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10SkillsYouNeedtoSucceedatAlmostAnything
July30byDustinWax|149Commentsand52Reactions|Featured,Lifestyle|Tags:learning,networking,skill,speaking,success,thinking,writing AdsbyGoogle

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Whatdoesittaketosucceed?Apositiveattitude?Well,sure,butthatshardlyenough.TheLawofAttraction?TheSecret?Theseideasmightactas spurstoaction,butwithouttheactionitself,theydontdomuch. Success,howeveritsdefined,takesaction,andtakinggoodandappropriateactiontakesskills.Someoftheseskills(notenough,though)aretaughtin school(notwellenough,either),othersaretaughtonthejob,andstillotherswelearnfromgenerallifeexperience. Belowisalistofgeneralskillsthatwillhelpanyonegetaheadinpracticallyanyfield,fromrunningacompanytorunningagardeningclub.Ofcourse, thereareskillsspecifictoeachfieldaswellbutmyconcernhereiswiththeskillsthattranslateacrossdisciplines,theonesthatcanbelearnedby anyoneinanyposition.

1.PublicSpeaking
Theabilitytospeakclearly,persuasively,andforcefullyinfrontofanaudiencewhetheranaudienceof1orofthousandsisoneofthemost importantskillsanyonecandevelop.Peoplewhoareeffectivespeakerscomeacrossasmorecomfortablewiththemselves,moreconfident,and moreattractivetobearound.Beingabletospeakeffectivelymeansyoucansellanythingproducts,ofcourse,butalsoideas,ideologies, worldviews.Andyourselfwhichmeansmoreopportunitiesforcareeradvancement,biggerclients,orbusinessfunding.

2.Writing

Writingwelloffersmanyofthesameadvantagesthatspeakingwelloffers:goodwritersarebetteratsellingproducts,ideas,andthemselvesthanpoor writers.Learningtowritewellinvolvesnotjustmasteryofgrammarbutthedevelopmentoftheabilitytoorganizeonesthoughtsintoa coherentformandtargetittoanaudienceinthemosteffectivewaypossible.Giventhehugeamountoftextgeneratedbyalmosteverytransaction fromcourtbriefsandlegislationrunningintothethousandsofpagestothosefootlongreceiptsyougetwhenyoubuygumthesedaysapersonwho isamasterofthewrittenwordcanexpectdoorstoopeninjustabouteveryfield.

3.SelfManagement
Ifsuccessdependsoneffectiveaction,effectiveactiondependsontheabilitytofocusyourattentionwhereitisneededmost,whenitisneededmost. Strongorganizationalskills,effectiveproductivityhabits,andastrongsenseofdisciplineareneededtokeepyourselfontrack.

4.Networking
Networkingisnotonlyforfindingjobsorclients.Inaneconomydominatedbyideasandinnovation,networkingcreatesthechannelthrough whichideasflowandinwhichnewideasarecreated.Alargenetwork,carefullycultivated,tiesoneintonotjustabodyofpeoplebutabodyof relationships,andthoserelationshipsaremorethanjustthesumoftheirparts.Theinteractionsthoserelationshipsmakepossiblegiverisetoinnovation andcreativityandprovidethesupporttonurturenewideasuntiltheycanberealized.

5.CriticalThinking
Weareexposedtohundreds,ifnotthousands,oftimesmoreinformationonadailybasisthanourgreatgrandparentswere.Beingabletoevaluatethat information,sortthepotentiallyvaluablefromthetrivial,analyzeitsrelevanceandmeaning,andrelateittootherinformationiscrucialand woefullyundertaught.Goodcriticalthinkingskillsimmediatelydistinguishyoufromthemassofpeoplethesedays.

6.DecisionMaking
Thebridgethatleadsfromanalysistoactioniseffectivedecisionmakingknowingwhattodobasedontheinformationavailable.Whilenotbeing criticalcanbedangerous,sotoocanoveranalyzing,orwaitingformoreinformationbeforemakingadecision.Beingabletotakeinthesceneand respondquicklyandeffectivelyiswhatseparatesthedoersfromthewannabes.

7.Math
Youdonthavetobeabletointegratepolynomialstobesuccessful.However,theabilitytoquicklyworkwithfiguresinyourhead,tomakerough butfairlyaccurateestimates,andtounderstandthingslikecompoundinterestandbasicstatisticsgivesyouabigleadonmostpeople.Allof theseskillswillhelpyoutoanalyzedatamoreeffectivelyandmorequicklyandtomakebetterdecisionsbasedonit.

8.Research
Nobodycanbeexpectedtoknoweverything,orevenatinyfractionofeverything.Evenwithinyourfield,chancesaretheresfarmorethatyoudont knowthanyoudoknow.Youdonthavetoknoweverythingbutyoushouldbeabletoquicklyandpainlesslyfindoutwhatyouneedto know.ThatmeanslearningtousetheInterneteffectively,learningtousealibrary,learningtoreadproductively,andlearninghowtoleverageyour networkofcontactsandwhatkindsofresearcharegoingtoworkbestinanygivensituation.

9.Relaxation
Stresswillnotonlykillyou,itleadstopoordecisionmaking,poorthinking,andpoorsocialization.Sobefailingtorelax,youknockoutatleastthreeof theskillsinthislistandreallymore.Plus,workingyourselftodeathinordertokeepup,andnothavinganytimetoenjoythefruitsofyourwork,isnt reallysuccess.Itsobsession.Beingabletofaceeventhemostpressingcriseswithyourwitsaboutyouandinthemostproductivewayis possiblythemostimportantthingonthislist.

10.BasicAccounting
Itisasimplefactinoursocietythatmoneyisnecessary.Eventhesimplepleasuresinlife,likehuggingyourchild,ultimatelyneedmoneyoryourenot goingtosurvivetohugforverylong.Knowinghowtotrackandrecordyourexpensesandincomeisimportantjusttosurvive,letaloneto thrive.Butmorethanthat,theprinciplesofaccountingapplymorewidelytothingsliketrackingthetimeyouspendonaprojectordeterminingwhether thevalueofanactionoutweighsthecostsinmoney,time,andeffort.ItsashamethatbasicaccountingisntarequiredpartofthecoreK12curriculum.

WhatElse?
SurelytherearemoreimportantskillsImnotthinkingof(whichisprobablywhyImnottellingBillGateswhattodo!)whatarethey?WhathaveI missed?Whatlessonshaveyoulearnedthatwerekeytoyoursuccessesandwhathaveyouignoredtoyourperil?

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DustinM.Waxisacontributingeditorandprojectmanageratlifehack.org.HeisalsoafreelancewriteranduniversityinstructorinLasVegas,NV, whereheliveswithhispartnerandthreechildren.Hispersonalsitecanbefoundatdustinwax.com.

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Dr.Pauldyer 1yearago
Perhapsthemostimportantskillofallisselfinsight.Thisskillhelpsusknowwhoweare,ourstrengthsandneedsforimprovement,aswellasassistsusinunderstandinghowwe'reperceivedby others.Thosewithoutselfinsightveryoftenseetheircareersderailregardlessoftheleveloftheirotherskills.
22peoplelikedthis. Like Reply

LynnBrown 1yearago
Dustinthesetop10skillsareonmylistaswellandveryimportantforbusinessuccess.Althoughmanyofmyclientsseemtohaveahardtime'blending'theirskillssotheyfeelmoreconfidentintaking theactiontheyknowtheyhavetotake.Ithinkitisalsogoodtoknowyouwon'tbeperfectstartingout,andthisisok.Butbepreparedforthat,don'tgivein,don'tcreateexcusesandnever,evergiveup.
11peoplelikedthis. Like Reply

Celltracker 2yearsago
Weshouldallprintthisoffandpasteittoourforeheads.
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Bushrakausar 1yearago
plzhelpmeimastudentofM.aenglishinqurtubauniveristypeshawarihaverecentlyjhontheuniversitybutimfeling2muchdiffcultinmysubjectsoplzplzplzhelpmeinmystudybecauseihaveno

1gudteacherwhoguidmeinmystudymynameissaniaandibelong2chitral
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Vfrankz 1yearago
Theideaofbeingmerepassengersonashipmeanttosailtothefarthestpointsdoesnotappealtopeoplewholiketoputtheirdestinyintotheirownhands.Theyhavethedesireofmaneuveringthe
5peoplelikedthis. Like Reply

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