What does it mean to be successful? How do we measure success? How do we define it? Some people measure success by their wealth. Others will measure it by the number of friendships they value. Other will measure it by winning.
Being successful means different things to different people, yet, however success is defined, there are common traits the most successful people and companies demonstrate. If we class failure as being the opposite of success, then being successful means not failing. And there are two ways to avoid failing, the same two ways to be successful.
They are; having passion for what you do and doing it to a quality and standard that’s the best you can deliver.
Being passionate
For this case, we’re going to look at being successful in a professional capacity as opposed to a personal capacity – although the two go hand in hand. To be successful at work, you have to be passionate about the work you do. It has to excite you, inspire you and you have to believe in it. This is the first step. Love what you do.
We spend a large part of our lives working. It stands to reason that we should do something that we enjoy doing, that lights us up. Being passionate about your work translates to your day to day routine, inspires the team around you and builds trust with your customers. By believing in what you do, you can then help your customers believe in it too.
When we’re passionate about what we do we want to get better at it. We want to become experts in it and masters of our craft. Head chefs at Michelin-starred restaurants spend years perfecting their art before they reach the top of their profession just like the best sports stars will spend hours upon hours training and practising in their effort to be the best…and that’s where the next step comes in.
Delivering quality
Quality is the measure of the ‘degree of excellence.’ Quality counts and in competitive marketplaces, where margins are tight, it’s the businesses who have a reputation for delivering quality that are the most successful. Brands like BMW and Audi are internationally-renowned for their true craftsmanship and quality of their product; their reputations have been built on it and now rely on it. However, quality isn’t just about the end product, it’s also about a company’s values and the process of getting to the end product.
The most successful individuals and companies in the world are the ones that exude passion and quality. They create a culture where quality and passion can thrive and grow. By being passionate and delivering quality you’ll be doing the two most important things needed to be successful.