Being successful is no longer equated to the power-suited, serious and determined, “don’t get in my way” kind of individuals that it used to. Instead you’ll find the most success people in life are the exact opposite. All you have to do is take a look at the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, J.K. Rowling and Richard Branson. Each of these very successful people are the kind of individuals who you wouldn’t feel out of place asking to your grandmother’s 80th birthday party! Plus they’re the kind of people most others aspire to be like, personally and professionally.
So why is that? What is so different about these people? Well, I’ve come up with a few points on why these people are successful based on the fact that being kind is a big part of that success and how you can do the same.
1. Let go of the need to compete with others.
Competition breeds selfishness and a feeling of lack, which isn’t the most positive place to start when trying to be successful. To be successful we don’t need to all be successful at the same things, and if we can all be successful at different things, isn’t that a better thing than no success at all? If you compete there is no room for being kind to your fellow human being, as it will all be about wanting and having more with little or no thought for others. Competition might be seen as a motivator, but it can also be an obstacle to success. Try to focus less on what others are doing and you’ll see a dramatic change in your circumstances.
2. Have balance in all areas of your life.
If you think you are successful in life because you are making a lot of money and have a dream home, yet your family never see you because you work most of the time, then you’d be wrong. Successful people are mindful of the fact that having balance in all areas of their lives includes everything from the mind, body, heart (including family) and spirit. When they are in tune with that balance they are paying attention to what matters, and being kind, giving and compassionate are all a big part of that.
3. They spend time with good, kind and honest people.
Successful people hang around with those who are like-minded, who aspire to create the same things and who reflect a part of them that they would like to be. It has been said that you are the sum total of the five people you spend the most time with, so if you want to be successful you must seek out those you want to be like personally as well as professionally. You’ll know if you are hanging around with the right people or not by checking how you feel after you’ve been with them.
4. Be kind to yourself even when mistakes are made.
A big part of success is how you deal with failure because no matter how successful you are you will have had some failures to get to where you are. Being kind to yourself whilst failing is vitally important because it’s at the point of failure that blame, self-doubt and negativity can consume you. Instead of going down that road, look to the reason why you failed and what you can learn from it. It’s when you look on the positive side of things you can begin to see failure as a gift rather than something to feel bad about.
5. Give some of your time away unconditionally.
Whether you are in business for yourself or you want to be a success in your personal life, giving time to others unconditionally is a sure-fire way to be successful in life. It’s by giving to others without expecting something in return that you really begin to see the benefit of being a good and kind person. Seeing the joy in someone’s face, the gratitude in their eyes and hearing a thank you from their lips is all that is required to live a happy, successful life. So, give away as much as you can and you’ll reap the benefits in ways you can only imagine.
6. Help other people get what they need to succeed.
It’s a massively good thing to help others achieve success. Firstly, it will not only make you feel happy and content with your efforts, but also it goes a long way towards helping you get the success you want. Look at it this way: if you help someone to succeed, then nine times out of ten they’ll feel grateful enough to help you in the future. The thing here is not to do ‘favors’ in order to get something in return. Do it because you love being kind and you love to help people succeed, which is success in itself!
7. Always be grateful for what you have.
This is probably the most important quality of a successful person because it is the kindest and most loving quality anyone can possess. It’s when you are grateful for what you have right now, even though struggle and hardship, that you create more things to be grateful about. When you moan or complain about what you don’t have, it only creates more stuff to moan or complain about! So shift your focus by being kind, being grateful and by focusing on what you do have.
Do you want success in life? Start by being a more generous and being a kinder person and see what a difference it will make.
Featured photo credit: Clay Larsen via flickr.com
