Terrence Kennedy
We all have our own ideas about what success means to us. To some, it means money. To others? Freedom and creative expression. We all agree, however, that certain types of men have just ‘got it’.
You know who we are talking about. The men who flit in and out of our lives – friends, perhaps, or co-workers, maybe even just an influential celebrity – who just exude something powerful that we can’t quite explain.
These people regularly become rich and famous; the heads of huge companies or writers of critical acclaim. We watch them in awe, impressed by their individuality whilst simultaneously oblivious to the similarities they all share.
Here’s the kicker: the truth is, successful men share much more in common than you realize. In fact, once you scratch away the veneer you start to see the same characteristics time and time again.
Want to know what these characteristics are?
Follow the 10-step guide below and chart your own path to becoming a successful man.
​The Ultimate 10-Step Guide on How to Be a Successful Man
Laser focus in on your mission and avoid distractions to keep you motivated
A successful man knows why he is here and why he does what he does. Any man who does not share this mental focus and intensity is at an instant disadvantage. People will not take him as seriously as he would like. Women will not think of him as attractive as they could.
​To be a successful man in this world you need to focus in on a mission. Now, this could be anything.
You don’t need to go to an expensive psychologist or read too many self-help books to figure it out. Just figure out what you like and then chart a path to be the very best at it.
Avoid unnecessary distractions, stop procrastinating and don’t stop pushing until you get there.
The next thing you must do is...​
Lack self-doubt and you’ll be swarmed with opportunities
What separates the doers from the talkers? Yes, skill plays a part but that part is a lot smaller than you might think.
What really makes the difference is the little voice inside our head, which is constantly planting seeds that we will reap later.
What is your voice saying to you? Is it sowing seeds of confidence or seeds of doubt? This might seem like a minor point but it really isn’t.
Over time, our mental dialogue compounds and becomes a hugely influential force on our actions. The successful man knows this and doesn’t waste time in doubting himself.
Develop a strong resolve
Whenever we attempt something new or daring we will almost certainly come up against an obstacle of some sort.
When we are learning how to be a successful man we know this intuitively, and we harden our defenses prior to contact. Inside, we are committed wholeheartedly to the eventual goal, no matter what life throws at us.
Make sure the mission you choose in step one is strong enough to develop a resolve of its own. Once you commit 100% you will be surprised how quickly things can click into place.​
Take pride in your sick work ethic
As much as the unsuccessful masses love a ‘get rich quick’ story it almost never happens that way.
The truth is, you must work harder than everybody around you to be the most successful. By that we mean be the hardest and smartest worker in the room, the city – hell, even the world if you have it in you.
You will reach the top with this mindset, and that’s that. Take pride in the work ethic that makes other people sick. You will reap the rewards forever.​
Be relentlessly persistent and you’ll eventually reach your goal
One major requirement of a disgusting work ethic is the development of persistence.
You must crush everything in your path if you are to reach your goals in the shortest time possible. Grow a thick skin.
Allow only that which is positive and constructive to enter and stay in your mental space.
Become persistent and selective. You will then find you have all the time in the world for what you want to do. This is the way success happens.​
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The ability to get along with people whilst achieving their goals
It doesn’t matter who you are – no one gets there alone. In order to become the successful man you want to be you must develop the skills that allow you to get on with other people.
These include patience, understanding and compassion. The world’s highest-paid comedian Kevin Hart has actually stated that his ability to ‘be cool with everybody’ is the main reason for his extraordinary success.
Perhaps even more important than these three is the sincere desire to help and serve people. When you approach others from a place of integrity you automatically assume the aura of a successful man.
Consequently, they will be much more open to you and your requests. This skill of indirect persuasion will be useful throughout your journey.​
Practice humility because you will need all the help you can get from the people around you.
In close relationship to integrity is the ability to be humble. Many men who we would have once considered successful have fallen into the pride trap. Remember that ‘pride goes before the fall’.
The moment you think you know it all you start losing. People will stop responding to you in a positive way – if not immediately then at some point in the near-future.
Once pride creeps in your days of success and personal satisfaction are numbered. Guard against it always, no matter how much of a successful man you become, and you will continue to spiral upwards in achievement and happiness.
Gain organisational skills because time equates to money
One of the less glamorous traits of the successful man are his impeccable organisational skills. This goes hand in hand with having a mission and a game-plan.
They know what they are doing, who they are seeing and what they are going to say to you long before you seen them come around the corner. It is this very normal, yet often overlooked, skill that gives them their masterly persona, and serene manner.
If you consider yourself disorganised commit to changing this immediately. Purchase a diary or use the calendar function on your smartphone. Start planning your days and make a game of stacking things up.
Life moves fast so you need to take every opportunity you can to make an impact.
Be a Man of Action because You are What You Do.
All the theory and education is useless if we don’t act on it. The most successful men in the world are also the ones who have cultivated their action habit to a ridiculous degree.
Their processing of information is incredible because they have a way of jumping in with both feet. They have literally forced their minds to expand and now have no qualms about doing something out of their comfort zone.
​In fact, most studies suggest that taking action and ‘acting as if’ is the single most important thing we can do for our self-confidence.
The takeaway? Anything you fear you must do. You must push through that initial discomfort to realise its unreality. Once you start to do this your personal growth really begins. For those who get his far, progress is usually rapid.
Bulletproof confidence
All the prior 9 steps to being a successful man culminates in bulletproof self-confidence.
When all the pieces fall into place you won’t hesitate to do something that would have stopped you in your tracks perhaps only weeks before.
You will rarely experience negative emotions and when you do, you will stamp them out swiftly with unhesitating action.
Conclusion
This is the path of mastery. This is the road of the successful man. How do you know when you are there? You will feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
Then it really begins.