7 Irrefutable Skills That Top Leaders and High Achievers Have Mastered

High achievers and top leaders share many traits like persistence, passion, purpose, principles, persuasion, and performance. Do you possess these qualities too?

Today’s post is by Andreas Jones, author of Battle Tested Leadership (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

Most leaders and high achievers are where they are today mainly due to the hard work and dedication they have put into ensuring they become successful. However, the majority of the masses think otherwise: they have this notion that this elite group of leaders and high achievers reached such level as a result of luck or opportunity that they were “privileged” to have. This notion, however, is not entirely correct because success does not happen abruptly; it takes preparation on the part of the individual to grab whatever opportunity that comes up to become successful.

There are specific attributes that cut across this group of high performers, which they have cultivated and mastered through the years to place them at the positions that they are currently.

I’d like to share seven irrefutable skills that have been mastered by high performing individuals in society today.

Undeniable Persistence

First on the list is “persistence.” As common as the word is, it is still a rare trait in most people. High achievers and top leaders in our society today know how valuable this trait is. It is not everybody that can continue on a journey or process in spite of the challenges that they encounter in the process. There’s a popular quote that says: “Quitters never win, and winners never quit,” this is not far from the truth; because when other skills fail to keep one going, it is persistence and passion that comes to the rescue. Although they might face serious setbacks and obstacles that can discourage the average person, high performers know that just before success is achieved, the obstacles or challenges become more pronounced.

Examples of people with this rare trait include J.K Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, faced much rejection but still persisted and went on to become the most successful woman author in the U.K; Thomas Edison failed several times before inventing the electric light bulb; Walt Disney failed in his first attempt at animation before creating the now so famous Disney World; others include Albert Einstein, Richard Branson, George Washington, and Mahatma Gandhi.

A Well-Developed Personal Philosophy

High performing individuals and leaders all have a personal philosophy that they cannot change. Their philosophy is lucid and allows them to understand what success truly is.

These persons have over the course of their lives learned what it means to be successful and what it takes to get there. They are not swayed easily by the frivolities of life. They know what they want and where they are heading.

Excellent Performance

Yes, this indeed describes those who are in the top echelon in various facets of the society. Successful leaders and high achievers have mastered this skill, such that it has become second nature to them. Having a vision and a firm resolution about a course is good, but they become useless when the person is underperforming.

If you aspire to become a high achiever, then you need to master this skill. Applying it to all aspects of your life is as essential as every other skill on this list. High performers with this attribute keep on raising the bar for themselves, producing greater feats than the previous ones.

Meaningful Purpose

This falls closely on the same level as having a well-developed philosophy. Great leaders and achievers all have clear objectives for their lives. There must be a reason as to why you are doing whatever it is you are doing. It is only when you know your purpose of doing something that you’d put all your resources into that thing to ensure you achieve success.

Honored Principles

Every successful individual abides by their principles. It is your principles that determine how far you are willing to go in your quest for excellence. Great achievers and top leaders live by what they believe are the right things. They say something and they stick to it. They make decisions, take actions, and make judgments based on their beliefs. If you want to be a high achiever, then it is important to learn the habit of honoring your principles and standing by them.

Passion

Just like persistence, it is your passion for a cause that keeps you going in your quest for success. Every great achiever knows this truth, and they have mastered this skill. In the face of obstacles, it is your persistence and the level of your passion that keeps you moving towards your goal. With passion, you can go the extra mile to ensure that you achieve your purpose. However, without passion, you can be stuck at a point where you cannot continue. Successful leaders and individuals know how essential passion can be in any endeavor.

The Art of Persuasion

Influencing others to get what you want is also a skill that is peculiar to high achievers and leaders. Successful people understand other people and know how to communicate with them effectively. The art of persuasion is a skill every individual ought to master if he/she desires to become a high performer. With this skill, one can persuade others to help and support them, making it easier for them on the road to success.

These seven skills have been proven to be of utmost importance to every high achiever or top leader in our world today. Although it cannot be denied that luck, being at the right place and at the right time, etc. are also part of what makes one successful, their contributions to success are less important that having superior skills.

Andreas Jones is the author of Battle Tested Leadership (CLICK HERE to get your copy). A U.S. Army veteran, Andreas works with business owners and leaders to help them implement profitable systems and processes to grow their business without stress, overwhelm and burnout.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!