PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2022

G U E S T C O M M E N T A R Y

COMMON TRAITS AMONG HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE

BY DEE BROWN

H ighly successful people learn that success is amindset. The person who thinks they can and the one who thinks they can’t are usually both right. Success begins with the mentality that you can and will win. Whatever obstacles are in your way, you must be utterly convinced you will conquer them. I grew up in a rural Mississippi Delta community. If you looked around the impoverished community I came from, it is easy to develop a mindset that you can’t succeed at the highest level. When it came to succeeding at a high level in entrepreneurship there weren’t many examples for me to follow, but I knew if I worked hard, used my ingenuity, and took advantage of every opportunity I could be whatever I wanted to be. CULTIVATING A MINDSET FOR SUCCESS I owe my success to continuous learning, discipline, resilience, and my mindset. I often tell the following story to illustrate how important mindset is: Why is the lion the king of the jungle? He isn’t the fastest; the fastest animal

is the cheetah. He isn’t the smartest; the smartest animal is the orangutan. He isn’t the largest; the largest animal is the elephant. It is the lion’s mindset that makes him the king of the jungle. All the lion thinks about is being king. When the other animals see the lion, they think about running; and when the lion sees other animals he thinks about dinner. To be highly successful you must learn to have the mindset of a lion. I tell people all the time you can be faster, smarter, or stronger than I am, but I will always find a way to win. That is why I never stop learning, never allow myself lapses in discipline, and never allow failure to define me.

read. People ask me questions without even taking time to look for the answers themselves. They come tome with their smart phone in their hands and ask questions, but they have not bothered to look for information. If you are not willing to dig for solutions, you will never be successful. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE HIGHLY DISCIPLINED Somany distractions cause us to veer off course. Discipline is the only thing that allows us to block out background noise and maintain focus. Most people do not have the discipline it takes to be successful. Developing good habits and executing them time and time again gives you a competitive advantage. When everyone else goes to the party, highly successful people go to bed, because they know that the early bird catches the worm. People start the pursuit of their dreams all the time, but very few have the discipline and consistency to see their dreams through to fruition. Whatever reason they give for quitting, their failure boils down

HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE LIFELONG LEARNERS

Every industry is constantly evolving. To remain at the top, you must consistently look for ways to improve your skills. Continuing to educate yourself is critical to your success. Most people will not achieve success because they do not — or will not —

84 AUGUST 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE