| Recently, I was asked to write a Top 10 list about the | | | | programmer to check out the new business |
| secrets of success, and I spent time thinking about the | | | | opportunities, all in less than 30 minutes! They see a |
| most successful people I've known. There have been | | | | broader context than the rest of us.Third, they assess |
| a thousand books and tape sets written about the | | | | risk accurately. Impulsive people under-estimate the |
| "Secrets of Success", so the challenge was to see if I | | | | level of risk and rush into foolish ventures with |
| could add something new. I think I have at least found | | | | inadequate preparation. Cautious people have great |
| a new way of thinking about successful people.When I | | | | ideas, but fail to act, often because they over-estimate |
| think about the most successful people I've known, | | | | the risk of failure. Highly successful people seem to |
| both as clients and as colleagues or friends, the | | | | evaluate both the chances of success and the costs |
| following key traits stand out.First, they are insatiable | | | | of failure accurately and quickly. Because they |
| learners, and some have lots of formal education. But | | | | correctly assess risk, they experience fewer failures |
| I'm talking about something different. They are | | | | and are not shocked or caught unprepared when |
| incredibly curious. They are like little kids who never | | | | things don't work out they way they hoped.Finally, |
| stop asking "Why?" And perhaps more important, they | | | | extremely successful people respond quickly. They |
| ask, "Why not?" These people read "Popular | | | | don't over-react, rarely lose their temper or lose |
| Mechanics" and poetry. They take classes in art | | | | control, and yet they are seen as decisive leaders, as |
| appreciation and learn to scuba dive. They buy books | | | | incredibly creative and energetic people. They don't |
| on quality parenting and take broken appliances apart | | | | seem to move very fast, and yet they accomplish |
| to see how they work. They are permanent fixtures | | | | more than most of us. They never rush, and they |
| at their local community colleges, the public library, a | | | | rarely hesitate. They respond appropriately and impact |
| favorite bookstore, and they watch PBS.Second, they | | | | or change situations in the direction they desire. The |
| use all this learning to build creative contexts. They see | | | | simply get a lot done and they do it successfully.Highly |
| how things are connected, and they see opportunities | | | | successful people hunger to learn everything, they see |
| in terms of history and popular trends and new | | | | connections, they assess risk accurately, and they |
| technology. They see ideas in the context of people | | | | respond quickly. Skills I plan to develop!And one more |
| and they make connections between ideas, | | | | thing: Successful people enjoy themselves! As I look |
| technology, and the needs of individuals. How do they | | | | out my window, I see the trees are in bloom and my |
| do this? I'm not exactly sure, but highly successful | | | | lawn needs mowing. Spring is here! Have a wonderful |
| people can be reading a novel, which reminds them of | | | | week, get outside, stretch your mind and your body, do |
| a new technology they saw in a magazine, connect it | | | | something nice for yourself and someone else. |
| with an idea they saw on PBS, and call a computer | | | | |