10 Little Clues That You Will Be Successful

Success means different things to different people, but we can all agree success is more about doing what you love and ensuring the work that you do and the money that you make goes toward helping people and doing something useful and meaningful with your life.

Unfortunately, many of us feel unsuccessful sometimes. We feel like we are doing all the HARD WORK, almost burning out, with nothing to show for it. Like we are toiling harder than most people, but not making any headway.

The reality is hard work is important and success often takes time. Part of the reason why successful people are successful is because they not only work hard, but also smarter. They are patient and outwork their competition. It's important to analyze your progress regularly, if only to know where you stand.

Ask yourself two important questions:

How is what I’m doing working for me?
Am I getting what I really want and need?

Now consider these ten little clues that indicate what you're doing is actually working for you and you will eventually be successful.

1. You enjoy what you do.

People who are truly successful love and enjoy what they do. They do it without fanfare because the reward is always in the work—not the recognition. If you enjoy what you do and the satisfaction you get doing what you do is full, that is the starting point to all good things in your job. Everything else follows after that.

2. You don't focus primarily on the money.

Truly successful people are not motivated by money only. They don’t view money as the ultimate reward, rather they consider money a means to grow their business, improve their life, reward those who support them and give back to society. If you are motivated by something higher than money; if you are focused not just on making your own life better, but also on improving the lives of other people, that is a very good sign that you’re onto something special. You are on the right path to real happiness and success in life.

3. You impact people’s lives positively.

As already hinted, truly successful people make a difference in other people’s lives, no matter how small that difference is. They provide customers, business partners, employees, supporters, critics – everyone they meet – real value, greater opportunities, better benefits and enhanced self-esteem and self-worth. If you are impacting people’s lives positively one way or another, and leaving those you meet with a greater sense of dignity and self-worth, then that is a clear sign you are on to something that can bring tremendous happiness and success.

4. You’ve got something of a work-life balance you’re proud of.

Actually, you don’t think in terms of work-life balance, you just think life. Your life is your business, and your business is your life. Both these areas fit seamlessly together and flow smoothly. There is no separation between the two because they both make you happy and satisfied. That is a good sign.

5. You are always learning and gaining new experiences.

Truly successful people are fascinated with what they do. They are eager to know more about the people, the culture, the competition, and everything else happening in their industry. Their desire to gain new insights and experiences in areas outside their industry is also insatiable because they are lifelong learners. That means they don’t eschew risk and are not afraid of failure. They know failure is proof that you are trying. If you don’t eschew risks, are curious, adventurous and always willing to learn, that is a good predictor you will grow from strength to strength and succeed eventually.

6. You feel privileged and humbled to do what you do.

Truly successful people grow more humble the higher they climb the ladder of success. The more successful they get, the more humble they become. They are not haughty or overbearing because they recognize how fortunate they are to be where they are—in a position of influence where they can impact people's lives positively. If you not only love what you do, but also feel privileged, honored and humbled to do it, that is a good sign. Respect and dignity are very important in life. As the old saying goes, "pride comes before a fall."

7. You grow more empathetic by the day.

You can’t make a lasting difference in people's lives if you can't empathize with them. Truly successful people reach great heights of success by putting themselves in other people’s shoes. They identify needs in the world around them and work to find lasting solutions. If you grow more empathetic by the day, are able to identify with other people’s struggles and are willing to get your hands dirty to try and solve those problems out of a genuine desire to improve things, you are on the right path. That is a sign of a man or woman destined for great things.

8. You combine playfulness and discipline in your efforts.

Truly successful people integrate fun, playfulness and discipline in what they do in a manner that is both inspiring and admirable. They are playful and happy because they have confidence in themselves, their abilities and their objectives. They loosen up and trust others because life is not meant to be too serious. If you have fun doing what you do and still maintain the discipline required to get the work done and meet objectives, that's a winning formula for success.

9. You find joy in the successes of others.

Other people's success is proof that you too can succeed. So you are always happy—not jealous—when other people succeed. In fact, you go out of your way to help others reach their goals when they come to you for help and/or support. People destined for success lend a helping hand and partner with others to fast-track both their successes.

10. You have time for family, friends and other passions.

Successful people make time for family no matter how "busy" they are, which is also true for friends, hobbies and other interests like traveling and playing a musical instrument. If you have time for your family, friends and other passions, that’s a good sign. It means work does not control you. You have your work under control.