Several years ago, I was doing some heavy reflecting on success. During this time I was in prayer, and my prayer was not just to be successful, but I wanted to live a life where I was making a positive difference in the lives of others.
The word “success” is talked about a lot. The question comes up—is real success making it to the top, making a bunch of money, winning awards or is it something else?
I believe that success certainly includes all those things and more but as time has gone on for me, I have learned that true success is making a positive difference in other people’s lives. Zig Ziglar said it best, “You can have everything in life that you want if you help other people get what they want in life.”
I believe it should be a goal for all of us to do well for ourselves, but also make a positive difference in the lives of others. Today, I would like to share with you some traits of successful difference makers.
1). They work hard and smart.
There is no such thing as easy success. There are no shortcuts. Making a difference takes a lot of hard and smart work. If you are not willing to make a 100% commitment and do whatever it takes to become successful, the likelihood of you making a positive impact on anyone is very slim.
2). They have consistency and never give up.
It takes hard work to achieve long-term success. Unfortunately, there are many life-changing stories that never get written because people just give up. Success comes to those who have the will to outlast everyone else. Because they stick to it, they become an example to others to help them bring about a positive change.
3). They have a genuine love and concern for people.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an introvert or extrovert, you can make a difference in the lives of others. If you get passionate about success and passionate about helping others, you will become a great example and help others see positive change in their lives.
The reality is you could not make a difference in someone’s life, if you are not interested in them.
4). They are problem solvers.
Life is full of obstacles and challenges. The road to success is always under construction. Difference makers view challenges as opportunities.
Problems are a fact of life, but instead of complaining about them, the difference makers look for solutions. Problems create opportunities for learning, growth, and development.
5). They always look to improve.
Once you stop growing, you start shrinking. No matter what level we achieve, it’s very important to understand there is always room for growth. Difference makers understand that they never arrive. They are on a success journey always looking to improve. They are humble and realize they can learn from anyone.
6). They make it happen.
There are three types of people in this world: people that make it happen, people that watch it happen, and people that wonder what happened.
Difference makers consistently seek to over deliver in their relationships by practicing active listening. They always look for the good in others. They are very encouraging and they have the philosophy that the best leadership is leadership through serving.
I am truly thankful for the blessings I have received, especially working with Retriever merchant solutions. I truly believe that we are fortunate to be a blessing to others.
Each of us have been blessed with many gifts. Use your gifts to make a difference. Choose to be a positive impact in the lives of other people. It is truly an incredible gift that you receive when you are doing this. To know that you have made a positive difference in the life of someone else is an amazing feeling.
Have a super fantastic week, and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Rich Norton
