14 Rules of Success

The literature of success stretches all the way back to the Bible and beyond. But are its messages of developing the right attitude and habits relevant in today’s world of smartphones and technology?

The desire to be successful is a normal part of the human condition although it manifests in different ways in different people.

Writings on success received a boost in recent years with the welcome, albeit belated, development of the field of psychology to include positive psychology.

One of the lessons of the literature is that everyone must define success in their own way and consider how they intend to find it.

Success in this context is taken to mean the realisation of one’s potential over a lifetime rather than the achievement of a singular goal.

Regardless of approach, however, it is worth considering some common rules that make success more probable.

14 rules of success

  1. A sense of optimism and capacity to retain belief, particularly in times of challenge and difficulty
  2. An ability to commit to a clear vision and seek it with a sense of purpose
  3. A willingness to work over a long time period without losing energy or momentum
  4. An internal discipline concentrated on what must be done, regardless of discomfort or pain.
  5. A habit of using common sense and intuition in balanced measure to make good decisions
  6. A desire to learn and keep learning from formal and informal sources and settings
  7. A tendency towards taking action once a decision has been weighted and made
  8. A natural expectation that things will work out for the best once an appropriate effort is rendered
  9. A belief that good situations can be bettered and bad situations improved
  10. A facility to listen to and be influenced by others while retaining an independent mind
  11. A habit of gathering whatever resources are required from current surroundings
  12. A talent for seeing opportunities where others see problems and obstruction
  13. An aptitude for dealing with change and uncertainty as a natural and everyday part of life
  14. An inclination to see achievement in small steps while working on making bigger things happen

Such rules are based on the belief that success is dependent on attitude and habit and that such characteristics practiced regularly are the real prize.

Even though millions of people seek success not everyone understands what it means for them and therefore often fail to find it.

But with a combination of attitude and habit success is more likely to be found, regardless of any particular starting point or circumstance.

So, success is still in fashion and follows the rules it always has even in an age of smartphones and technology.