Before we say how to be like successful people, we must define success. A lot of people define success as monetary wealth and independence from the authority of others. This is particularly true in Western culture. However, many of the people who have all of these things report that this alone is not satisfying to them.

  1. They Do Not Measure Success On Money
    Billionaire Warren Buffett emphasizes that success is not based on money. It is based on how many people love you. If people love you, that means that you chose to love them. Richard Branson defines success as being happy and making your customers happy.

2. Interdependence
Although we like to talk a lot in Western culture about becoming independent, the wisest among us think that we should be interdependent. Interdependence is working together using multiple people or groups. Stephen Covey points out that interdependence is the healthy norm between the two evil extremes of dependence and independence.

3. Forgive
Successful people forgive others for their short-comings. Failures are bitter. They are unwilling to move forward past what they see as wrong in their peers. Forgiveness is an ancient ethical concept that is often ignored today. However, it can heal many personal and business relationships enormously.

4. Humility 
No one likes a proud rich guy. That is why many modern business tycoons make it their point to stoop to the level of the common people and help them out. Buffett talks about humility’s role in shaping his own business career. Buffett feels that partly our financial success is not up to us. It often depends on our natural talents and environment.

5. Ethical Character
It is hard to be successful if you are frequently cheating on your homework. Eventually, you probably will be found out. Even if you are not, in the long run, having sloppy character will hurt your career. The traumatic destruction of Kodak is an excellent example.

6. Generosity
Although it might sound astonishing, those who give away often have more. Being a generous person affects our success in life and business. People who refuse to share often end up with little to share. Why? They do not know how to steward their resources as wisely as the generous people do.

Courtesy of Jopwell

7. Work Ethic
Successful people in business work harder than their peers. The gold goes to the person who earns it. Not having focus is what takes us off track. Having a clear goal and working toward that goal diligently can aid in dealing with the problems of the moment.

8. Gratitude
Being grateful for what we have already achieved is an important factor in achieving more. If we are overly depressed about our failures in life, it is hard to move forward. Having a heart of gratitude every day of the year can extend health and wealth.

9. Watch Your Company
Hanging out with un-motivated people tends to slow down our success. Hanging out with ethical people can help our success. If the people around you are not equally committed to upholding virtue, trade them in for a better crew. Your wallet will thank you.

10. Learn From Past Mistakes
It is hard to improve if we struggle with the same bad habits for decades because we are not evaluating them. Make an assessment of what is not going well with your life. Get help to improve it from others.

Conclusion
Our success in life is largely up to our own choices and personal responsibility. Other factors include brain and environment. Change what you can. Accept what you cannot change. Do not blame others for it.

Originally published at medium.com