10 Secrets to Success

Investor's Business Daily (IBD) has become a great resource for me and should be on every investor's reading list. If you aren't familiar with this daily newspaper I encourage you to go to their website and sign up for a free trial. I like the paper because it contains an abundance of relevant information on a daily basis.

In addition to the excellent coverage of the stock market the paper does a great job of pointing out some of the best leaders in business. IBD has spent years analyzing leaders and successful people in all walks of life. Most have 10 traits that, when combined, can turn dreams into reality. Each day, on the Leaders & Success page, the paper will highlight one of those traits.

Here are IBD's 10 Secrets To Success:

1. HOW YOU THINK IS EVERYTHING: Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.
2. DECIDE UPON YOUR TRUE DREAMS AND GOALS: Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.
3. TAKE ACTION: Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started. Just do it.
4. NEVER STOP LEARNING: Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.
5. BE PERSISTENT AND WORK HARD: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.
6. LEARN TO ANALYZE DETAILS: Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.
7. FOCUS YOUR TIME AND MONEY: Don't let other people or things distract you.
8. DON'T BE AFRAID TO INNOVATE; BE DIFFERENT: Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity.
9. DEAL AND COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY: No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others.
10. BE HONEST AND DEPENDABLE; TAKE RESPONSIBILITY: Otherwise, #s 1-9 won't matter.

THE UPSHOT: What a great list of leadership traits! I couldn't have written the list any better. It is this combination of traits that I strive to execute in my life. You can turn dreams into reality by executing these traits.