There are many ways to define successful people, and most of the time, their characteristics differ from one individual to another. However, the main differences between those who manage to get what they want in life, and those who don’t, are easier to determine.

This article does present any of the particularities that could be considered irrelevant to an individual’s ability to be successful but will focus on the main traits that this category of people exhibits.

Now, this also means that it is highly unlikely that someone has all the traits required to fall exactly under either of the two groups. It is all a matter of whether the positive traits are more dominant than the negative ones.

We’ll take a look at what successful people do, and what traits differentiate them from those who never manage to set or complete any objectives:

1. Compliment, don’t criticize

Being successful often requires teamwork, and it is always better to encourage and appreciate those around you, rather than to criticize them. The psychological component that comes into play here is linked to the fact that positive reinforcement is always better than the negative one. In other words, successful people spend more time complimenting those who do their jobs properly, rather than discouraging those who have made mistakes.

This not only makes teamwork a lot easier but also puts everyone in a more efficient and positive mindset.

2. Forgive, don’t hold grudges

Holding grudges requires a lot of energy and can be quite tiring. Successful people usually do their best to forgive those they work with, as well as those from their personal life because they understand one thing: When you hold a grudge against someone, you can’t move on. This means that you use a lot of energy that gets transformed into anger. Anger never helped anyone.

Furthermore, if you hold a grudge, you may miss important opportunities. Let’s say that a colleague did something that made you mad. You could stay angry at him, or you could forgive him and put everything in the past. There is always the possibility that you will require said individual’s help in the future, or that he may come to you with a great proposal.

In the end, forgiving people will allow you to concentrate on more important things, and will also enable you to take advantage of future opportunities that may present themselves.

3. Accept responsibility for your failures, don’t blame others;

Success is highly dependent on people’s willingness to accept responsibility for their failures. This is because mistakes and failures help us grow and develop. Every time people blame others for his mistakes, they deny themselves the chance to learn from their mistakes.

On the other hand, accepting responsibility for one’s actions shows not only maturity but also professionalism. So doing the right thing will help you grow as a person, but will also show those around you that they can work with you. Both of these are important for one’s success.

4. Embrace change, don’t fear it;

Things rarely go the way we plan them, and it is extremely important to adapt if we are to be successful. Those who fear change are usually paralyzed when things don’t go the way they expect them to, and this is a huge obstacle in the way of one’s success.

While it may be more comfortable to do never change things, the world changes from one day to another. If you don’t keep up with it, you will quickly find yourself left behind, while those who embrace change live the life that you wanted for yourself.

5. Talk about ideas, not people;

Success is built upon ideas, and you will have to put a lot of time in order to develop them properly. Regardless of who comes up with an idea, there is nothing stopping you from discussing it with others. These brainstorming sessions are what propel individuals towards success.

This having been said, one should always remember the difference between discussing ideas with other people and discussing what other people do. In the first case, you will be able to get some constructive feedback before taking an action, while in the second, you will simply be gossiping.

Successful people do not waste energy on discussing other people’s lives and decisions because they understand that this doesn’t help them in any way. However, they do discuss both their as well as other people’s ideas, so that they can grow as a person.

6. Organize your life, don’t fly by the seat of your pants

The singular, most important thing that all successful people do is create healthy habits. These help them have continuity in what they do, and prevent them from ever being caught unprepared.

The secret to creating healthy habits is organizing your activities. You should make a daily schedule with everything that you have to do, in both your private life, as well as work. Keep in mind that you cannot build a great career if you have a chaotic private life.

This does not mean that you should plan everything all the time. Remember that it is also important to embrace change, so you will have to improvise when something unexpected happens. A good rule of thumb is to plan your daily activities and to also give yourself a couple of minutes between each thing that you have to do, in order to account for unexpected changes.

These are the main differences between successful and unsuccessful people. Keep in mind that most of the time people find that they have traits from both of these groups. The secret to being successful is finding a way to better yourself. You should work to correct the negative traits that you have, while also enhancing the positive ones.

However, in order to take the first step to success, you must be willing to put in a bit of effort.