By definition, success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. To that point, author, entrepreneur and renowned CEO Kim Perell agrees, but she doesn’t believe that a great idea or an advanced degree is the only route to success.
In her latest book The Execution Factor: The One Skill That Drives Success (McGraw-Hill Education, 2018), Perell dives into the notion that the ability to execute is the one thing that differentiates success and failure. So, she created a blueprint for anyone eager to turn their business (and everyday) dreams into a reality. Below, five traits of execution that Perell believes successful people should possess and the whys behind them.
1. Vision No matter what your vision is, it’s essential that you can see it and feel it. It must be meaningful to you so that you, (and eventually others, through you) genuinely connect to it.
2. Passion It’s not defined just by the things you love, but about the things that you would happily suffer and sacrifice for.
3. Action People who lead with action seize the day to make things happen. They may be scared, but they push it aside and do it anyway.
4. Resilience Resilient people know they can’t change the wind, but they can change their sail.
5. Relationships Building healthy, inspiring relationships is not just the cornerstone of successful execution, it’s the cornerstone of happiness.
“If you think these five traits sound simple, you’re right,” Perell says in her book, “but simple and easy are two very different things—and people who think they know better often confuse the two.”