How to be More Successful

Try Doing These Usually Uncomfortable Things

When it comes to investing in your career, being successful at what you do is probably one of the most important life goals you’re working towards. We all want to be successful, but there may come a time, either in your career search or within your current career where that hope of success can seem stagnant. So, what can you do to get yourself back on track to the road to success? Here are some useful tips you can utilize that may seem uncomfortable, or not easy to do, but may actually be the key to success you’ve been looking for.

Allow Yourself to Take a Compliment

If you’ve worked hard, honed your skills, and take pride in what you do, it’s going to show to everyone around you. However, for some, taking a compliment is one of the most difficult things to do. Perhaps your response is to babble a half-hearted thank you or downplay the compliment, but instead of fighting against the compliments, you should embrace and accept them. While it may seem extremely uncomfortable to take a compliment, accepting one will help build your self-confidence and give you more of a drive to continue on that path to success.

Work on that Fear of Public Speaking

Let’s get real here; most of us hate public speaking. Even the thought of it can invoke feelings of anxiety and potential failure. It’s enough to stress out even the most focused person, but an important thing to grasp here is that being a good public speaker can help your career. It not only gives you the reputation of being a compelling person, but can help advance your ability to inspire or even lead a team within your career. So, get to work on improving that public speaking and success is sure to follow.

Get an Early Start on the Day

Not everyone is a morning person and while the idea of getting up early to start your day probably seems exhausting, the truth of the matter is that morning people tend to be more successful than those who choose to sleep in. That’s because studies have shown that your mental capacity, focus, and energy levels are at their peak during morning hours. Granted, waking up early may have to be a learned practice for you, but the benefits you reap in those vital morning hours will definitely be worth it!

Don’t be Afraid of Critical Feedback

Criticism is never an easy thing to hear and endure and it’s never fun to listen to someone tell you what you’re doing wrong or could be doing better. However, if you want to climb that latter of success, being able to take criticism without getting defensive is a good quality to have. So, instead of getting defensive try and listen to whomever is giving you feedback; it’s a lot like accepting a compliment. Be attentive and listen without interrupting. Once the criticism is over, then you can ask questions and inquire as to how you can improve or what you can do better.

Give Yourself a Break and Unplug

The thought of not using your smart phone, tablet, or laptop for a period of time may seem like a frightening prospect, but too often we get caught up in the world of emails, texts, and whatever digital project we may be working on. Constantly being plugged in can lead to undo stress, so it’s a good idea to consider unplugging every once in a while. You can even choose a specific time during the week where you unplug from everything, or perhaps you can set aside a few hours in your day devoted to not checking emails or text messages. This will help level out your stress and give you a better perspective on both personal and work matters.

Get Out There and Network

Networking is vital when it comes to being successful. By getting out there and talking to colleagues, or even potential colleagues if you’re looking for a job, you’ll have more of a chance to get noticed. Networking is a great way to socialize as well and it’s a chance to mingle with like-minded people and chat about careers or anything else that may be relevant at the time. The more you network, the greater your chances for success.

Admit When You’ve Made a Mistake

Of course, we all make mistakes, but not everyone likes to own up to their mistakes. First you must realize that mistakes are going to happen. Even the most successful people may slip up every once in a while and that’s okay. If you make a mistake, don’t be afraid to take action. First you can ask yourself if the mistake is immediately reversible and If so, then you can most likely correct it before anyone or anything is affected. If it’s not immediately reversible, then it’s time to ask whomever is in the position to help you solve the problem. Next, you’ll need a plan of action, one that will remedy the mistake. By admitting and fixing your mistake, you’ll have a better chance of not repeating that mistake in the future.

Being successful doesn’t happen overnight, but by being yourself, working hard, and using some of these tips to help, success doesn’t have to be a pipe dream either. Don’t be afraid to get out there and get your mind set on the success you want to achieve!