For those who want to get a head start on making New Year’s resolutions, here’s a full on possibility. Tanya Prive, writing for Forbes.com, mines The Art of Doing, a new book by Camille Sweeney and Josh Gosfield, for “The Most Common Practices of Super-Achievers.” The co-authors “interviewed 36 super-achievers at the tops of their fields” and identified these common traits:
- “Practicing Patience”
- “Managing Emotions”
- “Constantly Evolving”
- “Fostering A Community”
- “Testing Ideas In The Market”
- “Intelligent Persistence”
- “Pursuing Happiness”
- “Listening And Remaining Open”
- “Dedication To A Vision”
- “Good Storytelling”
It’s a neat little feature that includes explanations of each key trait, and there’s nothing in it that should cause any major disagreements. You could do a young person a favor by sending a link.
In my observation and experience, many of these traits come together naturally when you find your purpose or mission. Motivation kicks in with common sense and — bingo — suddenly you’re functioning like, well, if not a super-achiever, then at least a decent facsimile.
Speaking for myself, I’ll say that as a Chicago Cubs fan, I’ve owned the first two qualities big time: I’ve practiced patience for over 45 years, and I’ve managed plenty of emotions during that stretch! And now I can add a third: At least for one shining moment this fall, I was able to pursue happiness.