I have been lucky in my professional life to have met and worked with some very successful investors. While I have found each to be different in personality, style and even investment philosophy, there are some attitudes, traits and perspectives that are shared among the most successful investors I have had the privilege to have met.  Thinking  back  to  many  interesting discussions I have had with these people… some  of  whom  are  my  most  loyal  and respected  clients…  there  are  several statements  that  we  often  hear  in  our everyday professional lives which I have not heard from this group of achievers. This is what separates them from the rest.

“I hate (insert anything) … “

I have rarely heard my successful investors project a negative stance about anything in their professional life. This is not to say that they support every philosophy, concept or idea and they will also not accept an occurrence which is contrary to what they think should have happened. But instead of expressing such a negative emotion as hate, they continue to think positively and seek positives from a situation or take a positive approach to remedying that which they do not agree with. As a result, the dialogue is always positive, creating an environment positivity, proactivity and energy directed towards progress. Taking this approach also helps to create a pleasant, purposeful and fruitful environment in which to work and helps to maintain or even build esteem and confidence among those that can contribute to achieving exceptional results. It promotes objectivity, focus and decisiveness.

“That’s not fair”

The world is not a fair place never has been and never will be, and successful investors understand, embrace and accept that. This allows them to be immune from the negativity that can arise when an individual feels hard done by or cheated.  It  also allows them to plan, create contingencies and  maintain  a  positive  attitude  when a  seemingly  unfair  occurrence  occurs resulting in a greater chance to respond to a situation rapidly and appropriately rather than dwelling on the fact that an occurrence was “unfair”.

“That’s not how it’s done here”

An open mind is essential to develop, progress and eventual success. Successful investors will embrace new ideas and innovation.  To not realise that progress is created from ingredients consisting of past experience and innovation is to rely too heavily on tried and true practices that gradually lose relevance over time. This form of decay has destroyed entrepreneurs, global corporations and even whole economies and societies. With globalization, the world has become a much smaller place. To not embrace, improve and implement world’s best practice and only holding close what you are comfortable is the biggest threat to creating continued success.

“I am a self-made man”

Nobody has ever made it on their own. It was once thought that the iconic, independent, totally  self-sufficient,  unchallengeable, silent-type, hard-nosed entrepreneur who left  metaphorical  bodies  in  his  wake  as he  doggedly  climbed  the  mountain  of success was the role model that should be emulated by all who craved achievement. Many have tried and they all failed. No-one can achieve success on their own.  As a matter of fact, the most successful people I have met have surrounded themselves with successful people and ensured that those people shared in their success. They seek opinions, listen carefully, discuss intelligently, consider alternatives and have their decisions reviewed. They reward those who contribute to their achievements and help them succeed as well for this is also a valuable way to learn and build momentum at the same time.

“That’s impossible”

Successful  people  know  that  nothing  is impossible and hold the belief that every problem  has  a  solution,  some  of  which just haven’t been thought of yet. Anything is possible as long as there is a willingness to  explore,  question  and  challenge  and imagination  is  intensely  applied  and ingenuity  is  rewarded.  Achievers do not complain about obstacles. They embrace them so as to gain an understanding as to how they can be overcome for they truly believe that nothing is insurmountable. Negative words like “can’t,”  “won’t,” and “impossible” are never heard from the mouths of successful individuals. They know complaining will not help them, but actually doing something about the issue at hand will.

“I could have”

Could have… would have … should have. We have all heard these expressions of retrospective folly. Experts in hindsight have no place at the table of successful people and regret is a fruitless and pointless emotion. Successful people thrive on opportunities not lost opportunities. If they cannot make one opportunity work to their satisfaction, they move on and find another opportunity. Regret simply slows down the effective pursuit of the next great opportunity.

“I have no choice”

Victims have no choice. Successful investors create alternative solutions to every problem and will carefully consider all of them. In this way, successful investors are never victims for they create an environment filled with choices. Then it’s just a matter of deciding which choice represents the best way forward. Successful investors know how to create opportunities where normal people think none seemingly exist.  Successful investors believe that opportunities always will exist, but they are hidden in the recesses of our individual and collective imaginations.  The reason why they are successful is largely due to their determination and ability to extract those opportunities, while others are stagnating in the belief that they don’t exist!!