8 Important Habits Needed For Success In Nigeria: They Are More Important Than Talent
The important habits needed for success are many. However, there are eight of them that I believe are even more important than your raw talents.
Don’t get it wrong, talent is amazing but it does not solve all the problems. You might never really become the best in your field with your talent alone.
Related: common business risks in Nigeria
In my university days, I had a friend who was an intellectual genius and knew better than some of my lecturers. He was outstanding. To me, he was a living encyclopedia. But he was not part of the leading lights academically in the class. He had the talent, but he was not using the right habits to enhance those talents. If he had, he would have been unstoppable. Here I mean he would have undoubtedly made first class. I’m not sure he even graduated.
These important habits needed for success can perhaps be best explained using the Christiano Ronaldo template. I’m sure you have heard of him. Even Nigerian artists want to be like him. You can ask Davido, Reekado Banks and PSquare about this guy. His habits and commitment are outstanding. The truth remains that there are better-gifted footballers in the world but he has certain levels of talents with incredible habits. That is why we have him up there with the best the world has ever seen.
Also Read: How to beat the fear blocking your success
You get it now, right? Talent is just not enough.
If you already got the talent, then you have an advantage over others. Don’t get lazy. In my experience, people with talent don’t always have the right attitude and habit. You can be different and find out the amazing results you can get.
On the other hand, my friends, if you don’t have the talent in any field you want to venture into, don’t worry. You are not in a hopeless situation. You can become very successful in it with the right attitude.
At any high level of success, most people equal out with regards to skill or talent. However, what sets the great successes apart from others are the success habits they practice on a daily basis.
These practices, or habits, are embedded in their work performance and push them to the top where they often surpass those who may even have more skill and talent than them.
Important Habits Needed for Success
-
Punctuality
Punctuality is key and paramount in the important habits needed for success. If you are going to make it big in your chosen area of expertise or business, you must cultivate the culture of being punctual.
The African time is becoming a norm, nay, it has become the norm in Nigeria. People no longer attend their activities as at when due. Dare to be different. In this madness of African or Nigerian time, those that keep to time are always dependable. You can become one dependable man in your field.
Related: the impulse of a career in Nigeria
Christiano underlies the importance of punctuality. It is on record that he goes for training one hour before the training starts.
Being on time tells others that you are dependable, diligent and organized. It shows that you honor your commitments, have a respect for your time and that of others, and you can be trusted.
One attribute common to successful people is that they view their time as their most precious commodity. When you are late to appointments with people who value their time, you would have wasted one of their most valuable assets.
Work on your time. It is a key aspect of the important habits needed for success. Neglect it at your own peril.
-
Work ethic
I keep using Ronaldo as an example. He is one bastard with the right habits. His work ethic is second to none in the world of football. He starts training before everybody and ends after everyone. Little wonder he is the best in the world. The dude stays in ice for 30minutes after each match.
You see, the pattern of your work ethic is crucial to your success. It is integral to the important habits needed for success.
It doesn’t matter if you are incredibly talented or not. You must work hard to see success. That is why doing the bare minimum and depending upon skill or talent alone is not what will get you to the top.
To be successful you must have a strong work ethic ingrained in your DNA because there is no other way. The integrity of who you are and how you operate must be seen in all aspects of your job. First and foremost you must respect what you do and those whom you work for and with.
The good thing is that when you possess an unwavering commitment to your work ethic, it is this character trait that will foster good relationships with clients, employees, coworkers, and superiors.
-
Right Effort and Extra Effort
One of the important habits needed for success is effort. You need to work hard. You need to possess the ability and will to put your goal before your needs.
This is where discipline comes in. You must have the right discipline to be able to say no to certain things. It is really not easy to finish your tasks every day but it takes a certain level of commitment to do that.
You cannot find a simpler way. There is no need to. There is no short cut to heaven. According to Ford, “the harder you work, the luckier you get”. Maybe you can settle your mind and enjoy the hard work needed.
-
Stay Positive
A lot has been written on the place of mindset in success. You can never succeed if you don’t think you can succeed.
It is from the above premise that we place a positive mental attitude as a part of the important habits needed for success. It important you work on it. Trash out negativity and pessimism from your dictionary. Stay positive at all cost.
Also Read: The essence of network marketing in Nigeria
The interpretation you give to an occurrence is what makes it a problem. When challenges come, you have to see them as stepping stones to your success.
-
Keep Your Energy Up
A healthy man is the only man who can work. This is why keeping your energy up is key to the important habits needed for success. This is the biggest commitment to your success. Your physical body has to be nourished the way you nourish your mind to stay positive.
You have to watch what you eat and what you drink. If you are not healthy physically, you will not be at your best emotionally and you can’t function well. There is no way to function at peak performance levels on fried food, lack of sleep, caffeine, and nicotine. You will burn bright but you will fizzle fast.
Take care of your health. Eat clean, get enough rest, drink a lot of water and get a good workout in sometime during each day, ideally in the morning before the workday starts. When your energy is very good, so is your ability to work effectively and maintain a positive mood.
-
Be Passionate
Passion keeps you going. Whatever you have a passion for works out eventually with time. Once again, Passion keeps you going. If you must beat your chest and say that you now possess the requisite important habits needed for success, you must as a matter of fact have the passion.
Passion gives you confidence and it is contagious. It makes your team members more confident. It leads to greater success. It is a great motivating factor. Be passionate about what you do.
-
Be Coachable
I remember going for an interview for a hotel ICT job interview and the manager asked me if I was teachable. It sounded funny because I felt anybody would say yes. It, however, taught me something on deeper reflection. Everybody needs to learn no matter how good you are.
If you must possess the important habits needed for success, then you must be able to submit and let other people teach you. The importance of a coach to your success cannot be overemphasized. You have got to be receptive to feedback.
By trusting your superiors and mentors to be truthful in their guidance, you will always eliminate horrible feelings of discouragement or rejection.
-
Being prepared
Nothing brings you success more than proper preparation. There is this ancient saying that “proper preparation prevents poor performance.”
People you serve with either services or products deserve the best. You have to prepare very and give your all. Remember that when preparation meets opportunity, success becomes inevitable.
These important habits needed for success that we have discussed are going to make you a better entrepreneur or a better employee in any field you chose to work in. follow them and make them part of you and you will always be ahead of your competitors.
