To wonder what ingredient succesful people have?

[malificent7]

I mean is it talent, drive, ambition, good luck, timing etc or all of the above?
There are so many talented people out there who really deserve fame and fortune then someone like me who eorks hard but barely scrapes by and dosn't excel in anything.
When I look at the honours list I am in awe...from Lewis Hamilton to an Occupational Therapist who has made innovations in her field...all exceptional people.

This is interesting. Recently met an alpha couple who were gorgeous/intelligent/interesting and just had ‘it’
Dh and I were like wow what planet are they from

Some people are just in the right place at the right time or have a lot of help ( Lewis Hamilton's dad was rich and could buy him a go kart to train in as a kid)
A lot of it is drive and hard work but sometimes it's not what you know , it's who.
Many comedians always hired their friends to appear in their shows. Once your established it must be so much easier to find the work.
Many celebrities write terrible books, but they are only published because they are a ' name' not because it's any good.
I'm too lazy to pen a novel or be a CEO ( not brainy enough) but my dh was very driven and gave his all to his job : he didn't earn the big bucks but he was reliable and just worked hard.
Others prefer a more laid back approach!

It always makes me grimace when I see threads on here where a useless partner starts up his own business. You just know he'll see it as a chance to do fuck all.

For any new business to succeed, people have to work much harder than they would in a regular job. There's no idea of switching off from work or not working in the evenings and weekends. And I agree with the PP who said they take criticism on board and seriously consider whether it's valid.

Hard work, good habits, bit of talent (at least). Ambition and access to resources or opportunities from an early age.

I changed career a few years ago and have won a couple of awards. I certainly don't work any harder. In fact, I think I put in far less effort. I do think the new career plays to my natural strengths though.

Confidence - and an inbuilt ability to wing it when needed.

If they make mistakes they own it, fix it and learn from it then move on.

Dh is pretty successful within his boring field and he's just...clever. I did ok academically myself but his brain just operates on a different level, particularly where maths type things are concerned.

I'm sort of relatively successful but not abnormally slow and I can recognise 3 attributes that help/have helped:

• I've got a very good memory. I can remember very specific detailed information, easily, for years, with little effort. This includes faces and names. I only need to have met you once 20 years ago and I will remember your name & where I met you etc.
• I process quite fast. I will be in a meeting about something at work and will figure our something quickly that some of my colleagues might go away and mull over for an hour.
• I dislike conflict and generally constantly try to work with people not against them.

Good breeding

The most successful person I know is my sister.
She overcame so many barriers to get where she is.
But she works constantly. This has obviously had an effect on her home life. But her kids are now older both over 15. The amount of sheer determination and energy she has is amazing to see.
She works non-stop.
She is very financially comfortable and I wouldn't be surprised if in the future she was on the honours list because of what she has achieved.
I work part time.
I've been offered a role which is a step-up at work. It would mean a lot more money but obviously a lot more commitment and hours.
My kids are still young and for now I've had to decline this. I dont know if the offer will still be there in a few years.
I think part of the reason my sister did so well is desperation. If the alternative is poverty or you're trying to escape from a bad situation you would work harder.
All through my younger years I worked the extra hours and did the work.
But now I'm financially comfortable and I just feel as though the drive and determination I had when I was much younger just isn't there any more.

I think it's a bit of luck, a positive outlook, the ability to talk and read people, a certain level of intelligence and to keep going (and to be positive) regardless of what life throws at you.

With those 5 characteristics I think you can do whatever you want to

I think good self esteem goes a long way in life and a long way in achieving success.

If you mean financial success, I think a portion of good luck plus determination, persistence, and hard work.

You might enjoy the book outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

I fundamentally believe there are several external factors that contribute to an individual's success (including my own... while i am not setting the world alight I'm beating the curve) but i do not subscribe to "self made" man/woman. No one, but no one, does it alone.

Confidence plays a huge part I think.

@SimplyRadishing

You might enjoy the book outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

I fundamentally believe there are several external factors that contribute to an individual's success (including my own... while i am not setting the world alight I'm beating the curve) but i do not subscribe to "self made" man/woman. No one, but no one, does it alone.

I came on here to suggest this book too!

Interesting how many people say confidence.

Objectively I’m pretty successful: professional qualifications, set up and sold a very successful business, now have a senior job which is a “status position” which I hope will open some doors elsewhere. I also hold NED and trustee positions.

Outwardly I appear confident but struggle with imposter syndrome. I’ve never felt clever enough, interesting enough, talented enough. So I’m constantly reaching for more.

There’s absolutely no reason financially for me to continue working, but I need to prove myself. That I’m good enough, that I can hold my own.

Many of my peers feel the same. In some ways we’re a sorry lot 🤷‍♀️

@PegasusReturns

Interesting how many people say confidence.

Objectively I’m pretty successful: professional qualifications, set up and sold a very successful business, now have a senior job which is a “status position” which I hope will open some doors elsewhere. I also hold NED and trustee positions.

Outwardly I appear confident but struggle with imposter syndrome. I’ve never felt clever enough, interesting enough, talented enough. So I’m constantly reaching for more.

There’s absolutely no reason financially for me to continue working, but I need to prove myself. That I’m good enough, that I can hold my own.

Many of my peers feel the same. In some ways we’re a sorry lot 🤷‍♀️

You might not feel massively confident but you must have some level of confidence to have even started a business in the first place or to apply for a senior job or take up a board position. Many people don't even have that.

I once read the following extract in The Times. For some reason I saved the article. For me, this sums up almost everyone I know who I consider to be 'successful'...

"The most misleading idea I picked up at school was that success is the result of intelligence. It’s not: it’s the result of doing things. This seems so obvious now, I can’t believe nobody drummed it into me at school. So I never did an internship or tried to get myself elected to a prestigious student body. I assumed my good grades would transform themselves into a job. I spent three years working in a bookshop. When we think we see intellect what we’re really looking at is energy. The really energetic write pushy emails demanding work. They apply for grants, they go to parties, they network. All this stuff is exhausting and a lot of people who do it are ghastly, but it should be more widely taught that life requires this sort of effort.”
James Marriott in The Times

A positive mental attitude and a drive to go after what they want

Drive
Prepared to take risks
Positive attitude
Luck
Good support
Access to finance

Ruthlessness, single mindedness and willingness to sacrifice everything else (for my Dh at least)

Every single person I know with a decent job comes from, at the very least, a decently middle class family.

They might also be driven and hardworking but without that headstart, it's nigh on impossible to get anywhere

I think drive and passion for their 'thing' has lot to do with it - when I look at friends who are successful they all have that.

I've always been good at a range of things but never really found my special 'thing', something to be really passionate about and work hard on. And as a result I've not been successful in anything even though I had the ideal upbringing in many ways.

Thing is I have many things that should make me successful:
Work hard
Naice middle class family
Academic ( think 99% in a recent exam.)
Resiliant...been through some shit...keep going.
Always believed in my path at the time.
Private school.

However was bullued at private school and mum was depreseed. I have very low self esteem and bad mh so have never tasted career success. Plus being bullied has made me introverted..am a happy hermit but wish I had the political ability to succeed.

Also I always start positive but crumble under pressure/ criticism.