3 Powerful Traits That Dictate Success

traits for successSuccess means different things to different people.

Some favor a lot of bling, a Bentley, and stockpile of gold doubloons. For others, success is less about material things and more about meaningful work. But, regardless of how you define it, there’s rarely a shortcut to achieving it.

Rising through the ranks of the disillusioned and discouraged, past the entitled and elite is a rough ride. It takes a combination of want to and hard work. Two important words, yes; but not nearly as important as the secret sauce for success.  Now that you know the 7 Reasons Why Less Qualified People are Getting Promoted, it’s time for you to dictate your success.

That recipe is made up of 3 powerful traits:



Ever hear that saying; “fall down seven times, stand up eight”?

That’s resilience.

If it’s a more scientific definition you’re after the American Psychological Association defines resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant sources of threat.”

It’s how we respond to roadblocks, and what we do next. You know, fight or flight. Do you run, or do you stay and throw down?

Resilience is a product of stepping outside of your comfort zone and embracing fear or failure. Here, you lean into adversity, you confront it, and you learn from it so that the stress strengthens your resolve, instead of crushing it.




T.J. nailed that one. And, for the record, he was talking about hustle – the relentless, tenacious, never-ending grind to get shit done.

Not hustle like ripping someone off, dealing drugs, or hawking bootlegged DVDs. We’re talking hustle like a hardhat and lunch pail work ethic.

Hustle is what you do when you stop talking about ideas, you stop doing busy work, and actually execute.



Do you know the one thing that predicts success better than an I.Q. test?

It’s a little something called grit.

So what exactly is grit?

Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth defines grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Duckworth, who holds a B.A. in Neurobiology from Harvard and a Master’s in Neuroscience from Oxford, goes on to say that, “Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality.”

If you’ve got grit, you have a clear goal, determination despite doubts, persistence despite fear, flexibility at roadblocks, and confidence that you’re going to figure it out, even if it kills you.


DIY Success

There are some things that are out of our control. For the most part, I.Q. is set in stone and talent is innate.

But, there’s so good news for all the rest of us: resilience, hustle, and grit are within our control. They come from within.

There are no prerequisites and no price tags. It’s not about where you grew up, went to school, or who you know. These traits can’t be bought, they must be earned.

We all have nearly limitless potential, and the opportunity to achieve success is waiting for us. With a little grit, a lot of hustle, and some resiliency we can define and determine our own personal greatness.

Agree or disagree?  What traits would you add?

About Joe Vennare



  1. Completely agree with the three traits; long term goals are essential to success; resilience helps to deal with short term failures; although grit talks about preservation and passion; you need to believe and have passion in everything you do. Great article.

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