of seeing Jordan play Major League Baseball. However, Jordan did not follow his childhood passion. He put aside his pursuit to be a baseball professional, and used his strengths to become one of the greatest basketball players.
If you want to succeed you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. Peter Drucker, the father of management, said one should waste as little effort as possible on improving areas of low competence. It takes far more energy and work to improve from incompetence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first-rate performance to excellence. Two things that will propel you to success is to quit improving your incompetencies and start focusing on what you can be the best at.
4. They are executioners
The driving force of success is execution. A mediocre plan that is executed today is better than a perfect plan executed next month. We know what it takes to lose that belly fat, but we don’t execute it. We procrastinate our goals and push them off to later until we have more time, money, or when we are in a better situation. They may be all good reasons, but good reasons are still excuses dressed up nicely.
Success rewards those who have a bias towards action. And to take action, you may need some courage. Everything that is worth doing always lies outside the comfort zone.
“Brilliant thinking is rare, but courage is in even shorter supply than genius.” – Peter Thiel
5. They are not as disciplined as you think they are
A common myth is you have to be highly disciplined to achieve success. Most successful people are not highly disciplined. Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t need discipline to go to the gym. He made exercising a routine. And his conscious decision to create a routine created his habit to workout.
Success is not an accumulation of conscious decisions. It’s an accumulation of automatic behaviors. It is created one habit at a time. When you make the shift from a conscious behavior into an automatic behavior, that is when you will see your life change. Because when you form a habit, your habit forms you.
What other elements do you think successful people are made of? Leave your thoughts below!
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These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident
Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.
Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.
But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.
Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.
1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task
Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.
After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.
Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.
But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.
2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First
Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.
Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”
For example, if you’re a writer:
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Research your topic at night.
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Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).
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Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.
You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.
3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace
Focus is the foundation of success.
According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.
Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.
Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.
4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life
Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”
This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.
If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.
5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills
Knowledge compounds over time.
Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.
I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.
Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.
6. Develop a Growth Mindset
Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.
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A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.
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A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.
Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.
7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You
I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.
If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.
Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.
Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.
8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions
Good mentors can fast-track your growth.
While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.
If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.
9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations
Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”
Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.
When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.
10. Focus on Your Strengths
Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.
If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.
A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.
Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.
11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs
Your beliefs shape your reality.
For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.
Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.
Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.
Final Thoughts
Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.
Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.
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