High achievers distinguish themselves from the rest because of what they do and how they do it.
You might be able to identify a high achiever with all the accomplishments they have had without so much effort. They were probably working hard as you do, but you might have barely noticed that achievers also worked smarter.
Yes, working hard and working smart are two different things. These two can bring you to greater heights if you fully understand how to apply them into your career.
Working hard may pertain to the efforts you put into completing your tasks and managing your responsibilities. Working smart, on the other hand, is how you maximize your efforts and time to accomplish more than the usual.
For instance, in an 8-5 work set-up, working hard can be illustrated by an employee coming to and going out of the office like clockwork, multitasking all assigned tasks and accomplishing everything as expected. A smart worker is similar to those who work hard except he does things in a way that allows him to deliver more.
So, how can an average worker turn into a high achiever? Below are six qualities that can be pondered on to elevate one’s career game and join the ranks of high achievers.
1. Self-aware
Having a comprehensive insight of yourself is important, career-wise or personally.
High achievers are very much aware of themselves – of their strengths, weaknesses, motivations, ethics and values. They know what they can bring to the table and what they lack. It is this self-knowledge, coupled with acceptance, that allows achievers to adapt to any situation.
ResumesPlanet expert Ted Farwell observes, “High achievers are characterized by a discernment that comes from within. They know when they can give more because of their skills; they know when they cannot deliver because of their flaw. And they work their way around their goals carrying this discernment, and adjusting to the scenario if needed.”
2. Ambitious
High achievers are also aware of why they do what they do.
Early on, achievers have set a vision for themselves to realize. They visualize their ambition, internalized it, and are embodying it. Because a vision without action will not get you anywhere, and high achievers live by this as their guiding principle as they go about their daily work. They see themselves capable of achieving their goal in the best way possible, and their actions follow.
3. Go-getter
High achievers are generally not passive people. They are aggressive.
They know what they want and work towards achieving it. They can spot an opportunity when it comes, or actively searches for one. Furthermore, high achievers create opportunities to get to their goal. They make connections, nurture skills, and enhance themselves. They open up and develop themselves so they could step up whenever they can.
In Sir Francis Bacon’s words, “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” Be more proactive. After all, you are in control of your own growth.
4. Persistent
One of the key characteristics that set a high achiever from an average worker is persistence.
High achievers acknowledge that there will be setbacks and hindrances along their journey towards their goal. However, they do not allow these temporary setbacks to get in the way. They strive harder, and work better.
In the wise words of Confucius, “Greatness is not achieved by never falling but by rising each time we fall.” One of Forbes’ most powerful women of 2015, Oprah Winfrey worked her way to the top. But before that, she was removed as co-anchor in her first show because she was told “she wasn’t right for television.”
5. Creative
A high achiever knows how to handle situation, especially failure and let-down. They do not back down. Instead, they reassess the situation to come up with an alternative plan.
It means thinking outside the box – unconventional, if needed – to find ways of hurdling hindrances. A high achiever knows how to re-frame the situation, to change perception, position, or strategy if things are not going well.
Copy writing legend and advertising role model Joseph Sugarman believes that a powerful opportunity is hidden beneath each problem. “The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity,” as he said, is simply encouraging one to look at things differently and take advantage of the situation.
6. Emotionally Intelligent
Regardless of intelligence quotient, high achievers become even more distinct because of their emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is best summarized in five key terms: self-awareness, self-management, empathy, motivation, and social management. In a Forbes post, emotional intelligence is “the foundation for a host of critical skills—it impacts most everything you say and do each day. Emotional intelligence is the single biggest predictor of performance in the workplace and the strongest driver of leadership and personal excellence.”
They say success is a process, and not a moment; a journey, and not a destination. High achievers underwent that process, and took that journey. Do you have what it takes to go on the same journey?
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Author: Paige Donahue
Paige Donahue is an editor and blogger from Pennsylvania. She approaches her surroundings with a flexible logic, always looking for practical solutions to the problems at hand. You can connect with her via Twitter.
