This is a question I received in my inbox from a high school student in Los Angeles: In your opinion, what are 3 traits successful people share in common? – Sharon

Well Sharon, before we talk about the three successful traits we must first look at ourselves and do some introspection. Only after you have a clear sense of what is unique about YOU can we start to talk about the things that make people successful. It doesn’t matter that there are many opportunities in health care, telecommunications, computer technology or that the hottest selling franchise is Papa John’s Pizza. These only have relevance after you know your:

1. Skills & Abilities

2. Personality Traits

3. Values, Dreams & Passions

What separates the successful from the unsuccessful is not ability. Surely, this plays a role. But it doesn’t fully explain why some people with marginal ability become successful and others with extraordinary ability never really make it.

Instead, I think the determining factor is to be found in how they are focused. Successful people, I think share these three traits:

1. Passion – a person with passion is a person who can set goals. Without them, you can have no clear direction and will drift along the road of circumstances.

2. Determination – without a clear purpose, any obstacle will send a person in a new direction. Without determination, you will easily be lured away from your path.

3. Talent – No one has talent in every area, but everyone has talent. Discover where you rise to the top. What are those things you love to do whether or not you get paid?

**bonus 2**

4. Self-discipline – without self-discipline, a person can easily be swayed by others. Self-discipline is the foundation that makes the others work.

5. Faith – even with everything lining up logically, there still comes that step of faith into the unknown. You cannot reach new lands if you keep one foot on the shore.

“This is a guest post by Patrick McFadden. He is a marketing expert and you can find his marketing blog by typing “Indispensable Marketing” into Google. You can also follow him on Twitter @mcfaddenteaches or subscribe to his newsletter that offers “Marketing Advice That’s Absolutely Essential For Success.”

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