8 rules for success

No one is born a success, but everyone has the potential to become one. While there is certainly no single road to success, there do seem to be some distinct, guiding blueprints to getting there. Here are the rules for success into your greatness below.

'Failures' are feedback that we need to correct our way towards a desired outcome. We can negatively label what we do which falls short of success as ‘failure’ or alternatively, we could view it positively as feedback or information to enable us to seek revision or improvement. Feedback is positive. Failure is negative. A clear difference exists between these two ways of thinking.

Feedback enables us to learn from our mistakes – for instance, we have to put in more efforts, change our behavior or adjust our priorities. Failure, on the other hand, evokes adverse feelings such as erosion of confidence, a poor self-image or lack of incentive to improve which inevitably leads to low level of achievement.

Treat setbacks as a learning experience, a lesson learnt, a reason to re-adjust your strategy.

Those you spend the most time with have a huge influence on your moods, how you view the world and the expectations you have of yourself. When you surround yourself with inspiring people, you’re more likely to be empowered, motivated and confident. Just as you benefit when you surround yourself with people who make you happy.

Spend time with colleagues and leaders who are ambitious, go-getter, passionate, empowered, forward moving, positive and focused. Listen, learn and engage.

Consistency makes you relevant. Your employees and your customers need a predictable flow of information from you.

Consistency maintains your message. People usually pay more attention to what you do as to what you say. Therefore, your consistence will serve as a measure tool to assess your credibility.

Give more than you take. Both parties feel good because you are both getting everything you need from each other. Mountains of research made the conclusion that being a giver yields the greatest business success.

Be consistently reliable and accountable. Give more than you take. Create long-term positive habits that benefits the business, customers and employees.

People follow people they trust. When someone sets the right example for successfully accomplishing goals and conducting business, the team follows.

For current and future leaders, the importance is to follow the rules you set out for your team. Practice transformational leadership to encourage your employees with inspiration and enthusiasm. Look inward to determine your own strengths and weaknesses. It can help you to become a stronger leader and manager.

Believe in yourself and believe in your business, show your commitment, be an optimist, solve problems, follow your dreams, live with integrity, Show your passion and push yourself.

The efforts of tracking small achievements every day enhanced the motivation which in turn boosts our sense of confidence. We can then leverage that competence toward future, larger successes.

This is because any accomplishment, no matter how small, activates the reward circuitry of our brains. When this pathway is opened some key chemicals are released that give us a feeling of achievement and pride.

Appreciations and recognition are natural motivation boosters, they also create a positive working environment and promising employee brand in the market.

Customers aren't generic. It's critical that companies recognize this, and respond flexibly to different customer types and behavior.

Every employee a business hires should be directly responsible for meeting and exceeding customer expectations, conduct surveys, check analytics data for potential threats or opportunities, focus on feedback and monitor competitors to see what your target audience is responding to, both positive and negative.

The art of good business is in achieving a high level of effectiveness (doing the right things) with efficiency - thereby delivering great customer service while remaining cost-effective.

Great customer service is vital to become the top of mind in the eyes of customers and prospects.

How to stay relevant is a question that has huge implications for the future of work, and our place in it. Tie this to how quickly the job market changes, and it re-emphasizes how important it is to stay on the front foot with ongoing learning, re-skilling and keep growing in the face of disruption.

The ways of working/buying/living/thinking are quickly changing. This is making companies rethink the way they design their organizations.

As technology evolves, this trend is only accelerating. The rapid pace of innovation has the potential to make many current expertise outdated in only a few short years. According to Deloitte, the half-life of technical skills is now approximately just two years. As such, there’s constant pressure to master new technologies or risk becoming obsolete.

Successful and visionary people educate themselves, listen to customer feedback and plan short, medium and long terms.

Having a healthy work/life balance requires you to make it a priority to achieve and maintain. Start with small changes. Making small changes now can reap larger rewards in the future. It’s your life; make it the best it can be; your happiness and health count on it!

Do what you love and love what you do.

During working hours, remember that the average productivity span is 40 minutes, take breaks, set goals, prioritize tasks and have fun. Outside of working hours, make time for yourself, enjoy time with your friends and family, sleep enough, eat healthy, exercise, read and have fun.