Success isn’t something you can achieve overnight. It takes hard work, time and total dedication.
Every successful leader, entrepreneur or idealist has had their own journey: they worked hard for what they believed in and showed society that anyone can break free of the chains that keep them from moving forward.
Although each of them followed a different path, their destination was the same: success.
(Read: How to create your own destiny)
Many things bring these successful people together, and one of them is the way they grew and matured along the way. Steve Siebold, author of How Rich People Think, interviewed more than a thousand millionaires to learn what had led them to success and wealth.
The answer was very simple: Siebold found that it didn’t matter where they were born or where they studied. What really made these millionaires stand out was their mindset, the drive to reach their goals without letting anything stop them. That mindset is what led these people to wealth.
Here are the 6 phrases no successful person says, because they contradict that unstoppable mindset.
1. “I don’t like my job”
Variations: “This company is awful”, “My boss is an idiot”…
One much-admired quality of successful people is that they’re never too set in their views about their job or workplace, whatever they happen to be doing at any point in their lives. Even if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation or surrounded by negative energy, they avoid commenting on it. Those negative elements only slow you down on your journey to success. Instead of insulting a person, the job or the company, they look to solve the problem with appropriate action, tactics and neutrality.
2. “That’s not fair”
Also: “I deserve more”
One mistake successful people never make is complaining about life’s injustices. Injustice is something you have to get used to. Success isn’t a gift handed to us; you have to work to earn it and prove you deserve it.
Instead of whining and complaining, the secret to being able to keep moving forward is to be proactive rather than reactive about these things. Making a scene only hurts us.
3. “That’s not how we do things here”
Also: “We’ve always done it this other way”
Innovation is a key trait of successful people and companies. You have to learn to embrace new things and not be afraid to do away with conventional ones. Nobody achieves anything great without trying something new.
Steve Jobs, for example, was passionate about innovation, and that passion led to amazing creations such as the iPhone and the iPad, devices that changed the world. Jobs once said: “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
4. “That’s not my job”
Also: “I don’t get paid enough to do that”, “That’s not my problem”
There’s one rule successful people follow: if you’re successful, you’ll help others succeed too. One example is Warren Buffett, who said: “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
Becoming a team player is what helps you achieve more success, and if you’re not a team player, success will never come to you. You may be rich, you may be successful, but the hard work and dedication of your employees and the members of your business or organisation are the real reason for your success and your reputation.
See also: The ideal job, the perfect job
5. “That’s impossible”
Also: “That can’t be done”, “I’m not capable of doing that”…
Successful people know that boundaries and limits are only creations of the mind, and that we ourselves give birth to those restrictions. Such needless statements keep you from achieving greatness.
Negative words such as “I can’t”, “no” and “impossible” are not heard from successful people. They know complaining won’t help them, so they look for a way to work hard and reach their goals.
(Read: Swap the word “impossible” for “improbable” and you’ll notice the results)
6. “I have no choice”
There are always options and opportunities at hand, and successful people know how to create their own. Saying we have no choice in the matter implies that we see ourselves as victims, as less powerful than our surroundings.
This article is based on Steve Siebold’s book How Rich People Think, as it originally appeared in Business Insider, adapted and modified.
Further reading
- The 4 most striking differences between how the rich think and how everyone else does
- 6 things the middle class doesn’t quite understand about the rich
- It’s easier than ever to get rich today: 6 steps to get there
Featured image: Tom Coates, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
