The path to success is long, grueling, and often not guaranteed. We often find ourselves wondering whether or not we have what it takes to become a successful man.
Wonder if you have what it takes?
I can’t tell you whether or not you’ll definitely make it, but what I can tell is whether or not you’re on the right track.
Gents, today I’m sharing ten signs that you’ll be a successful man.
You Know What You Want
Before you get anywhere in life, you have to know what you want – out of your job, relationships, and life.
The first thing you need to come up with is an overall goal, then formulate a plan as to how to get there. Balance is key when it comes to planning. A man shouldn’t plan so narrowly that the smallest setbacks throw him off his game.
A plan is nothing, but planning is everything.
Life is full of twists and turns. You might fail at one goal, only to be inspired by a new path. You need to be flexible and allow for those twists. Adjust your plan along the way. Your grand strategy is the big picture, so there’s no reason why you should let a few tactical setbacks put you down.
You Don’t Give Up
At this point, it can sound like a cliché, but the truth is that a successful man never gives up. Remember those twists and turns? Regardless of your goals, there will be challenges along the way – hardships of all shapes and sizes that are made to break you down.
No matter what happens, you need persistence and grit. There are plenty of times where you’ll try hard and not get the results you expected – you might have prepared well for that interview and still didn’t get the job. You might have done all the research you needed for that school paper and still received a bad grade.
Adapt. Look back and assess what you did wrong. Maybe the interviewer was put off by your outfit, or perhaps you failed to format the paper correctly despite the research. Know that there will be other opportunities to improve on those mistakes and keep pushing forward.
You Develop Passion
Gents, it’s critical that we define passion properly. Yes, a successful man has it in spades, but it comes with a caveat.
Passion should be something that drives you toward hard work and achieving excellence. It does not mean being passionate about videogames and playing 8 hours of Halo a day.
Identify what your signature strengths are.
THESE are what should fuel your passions.
Me? I love building relationships – that’s my passion. It’s what drove me to find Menfluential. It’s what drove me to be a part of Menfluential Media. The rest…? Well, that’s history.
You Always Outwork People
No matter where they are – whether it be the office or at the gym – a successful man always thinks about how they stand out.
How can you do this? Not by putting others down, but by innovating on your own strategies and studying those around you. See how hard they’re working and ask yourself “How can I work better?”
Push yourself beyond the standard of your environment.
The bottom line is that if you work harder than everyone else and your results show it, you will be noticed. You will stand out, and that can open countless doors.
Make Up Your Own Mind
Successful men don’t get pulled in a dozen directions. They’re not easily manipulated and can make their own decisions with confidence.
That’s not to say you can’t take advice and suggestions, but every man should be selective of what he takes seriously. Accept constructive criticism and take it into consideration, but never feel like you need to execute it all if you considered aspects and disagree.
Your best friends and significant other should always have your best interests in mind, and their advice should always reflect that. Even when their hearts are in the right place though, make up your own mind.
Agree or disagree, but do it on your terms.
Be An Action Taker
Have you ever spent days – even weeks contemplating small decisions? Cut that out.
Indecision and overthinking are dangerous factors in a man’s life. That’s not to say you need to be hasty and rush headlong into every situation, but successful men take no more and no less than the time they should take in assessing the situation before doing something about it.
Finishing a task at 70% of its potential will always be better than taking forever to reach 100%.
You’re Humble
There’s an age-old phrase that encapsulates the message here:
“I know that I know nothing.” –Socrates
If you keep that in mind, you’ll avoid some nasty traits that successful men should avoid at all costs. Arrogance and conceit will seldom get you where you need to go.
Above all, men need to understand that the path before them is a long one – an uphill climb that will ultimately become a huge part of your identity.
Enjoy that process. Take it from me – it’s more fun than the success itself.
The Successful Man Is Always Learning
A thirst for knowledge is what possessed the greatest men in history. Alexander the Great was educated by Aristotle and conferenced with the greatest thinkers of the day, Cicero once commented that a house without books was like a body without a soul, and Napoleon took a personal library with him on every campaign.
It’s not a coincidence that a voracious appetite for learning is a key factor of a successful man. You should always be striving to research as much as you can. What can you learn in order to do your job better? How can you research a company before an interview to gain an edge?
Even when it doesn’t pertain to your immediate goals, pursue books on topics that interest you personally – you never know when you find something in history, fashion, or business that’ll make a great conversation piece!
Master Presentation
Let’s be honest gentlemen, you knew this was coming – style is power. Presentation can either make or break your chances with an opportunity. Put an ample percentage of your research into how you can upgrade your personal style, etiquette, and speaking skills. It’s a sad reality that most men dedicate a negligible amount of their resources to this.
On the bright side, however, it’ll make it just as easy for you to stand out when it comes to style.
Invest in your style.
To that end gents, I got you covered. We have hundreds of articles and videos here in RMRS that deal with every aspect of style imaginable. Take advantage of those tools.
The Strangest Men Triumph
Do you need to be weird to succeed? You might think that’s an unusual claim – but it’s not.
Going back to the history lesson – almost every successful man in history always had some very strange traits to them. Napoleon, for instance, was a workaholic who slept a mere 3-4 hours a day.
Are you obsessive, detail-oriented, or especially passionate about your work?
Become known for that singular trait.
Find out just what about you makes you unique and exploit it. If it’s self-discipline, then become known for skipping weekend leisure in favor of your projects. If you admire minimalism for example then embrace it in your personal style. Become known for something particular, gentlemen, and it will take you places.
Gentlemen, today I gave you a brief overview of those traits that are signs for great things to come.
Don’t feel like you exhibit these flawlessly? Don’t feel discouraged. Use this as a guide to isolate those that you feel you’re lacking in and focus in on it.
Success is up to you, gentlemen. Seize it.
