What Successful people share in common

[Dennis Ng]

After reading many books, attending many seminars and my observation of all the successful people in the world, I discovered that there's several things that differentiate them from the rest.

That's how they stand up from the rest and become successful.

Here're the things that successful people share in common:

1. they know exactly what they want and their purpose in life.

Most people are not "outstanding" becos they have not really thought through what do they really want. They ended up just drifting through life with little purpose and end up not achieving much.

2. they have a burning desire (passion) in what they have chosen to do (purpose).

Most people do not achieve success not becos they are not smart enough or anything like that. Most people do not achieve success becos they "give up too soon".

Successful people have a burning passion in what they set out to do. In fact, they might even be ridiculed for what they "dream" of doing when they initially started. And they had "many failures" before they finally tasted success.

I can just name you a few examples and you would know all these people were ridiculed for their "dreams" before they finally made their dreams a reality.

eg. Thomas Edison (who tried inventing light bulb), Wright brothers (who tried to invent a flying machine), Henry Ford (who tried to invent a horseless carriage), Walt Disney (who wants funding to build "the happiest place on earth" - Disneyland), Alexandra Graham Bell (who tried to make people talk through long distance through wires). Locally, Sim Wong Hoo who tried to make computer play fantastic sound.

What is the driving force that kept them going and going when others have given up? I discoverd it is becos they have immense passion for what they set out to do.

3. Not only do they have immense passion, they also have "strong belief" in themselves. As Henry Ford said:"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right". They have strong belief in themselves even when doubt surrounds them.

4. How they view failures is also a main reason for their success. Most people "avoid failures". When they fail, they might try again for a 2nd time. Most do not try the 3rd time, and rarely do people try for 4th time after 3 attempts.

I discovered that successful people have a different way of looking at failures. They treat failure as "feedback" that they need to try to do it differently.

For instance, when Thomas Edison was asked how he felt about his 9,999 times of failing to invent the light bulb. He corrected the reporter that he found 9,999 ways of how not to make a light bulb light!

To the successful people, the only time they really fail is when they give up. So they know that as long as they don't give up, success will be theirs, sooner or later.

5. Please note that successful people don't keep repeating the same mistakes. While majority of people tend to repeat their mistakes. For instance, people keep falling for scams even when the "modus operandi" of scams have been known for ages.

When they fail, successful people know there's no point doing things the same way they tried before, they would make some changes and try again.

Remember, the definition of "insanity" is to keep doing the same things and expect a different result.

6. Successful people keep learning and they don't rely on themselves alone. They know how to "leverage" on other peoples' experiences, knowledge, expertise etc. For instance, Henry Ford is not a "technical expert on cars", he just assembled a team of "experts" and tap on the experts' knowledge, experience, expertise to make a better car.

7. Successful people are very clear of what the end result they want to see. They have clearly painted "picture" of the end result. In fact, they are so clear of the end result they want that they can even describe clearly how it would look like so as to gather support for others to support their dream.

As Albert Einstein said:"They can "preview" the future. And in their mind, they can already picture themselves achieving what they want even when many people said to them it is impossible.

The best thing is that everyone can be successful in whatever we want to do.

Here's wishing everyone out there success in whatever you want to succeed in.

[Dennis Ng]

sharing a message from Napoleon Hill Foundation from which I received:

Cheers!

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com

Experts have consistently found that after a certain point, money ceases to be a motivator.

Even though you may not yet have reached that point, if you are honest with yourself, you will probably find that money is only one of many considerations.

When asked if they would continue doing what they do even though it didn’t pay well, most highly successful people reply, "Absolutely. I wouldn’t change a thing. I love what I’m doing."

One of the surest ways to climb the ladder of success is to choose a job that you would do even if you didn’t earn much at it.

When you are working because you like what you do, the money will follow. You will become such a rare commodity that others will compete for your services-and pay you handsomely for them.

[Dennis Ng]

Successful people have an open mind. Below is a message I received from Napoleon Hill Foundation to share with you:

Cookie mogul Wally Amos (founder of Famous Amos Cookies) is fond of quoting the saying, "The mind is like a parachute. It functions best when opened."

When you open your mind to the possibilities, objectively analyze information and refuse to allow your personal preferences and biases to influence your judgment, you will be able to perceive great truths that have been overlooked by others.

A closed mind, though, will cause you to miss out on some of life’s greatest offerings.

If you find yourself disputing the facts, or if you keep attempting to revise them to support your beliefs, ask yourself, Why am I so unwilling to accept this information? Am I being logical, or am I simply allowing my emotions to cloud my judgment?

The worst mistake you may ever make is trying to persuade yourself to accept a false truth.

It is inappropriate to try to fool others, but when you fool yourself, disaster is sure to follow.

[Dennis Ng]

What is the No. 1 IMPORTANT decision ALL successful people make?

First thing first, what is the very FIRST thing you need to decide before everything else?

You should be asking yourself:
What job would I love so much that I would do it for free but that I could actually get paid for?

Whatever the answer may be, that is the job that you should be working towards to.

And of course the most important question we need to ask ourselves is this:
What is my life purpose? I believe each of us is born with a life purpose. (Chinese saying: tian sheng wo cai bi you yong)

Without a purpose in life, you would likely wander and drift, moving from one thing to another, moving from one job to another.... accomplishing little and the WORST thing is that you will not have a sense of FULFILLMENT and BLISS.

Finding out their own purpose (passion) and pursuing their purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take.

Have you heard of the saying that successful people make decisions quickly?

Have you wondered why are they able to do so, while most people would procrastinate and dilly dally?

The reason is they FOUND their purpose in life. So they just organise their lives and all decisions and activities around it. If something does NOT fit with their purpose, they will say NO and not have anything to do with it.

It's that simple.

Some of the people who have helped me realised the wisdom of above are Anthony Robbins and Napoleon Hill. Of course, are they the only ones that say the same things I'm sharing with you?

The answer is obviously NO. Why are they saying the same things? In my opinion is becos that that is the truth. There is no ambiguity in truth.

Wishing you success, joy and fulfillment in whatever you decide to do and become.

[Dennis Ng]

Another thing that successful people share in common is that they are "Dependable" and "Reliable".

Just imagine, when a person offers a reliable product or service, his/her customers would be happy and satisfied. And in turn, these customers would be happy to refer him/her friends to engage his/her service.....and the process just continues....that's why "success begets success". Conversely, if a person is unreliable, his/her clients will not be happy and will not even come back for a 2nd time. Would they tell their friends about him/her? Yes, it is likely to be bad word of mouth......that's why this person would struggle in business.

Even if you're an employee, the same principle applies. Would a reliable person be given opportunities for promotion and pay increment? You bet. Would a unreliable person be given opportunities for promotion? I think if your boss is Donald Trump, you are more likely to hear his words:"You're fired."

there are principles to success whereby if one follows them, one will likely achieve success. And if one does not, it is not a coincidence that the person does not have the "luck" to success. You can create luck.

I share a message I received from Napoleon Hill Foundation which explains why this is important.

Cheers!

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com

Quote:
It would be unrealistic to expect an inexpensive, mass-produced watch to perform with the same degree of accuracy as a finely crafted Rolex. They are not made with the same quality of materials or with the same craftsmanship.

Yet we somehow think that we do not need to give the same attention to our most important asset: ourselves.

Don’t leave something as important as your character to chance. Choose the character traits you admire, and work to develop them.

Don’t be discouraged when you stumble. Building character is a process that takes a lifetime to complete.

Fortunately, like anything else, the more you work at character building, the better you become at it.

End of quote

[Dennis Ng]

sharing this message I received from Napoleon Hill Foundation on another thing that successful people share in common:

Cheers!

Dennis Ng

One of the primary differences between those who achieve greatness in their lives and those who manage only to "get by" is that successful people learned early in life that they were responsible for their own actions.

No other person can make you successful or keep you from achieving your goals.

Taking the initiative means assuming a leadership role, a position that singles you out for praise-and for criticism.

The good leader is the one who shares the credit for success with others and assumes full responsibility for failures or temporary setbacks.

When you accept responsibility for your actions, you gain the respect of others and are well on the way to creating your own future.

[Dennis Ng]

What I want to share is that EVERYONE can be successful, if they truly want to be and believe they can be, and take positive actions. Success leaves trail. Thus, rather than learn from our own experience and mistakes, it makes sense to learn from others who are successful to speed up our journey to success.

Below is a message I received from Napoleon Hill Foundation, sharing with us the inspiring life of Helen Keller, who was physically disabled but inspired even the physically abled.

Cheers!

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com


IF YOU BECOME DISCOURAGED, THINK OF HELEN KELLER, WHO, THOUGH SHE WAS DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND INSPIRED HER MORE FORTUNATE CONTEMPORARIES THROUGH HER BOOKS.

The life of Helen Keller is an outstanding example of the triumph of the human spirit over a physical handicap. Even today, decades after her death, her life stands as a beacon of hope for those who must constantly struggle just to perform routine tasks that most of us take for granted.

Whenever you feel fate has been unkind to you, all you must do is look around you and you will begin to appreciate how fortunate you are.

Make sure your life’s plan includes giving something back to the community without expecting anything in return.

Giving time and effort, not just money, reinforces your connections to your community, provides you with concrete proof of the effectiveness of deliberate action, and reminds you of the inspiring power of determination in human endeavor.

[Dennis Ng]

received this message and I like to share with everyone. Knowing your Objective is important for success in investing and virtually success in everything.

Cheers!

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com

A BURNING DESIRE TO BE AND TO DO IS THE STARTING POINT FROM WHICH THE DREAMER MUST TAKE OFF.

Many years ago, the commencement speaker at a prestigious university asked all members of the graduating class who had a definite plan for their lives to hold up their hands. As he looked around the room, only three hands were raised.

Twenty-five years later, when the class held a reunion, the combined net worth of those three individuals exceeded that of the remainder of the class.

People who know where they are going always achieve far greater levels of success than those who merely drift through life, expecting circumstances to create opportunities for them.

Successful people create their own opportunities by focusing on goals with an intensity that borders on obsession. In this way, every action moves them toward their goal.

[Dennis Ng]

received this message, just thought of sharing with everyone.

Cheers!

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com

JUST WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR AND WHY ARE YOU WAITING?

Far too many people spend their entire lives waiting for that glorious day when the perfect opportunity presents itself to them.

Too late, they realize that each day held opportunity for those who sought it out.

If you have not formulated a plan for what you would like to accomplish in your life, don’t waste another minute.

When you have Definiteness of Purpose fueled by a burning desire to reach your objectives, nothing can stand in your way.

Don’t wait around waiting for life to happen to you. When you know what you want and how you expect to earn it, life will agree to your terms, not the other way around.

[Dennis Ng]

It is ok to make mistakes.

However, it is NOT ok to repeat one's mistakes.

Successful people learn from their mistakes and do not repeat their mistakes.

Sharing a message I received from Napoleon Hill foundation on this.

Cheers!

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com

There’s an old adage that those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So it is with our failures. Unless we learn from our mistakes, we are likely to repeat them until we learn from such experiences and correct our course-or give up and accept temporary defeat as permanent failure.

Every setback you encounter in life contains valuable information that, if you study it carefully, will eventually lead you to success.

Without adversity, you would never develop wisdom, and without wisdom, success would be short lived indeed.

When you make a mistake, say, "That’s good! I’ve gotten that out of the way. I will never do that again." You will no doubt make other mistakes, but they won’t bother you nearly as much when you treat them as learning experiences.

[Dennis Ng]

My observation is that successful people would never see failures as failures, they would probably see failures as a feedback to let them know that they need to change certain things in order to get the results they want.

When Thomas Edison was interviewed and asked to comment on his 9,999 times of failing to make a light bulb, he said something to this effect:"I didn't fail 9,999 times. I managed to find 9,999 ways of how NOT to make a light bulb light.

Knowing the meaning of words is one thing. Living the essence of words is another thing altogether.

One of my sifus said to me, 人 is the easiest word to write. However, 做人却一点都不简单. It's indeed thought provoking.

[Dennis Ng]

I believe that most people are good by nature.

However, there are a minority of people who are really nasty.

Below is a message from Napoleon Hill Foundation which shares how we can react to such people.

Regards.

Dennis Ng, http://www.HousingLoanSG.com

YOU CAN’T CONTROL OTHERS’ ACTS, BUT YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR REACTION TO THEIR ACTS, AND THAT IS WHAT COUNTS MOST TO YOU.

No one can make you feel any negative emotion-fear, anger, or inferiority-without your express permission. There will always be people who find perverse enjoyment in upsetting others, or who simply play upon your emotions so that they can use you for their own selfish purposes. Whether or not they are successful depends entirely upon you and how you react to their negative behaviors. When you are forced to deal with such people, recognize from the outset that they are trying to upset you, not because of something you may have done to them, but because of some problem they have with themselves. Tell yourself: "This isn’t about me. I will not allow this person to upset me. I am in control of my emotions and my life."

[Dennis Ng]

Make four resolutions about your life hereafter:

(1) Purity: Desist from wicked thoughts, bad habits, low activities that weaken your self-respect.

(2) Service: Serve others, for they are the reflections of the same entity of which you are yourself another reflection. No one of you has any authenticity, except with reference to the One Original.

(3) Mutuality: Feel always kinship with all creation. See the same current flowing through all the objects in the Universe.

(4) Truth: Do not deceive yourself or others, by distorting your experience.

- Divine Discourse ,February 25, 1964.

[Dennis Ng]

THE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER GET AHEAD ARE THOSE WHO DO ONLY WHAT THEY ARE TOLD AND THOSE WHO WILL NOT DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD.

It’s hard to say which would be more discouraging: drifting from job to job because you’re always the first to be laid off, or laboring in monotonous obscurity at the same job.

The first results from not doing what you are told to do, the second from doing only what you are told to do.

You can "get by" for a time following either approach, but you will never get ahead.

Personal initiative is more important in today’s enlightened, high-tech workplace than it was during the Industrial Age, when the ability to follow orders was a critical skill.

As technology makes many supervisory functions obsolete, every one of us is expected to do more with less, determine what needs to be done, and do it.

Don’t wait to be told. Know your company and your job so well that you can anticipate what needs to be done-then do it! Stop explaining and start doing!

[Dennis Ng]

sharing another meaningful message from Napoleon Hill Foundation:

Cheers!

Dennis Ng

KEEP YOUR MIND FIXED ON WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE, NOT ON WHAT YOU DON’T WANT.

We have just begun to explore the inner workings of the mind, but we have long been aware of the effects of our thoughts. When you focus on not missing the target instead of on hitting the bull’s-eye, the results are often disastrous, for it is impossible to think negative thoughts in a positive way.

Ask any golfer who has tried not to miss a putt or a bowler who has struggled not to miss a strike.

Make sure your goals are specific and precise. "Making a lot of money" or "earning regular promotions" are wishes, not goals.

State exactly how much money you expect to earn and when, and the specific promotion you want, how you plan to earn it, and when you expect to do so.

As Carlson Companies chairman Curt Carlson once noted, "Obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eye off the target."