Why fuel your mind with knowledge. Then you don’t externalise it. No one will recognise it. Success is all about being noticed, but rather than being brash and arrogant, adopt these discreet habits to illustrate your winning way to the world.
Discreet, but complete
To gain respect, you first have to earn it. And one of the things you can do to lose it rapidly is to brag openly about what you have achieved. So be discreet and just drop into conversation, almost matter-of-fact, that you’re indeed incredibly successful.
Slip things in, almost under the radar, and people will look up to you as a ‘dark horse’ who does things quietly, but with a winning mentality. Don’t go into detail and cut the excess, tell it like it is. Stick to the facts and incorporate an achievement into a pertinent story.
But don’t make it all about you. Give credit where credit is due. By recognizing success in your peers, you invite praise to be reciprocated in the future.
Be a good communicator
Effective communication has never been so important so you need to have the right words to communicate and remove any room for misinterpretation for people who are hungry to point out your flaws.
The trick? Choose your words carefully. Be specific and pay attention to context. Relating the bare essentials helps and if you don’t have anything nice to say about people, don’t. Listen to others. Don’t just nod while you wait for them to finish. You never know what valuable information could be in simple banter. Listen to conversations in the office as sometimes there’s gold in gossip.
Exit gracefully
Sometimes, you just need to cut conversation short. The successful person knows how to steer the conversation with class and can end one just as gracefully. Don’t make excuses for your departure, as they’ll sound dishonest. Thank the other party for their time and bid them farewell. That’s it. Take command of situations with style.
Teach yourself the finer things in life
A successful person is a connoisseur. Your knowledge of the finer things shows class and culture. It shows you can be a peer among business leaders. So get some books and familiarize yourself with food, wine, art, and literature. You can’t go wrong as they comprise the standard set of fine-living goods.
Good manners count for nothing
Good grace goes a long way. Use old school manners, such as treating women like ladies and shaking the hands of strangers that you meet. People will notice the little things. Some basic manners include opening doors for women; let others pass first; say “please” and “thank you”; look people in the eye when you address them and have proper table etiquette.
Make public speeches
Very few great men have gotten away with being recluses. So practice speaking in front of friends. When you can comfortably address a crowd, you gain a new audience to showcase your knowledge to. A good speaker is always admired for his confidence and ease.
Keep contacts close
The more people you know, the more opportunity will present itself. But also think of a network in terms of image: knowing lots of people shows you are likable and in high demand. To maintain a pool of contacts, however, takes work. Return phone calls and emails promptly. Work towards being seen as trustworthy and reliable. Talking to people everyday works wonders. Beyond that, your knack for small talk with anyone will demonstrate openness and a willingness to accept new ideas. It also shows you treat everyone with respect. Do favors even if you don’t expect to get them repaid. Most people know how to be grateful, and your kindness will come back one day.
Travel
Broaden your horizons. When you travel, it shows you’re curious about the world and other cultures. A well-traveled person also has interesting stories to tell. He charms people with tales of foreign lands, of sights, sounds and flavors.
Have a positive attitude
Spent the afternoon with a curmudgeon and looked back on it as the best time you had? No. You want to radiate positive energy that people can bask in. You want to be a well of inspiration, show you’re confident and in control of your destiny. So quit being a worrier. And smile, being a source of pleasure and making the most of the present helps.
Dress well
Your physical appearance is the first thing people see and what they judge you on. So dress sharply in contemporary styles; groom yourself well, have a shave and smell nice.
Be worldly
The successful man makes the effort to know what’s happening in the world around him.
“Motivation gets you started
HABBIT
Keeps you going.”
~Jim Ron
