Achievement orientation

Usain Bolt avoids thinking about his weaknesses before a race. Sometimes he thinks about how he will celebrate if he wins. See: Self-talk

Usain Bolt beating Tyson Gay and setting a 100-meter world record at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany.

Achievement orientation is having a strong inclination and attitude towards the development and validation of one's ability to achieve. A person who exhibits a high achievement orientation is passionate about achieving their goals, life purpose, developing their skills and their overall success in life. Having strong motivation is a prerequisite for having an achievement orientation. It often also involves having a strong set of leadership skills rather than following others.

Factors that are conducive to an achievement orientation are: a desire to meet or exceed a standard of excellence; meeting key performance indicators; self-control; welcoming the feedback of others; a strong desire to continually improve one's performance; interpersonal skills; teamwork skills; risk management skills, and understanding the context of a given situation relative to factors such as an organization's mission and goals, prioritization, and other important factors.

Although achievement involves several factors, "Research consistently shows a strong positive correlation between achievement orientation and success, meaning individuals with a high achievement orientation tend to be more likely to attain their goals and experience significant success in various aspects of life, including career, academics, and personal endeavors; this is because they are driven by a strong desire to excel, set high standards for themselves, and persevere through challenges to reach their full potential." However, excess focus on achievement goal orientation can lead to burnout and a more balanced approach to life can prevent this.

Achievement orientation "in the context of success studies refers to an individual's psychological tendency to strive for accomplishment, excel in tasks, and set high standards for themselves, often driven by a desire to demonstrate competence and achieve success in various areas of life; essentially, it's the mindset of actively seeking out challenges and striving to achieve goals, rather than simply being satisfied with mediocrity."

Key factors for increasing one's achievement orientation

See also: Goal setting and Performance goal and Results orientation and Comfort zone and Self-awareness and Work ethic and Self-motivation and Growth mindset and Mental toughness and Psychological resilience and Positive self-talk and Peak performance

"To increase your achievement orientation, focus on setting clear, specific, and challenging goals, actively seeking feedback, embracing challenges, developing a strong work ethic, tracking your progress, and celebrating your accomplishments, while also learning from setbacks and continuously striving for improvement.

Motivation

See also: Motivation and Self-motivation and Passion (psychology) and Metamotivation and Goal setting and Inspiration (psychology) and McClelland's Need Theory and Books on self-motivation and Action orientation

Motivation or motive (from Medieval Latin motivus, from motus, past participle of movere "move") is the conscious or unconscious drive or need that incites a person to some action, inaction or behavior, providing incentive; often a goal or purpose.

According to Kendra Cherry, MSEd, motivation is "the driving force behind human actions."

Magananimity as a Christian virtue

See also: Courage and Mental toughness and Psychological resilience and Virtue and Purpose

The article The Manly Virtue of Magnanimity notes:

“

The title of this article calls magnanimity a “manly virtue.” By that, I don’t mean that magnanimity is unique to men or that women are not also called to this trait. After all, Witherspoon calls it a Christian virtue. But I do think magnanimity is a virtue particularly befitting to manhood, and that manhood bereft of magnanimity is especially lamentable. When the Apostle Paul enjoined the Corinthians to be strong, to stand firm in the faith, and to “act like men” (1 Corinthians 16:13), he was calling men and women to courage, but he was also embracing the notion that fortitude in the face of opposition is what we associate with manliness. According to Witherspoon, magnanimity entails five commitments: (1) attempting great and difficult things, (2) aspiring after great and valuable possessions, (3) facing dangers with resolution, (4) struggling against difficulties with perseverance, and (5) bearing sufferings with fortitude and patience. In short, the magnanimous Christian is eager to attempt great things and willing to endure great hardships.

”

Proper balance between action orientation and state orientation

The processes involved in the transformation of taking an idea (See: Ideation) to taking action so the idea is implemented.

See also: Action orientation

Action orientation is "a style of responding to dilemmas or conflicts that are characterized by swift, decisive action to achieve mental and behavioral change. Action orientation has been suggested as a key moderator of cognitive control under demanding conditions, such that action-oriented individuals are better able to exert control under high demands than are individuals with a state orientation." (A state orientation is "a style of responding to dilemmas or conflicts that is characterized by prolonged analysis and assessment of alternatives rather than by swift, decisive action. The hesitation of state orientation thus leads to the perseveration of current mental and behavioral states.").

Characteristics of action orientation individuals

According to Leon Ho, founder & CEO of Lifehack, characteristics of action-oriented people include:

“

Proactive and Resourceful: They don’t just wait for opportunities; they create them. Decisive: They make decisions confidently and stand by them. Accountable: They take responsibility for their actions and outcomes. Persistent: They persevere through challenges and setbacks. See: Grit (personality trait) and Persistence Opportunistic: They recognize and seize opportunities. An action-oriented person might steadily climb their career ladder by continuously improving their skills, seeking new opportunities, and taking on leadership roles, leading to promotions and increased influence. Those who take action in starting a business often see growth and success through clear vision and consistent effort.

”

Conscientiousness and achievement orientation

Big Five personality traits model

See also: Conscientiousness and Neoroplasticity and the ability of individuals to change their personality

Conscientiousness is the personality trait of being thorough, careful, consistent, vigilant and self-disciplined. Conscientiousness is positively correlated to a desire to perform a task well. Conscientious people are highly efficient and organized. They also exhibit: achievement-oriented behavior; planning skills; organizational skills; and dependability.

According to Science Direct:

“

For conscientious persons achievement orientation and goal-directedness color both their thoughts and their emotions around information seeking. Their search experience may appear rational and accompanied by fairly neutral emotions, but they may harbor a strong need to feel competent and successful. Conscientious persons are foremost focused on the goal of their search, and so their feelings are often related to reaching – or not reaching – it. If there are obstacles along the way or it takes a long time to find relevant information, they may feel frustrated. When they have solved their information need or feel they are making progress they feel happy and relieved. Conscientious persons have explained that they enjoy information interaction the most when they proceed towards completion of their search, and ‘finally find what [they] look for’, or ‘come across the perfect source’ (Heinström, forthcoming). The distinct focus of their emotions is hence on the outcome, on finding or not finding relevant information as opposed to experiencing gratification in the ongoing process of searching for it. One rational conscientious student describes her feelings in this way: ‘As long as I make progress, I feel I am making efficient use of my time. I get excited if I find exactly what I need or a perfect search term’ (Todd et al., 2005).

”

Benefits of developing conscientiousness

The only major personality trait that consistently leads to general success in life is conscientiousness (People who test high in conscientiousness: get better grades in school and college; earn higher salaries; are happier at work; live longer; commit fewer crimes; stay married longer and tend to be more influential).

Growth mindset and a winning mindset

The human brain is the most complex physical entity in the universe.

See also: Mindset

Mindset is "defined as an “established set of attitudes”, as "the outlook, philosophy, or values of a person”, and “frame of mind, attitude, [and] disposition.” Within her broad research, Carol Dweck defines two types of mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. The defensive mindset on a personal level described above can be linked to the concept of a fixed mindset: an attitude that views intelligence and competences as something static and therefore sees personal challenges and mistakes as threats rather than learning opportunities."

A person's culture, religion, philosophical outlook, worldview, frame of mind, general outlook, and disposition can help determine their mindset.

Growth mindset

See also: Growth mindset and Mindset and Change management and Kaizen and Antifragility and Performance goal and Performance goal quotes

According to Western Governors University: "A growth mindset means that you thrive on challenge, and don’t see failure as a way to describe yourself but as a springboard for growth and developing your abilities. Your intelligence and talents are all susceptible to growth. Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University first talked about the power of mindset nearly 30 years ago. Carol Dweck and her team became interested in the attitude of students when it comes to failure. After studying the behavior of students and children, the term “growth mindset” came about. Simply put, this mindset means that you believe in your ability to become better through hard work, and help from others."

How to develop a winning mindset and a win-win mindset

A healthy, constructive winning attitude often seeks win-win scenarios with others and is not overly competitive.

The Franklin Covey company (related to best-selling author Stephen Covey who wrote the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, indicates: "Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good! (See: Habit 4: Think Win-Win). Having a network of allies makes a person or organization more resilient/antifragile during challenging times and relationships that are win-wing relationships are more enduring.

• The Ultimate Guide to Developing a Winning Mindset
• The Winning Mindset: How to Cultivate a Champion’s Mentality, Talentdrive.com

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." - The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

• Winning Mindset: What Is It And How To Get It? by Dr. Eddie O'Connor
• Five Ways To Develop A Winning Mindset, Forbes
• 11 ways to develop a winning mentality as a professional, Indeed
• 12 Tips for a Gold-Medal Mindset: Learn the Olympic mindset that leads to success.
• How to Use a Winner's Mindset to Become a Champion in the Workplace
• How to Have a Winning Mindset: 15 Different Methods
• 11 Awesome Winning Tips to become a winner in life
• The Mindset of a Winner: How To Think Like a Champion, Growth Forum

Videos:

• How to be a winner - video playlist, video playlist

Win-win relationship articles

• The 5 Parts of a Win/Win Frame of Mind

• Necessary Components of Thinking Win-Win

• The Win-Win Mindset: A Blueprint for Success in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”

• Habit 4 Of Highly Effective People: Think Win Win

Long-term benefits of win-win relationships:

• Why you gain more from win-win situations (And how to do it)

• Relationship Victory — Thinking Win/Win — Requires Consideration and Courage

Having a positive/constructive/winning attitude

See also: Attitude and Optimism and Optimism bias and Intellectual humility

An attitude is a habitual way of thinking or a mental state.

The Los Angeles Times reported concerning a study: "A five year study of 120 of the nation's top artists, athletes and scholars has concluded that drive and determination—not great natural talent—led to their extraordinary success."

Developing a positive/constructive/winning attitude:

• Developing a positive/constructive/winning attitude - Articles/videos

Books about having a winning mindset

• Books about having a winning mindset

Psychology of high achievers

See also: Grit (personality trait) and Goal setting and Self-control and Neoroplasticity and the ability of individuals to change their personality

• What sets high achievers apart?, American Psychological Association on grit and self-control
• The Psychology of High Achievers, Walden University

Mindset of high achievers

• 6 Mindsets of a Great Achiever
• Elevator Up? The Mindset Behind a Champion
• Mindset and Success: How Your Thinking Shapes Your Achievements

Achievement mindset vs. competitive mindset

See also: Motivation and Fear of failure

According to Dr. Desley Lodwick GAICD:

“

It is critical to differentiate between a competitive mindset and an achievement mindset. The former is externally motivated, viewing success as a zero-sum game in which one person's gain is another person's loss. The achievement mindset, on the other hand, is driven by internal motivation, focusing on personal goals and growth rather than the need to outperform others. People frequently misunderstand what competitive thinking is. It is not the same as what we call competition in sports. Instead, it is about how we construct our identities and what motivates our behaviour. It's the difference between comparing yourself to others in order to feel good about yourself and instead having a "personal best" mindset regardless of how others are performing. A competitive mindset is characterised by associating self-worth with winning, a need for external validation, aggressive tendencies, and a pervasive fear of failure.

”

Lifelong learning

See also: Lifelong learning and Knowledge

Lifelong learning means that learning is a process that occurs at all times and in all places. It should be a process of continuous learning that is directed towards not only providing the individual needs, but also that of the wider community."

33% of high school graduates never read another book the rest of their lives and 42% of college grads never read another book after college.

Lifelong learning as a prevention to income growth stalling

In the United States, most people's income growth stalls around 45 years of age because they have stopped learning new work skills and related knowledge.

Work ethic

See also: Work ethic and Building a strong work ethic

The work ethic consists of choosing productive work over unproductive activities, in order to improve the condition of oneself, one's family, and society at large.

Building a strong work ethic

Building a strong work ethic

Self-efficacy

A Venn diagram showing the relationship between self-concept, self-efficacy, and self-esteem.

See also: Self-efficacy and Personal development and Confidence and Self-worth and Agency (psychology) and Problem solving and Skill and Self-concept and Core self-evaluations and Confidence vs. conceit and Hubris and Self-criticism and Mental toughness and Self-control and Motivation and Interpersonal skills and Social intelligence and Peak performance

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997). Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior, and social environment." See also: Interpersonal skills and Social intelligence

Personal development consists of the lifelong activities that: improve a person's capabilities and future potential; build human capital in knowledge and skills, facilitate employability (including self-employment), enhance quality of life, and facilitate the achievement of dreams and aspirations (consider their aims in life and set goals).

Self-efficacy articles and videos

• Why self-efficacy matters
• Building a Culture of Self-Efficacy, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• What is self-efficacy, WebMD
• What is self-efficacy? Definition and 7 ways to improve it
• Self-efficacy, Carlton College
• Improving Self-Efficacy and Motivation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Self-efficacy, ScienceDirect

Videos:

• Self-efficacy - Video playlist

Skill development

"Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.' - King Solomon (Proverbs 22:29)

• Skill development
• Rational thinking
• Evidence-based thinking
• Decision making (See also: Books on decision making)
• Problem solving
• Peak performance
• Deliberate practice
• Accelerated learning
• Reading comprehension
• Writing
• Mathmatical skills (See: How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking)
• Autodidacticism (Self-taught)
• Prioritization
• Time management
• Planning
• Communication skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Interpersonal skills
• Questioning skills
• Agreeableness
• Teamwork skills
• Collaboration skills
• Negotiation
• Organizational skills
• Productivity
• Management
• Team management
• Leadership

Problem solving

• Problem solving and Creative problem solving

• Rationality and Logic and Epistemology

• Critical thinking

• Creativity and Ideation and Brainstorming and Imagination

• Innovation

Emotional intelligence and achievement

The Apollo 11 mission was a NASA project to land a man on the moon.

Video: Charles A. Garfield and Peak Performance (1985) by Charles A. Garfield (Related to insights gathered from the Apollo 11 mission)

See also: Emotional intelligence and achievement and Stress management and Self-regulation and Emotion and Empathy and Social intelligence and Interpersonal skills and Peak performance and Mental toughness and Psychological resilience and Antifragility and Comfort zone and Growth mindset and Motivation and Self-motivation and Decision making

"Research indicates a strong positive correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and achievement, suggesting that individuals with high EI tend to perform better academically and professionally due to their ability to manage their emotions, understand others, and navigate challenging situations effectively, leading to increased motivation, resilience, and better decision-making skills."

Source: Emotional intelligence and achievement

Articles:

• IQ vs EQ for Career Success by Diane A. Safer, PhD, International Honor Society in Psychology
• Why Even Smart People Fail. Lack of achievement drive and emotional intelligence
• Lack of Emotional Intelligence and the Impact on Team Performance (5 Key Areas)

Grit

See also: Grit (personality trait) and Persistence and Self-control and Mental toughness and Goal setting and Growth mindset and Psychological resilience and Essay: Grit, the key to outstanding achievements

Harvard researcher Angela Duckworth isolated two qualities that she thought might be a better predictor of outstanding achievement:

1. The tendency not to abandon tasks from mere changeability. Not seeking something because of novelty. Not “looking for a change.”

2. The tendency not to abandon tasks in the face of obstacles. Perseverance, tenacity, doggedness.

Grit in the field of psychology is a personality and character trait based on a person's passion for a specific long-term goal, coupled with a strong motivation to achieve their objective.

The psychology researcher Angela Duckworth and her colleagues examined grit as a predictor of long-term success. It found that individuals who possess a drive to consistently work through obstacles, failures, and adversity to achieve their goals are significantly better positioned to reach higher achievements. For Ivy League students, Duckworth found that grit was a stronger predictor of success than a person's cumulative GPA.

The clinical psychologist and certified school psychologist Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD describes grit as "the ability to persist in something you feel passionate about and persevere when you face obstacles".

According to Jocelyn K. Glei's article The Future of Self-Improvement, Part I: Grit Is More Important Than Talent:

“

Intrigued by what qualities would most accurately predict outstanding achievement, Harvard researcher Angela Duckworth picked up where Walter Mischel left off. ...Duckworth found that self-control is an excellent predictor of your ability to follow through on certain types of difficult tasks — staying on your diet, studying for a test, not checking your email — but it’s not the most important factor when it comes to predicting success at “extremely high-challenge achievement.” ...Duckworth isolated two qualities that she thought might be a better predictor of outstanding achievement: 1. The tendency not to abandon tasks from mere changeability. Not seeking something because of novelty. Not “looking for a change.” 2. The tendency not to abandon tasks in the face of obstacles. Perseverance, tenacity, doggedness.

”

According to the Character Lab, being gritty means

1. Finishing what you begin.

2. Staying committed to your goals.

3. Working hard even after experiencing failure or when you feel like quitting.

4. Sticking with a project or activity for more than a few weeks.

How to grow grit?

1. Cultivate a growth mindset and optimism.

2. Focus on improving your performance while you are engaging in various endeavors related to your goals.

3. Stay passionate about your purpose.

4. Know when you have achieved your maximum potential in an area and are not quitting due to frustration.

Angela Duckworth

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth - Book summaries

See also: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

• Grit Summary by ForMinutebooks.com

• GRIT BY ANGELA DUCKWORTH | BOOK SUMMARY & PDF

• Grit Book Summary, Review, Notes, GrowThatHabit.com

• Grit by Angela Duckworth by Samuel T. Davis

• Grit Summary, Lilcharts.com

• Book Summary – Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance By Readingraphics

Video summaries:

• Video summaries: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - video playlist

Self-control

See also: Self-control and Self-distancing and Mental toughness and Psychological resilience and Motivation

Self-control is defined by the Meriam Dictionary as "restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires".

Self-control via good habits

• Self-control via good habits

Self-control, willpower and resisting temptation quotes

• Self-control, willpower and resisting temptation quotes

Books of self-control

• Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength
• The Power of Discipline: How to Use Self Control and Mental Toughness to Achieve Your Goals by Daniel Walter

Key factors for achievement

"Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.' - King Solomon (Proverbs 22:29)

See also: Key factors for success

The article 10 Key Factors to Success (And Tips for Measuring Success) indicates these 10 factors for success in life:

1. Having a clear vision and plan. See: Planning

2. Prioritizing your goals. See: Prioritization

3. Acquiring relevant education and skills. See: Skill

4. Cultivating good habits. See: Habit

5. Having a positive attitude. See also: Growth mindset and Optimism

6. Learning from your mistakes. See: How to Learn From Your Mistakes

7. Being open to new things. See: Openness

8. Taking risks. See: Risk management

9. Working hard. See: Work ethic

10. Always being prepared. See: Proactivity

Key factors for success in business

See also: Business and Business ethics and Organizational skills and Planning and Communication skills and Collaboration and Teamwork skills

• What Makes a Business Successful?

• Unlocking The Secret To Business Success: Six Key Factors For New Entrepreneurs, Forbes

• What Defines a Successful Organization?, Harvard Business Review

• 6 Top Critical Key Success Factors In Any Business

• Critical Success Factors

Key factors for success in various business industries/sectors

• Key Success Factors Examples in Various Industries

Key factors for success in sales

See:

• Sales
• Sales training

Goal setting

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

See also: Goal setting and Decision making

Goal setting is the process of taking active steps to achieve your desired outcome.

SMART goals

The acronym SMART goals uses the below set of criteria to ensure that goal objectives are clearly defined and also attainable within a certain time period.

SMART goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-based

Setting smart goals articles

• How to write SMART goals

• SMART Goals

Achievement goal theory

Achievement Goal Theory suggests that a person’s degree of motivation to achieve a goal is influenced by their goal orientation.

The four goal orientations are:

1. A mastery-approach goal orientation has self-improvement and learning as its core focus. The motivation to complete tasks is intrinsic (the pleasure of the task) rather than extrinsic (reward or recognition).

2. A mastery-avoidance goal orientation revolves around preventing failure in acquiring new skills rather than seeking self-improvement.

3. The performance-approach orientation’s focus is on achieving a set extrinsic goal such as a grade on an exam or a top ranking among peers.

4. A person with a performance-avoidance goal orientation will be motivated by the desire to evade embarrassment or public failure.

Videos:

• Achievement goal theory - video playlist, Video playlist

Social influence and achievement goals/orientation

See also: Social influence and Goal setting

The abstract for the 2024 journal article Achievement Goals: A Social Influence Cycle published in the journal Annual Review of Psychology indicates:

“

Achievement goals have been defined as the purpose of competence-relevant behavior. In this respect they connect one of the basic human needs, i.e., competence, to one of society's core values, i.e., achievement. We propose to look at achievement goals through the lens of social influence. We review both the influence that cultural, structural, and contextual factors have on achievement goal endorsement and the influence that endorsing achievement goals allows people to have within their social space. The review allows us to propose a circular model of the influence on and of achievement goals: The culture, social structures, and contexts that are typical of a certain society shape the specific environments in which individuals develop their achievement goals, which in turn has an influence on the expression and circulation of these achievement goals into society, in a social influence cycle.

”

Importance of designing and maintaining a strong organizational culture conducive to high performance

See also: Organizational skills

• 5 Research-Backed Characteristics of a Successful Culture

• 15 Characteristics that Make High Performance Culture

• Good Organizational Culture – 7 Important Characteristics

• 15 Characteristics of (a Healthy) Organizational Culture

• Creating The Perfect Culture For Success: 9 Key Ingredients You Need To Know, Forbes, 2023

• The 8 Elements of Great Company Culture

• Six Characteristics of a Strong Corporate Culture

The Achievement Factors: B. Eugene Griessman's research

See also: The Achievement Factors: Candid Interviews With Some of the Most Successful People of Our Time

Benjamin Eugene Griessman, Ph.D., was an internationally known speaker, professor, executive coach, thought leader on high achievement, Lincoln scholar, playwright, actor and television host.

High achievers manage their time well.

See: Time management

The 1993 book The Achievement Factors: Candid Interviews With Some of the Most Successful People of Our Time by B. Eugene Griessman is a book that focuses on the characteristics of high achievers. In researching the book, Griessman interviewed 60+ people from numerous fields.

Below is a summarized list of what he discovered summarized by coach Bob Starkey:

1. High achievers discover their vocation and their specialty. They find something they love doing. See: Motivation and Passion (psychology)

2. High achievers develop a competency. See: Skill and Self-efficacy

3. High achievers manage their time well. See: Time management

4. High achievers are persistent. See: Grit and Mental toughness and Psychological resilience

5. They channel their needs and desires into their work. See: Motivation and Work ethic

6. They develop the ability to focus and cut out distractions. (See: Prioritization and Cognitive control and Goal setting and Concentration (psychology) and Concentration (Psychology): Book Summaries)

7. "High Achievers Function Appropriately in Their Situations Virtually all the high achievers say that, and a large number of them use the word luck to explain their accomplishments. They also mention the importance of mentors and discoverers and teachers."

8. High achievers perceive opportunities and practice lifelong learning. They learn from others feedback. See: Growth mindset

9. High achievers seize opportunities. See: Results orientation and Comfort zone and Risk and Risk management

Internet archive: Free copy of The Achievement Factors: Candid Interviews With Some of the Most Successful People of Our Time by B. Eugene Griessman

• Free copy of The Achievement Factors: Candid Interviews With Some of the Most Successful People of Our Time by B. Eugene Griessman

Stephen R. Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey

See also: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey (1932–2012) was the author of the best-selling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and other management and business titles.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are:

1. Be Proactive. Proactive as defined by Stephen Covey means that you don't just let life happen to you, and don't respond "by instinct" like a dog.

2. Begin With the End in Mind. See: Problem solving and Planning

3. Put First Things First. See: Prioritization

4. Think Win-Win. See: Interpersonal skills and Negotiation

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. See: Empathy

6. Synergize (Creative cooperation. Working with another/others to create something greater than you could do alone) See: Collaboration skills

7. Sharpen the Saw (Sharpen your skills). See: Self-efficacy and Skills and Lifelong learning

The 7 Habits of Successful People
Habit 1 - Be proactive	Private Victory
Habit 2 - Begin with the end in mind
Habit 3 - Put first things first
Habit 4 - Think win-win	Public Victory
Habit 5 - Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Habit 6 - Synergize
Habit 7 - Sharpen the saw	Renewal

Peak Performance Principles For High Achievers by John R. Noe

And He said to them, 'Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." - Jesus, (Matthew 17:20 NASB)

See also: Peak Performance Principles For High Achievers by John R. Noe and Peak performance

John R. Noe is a Christian author who writes on theological matters and he is also a mount climber.

John R. Noe's book Peak Performance Principles For High Achievers provides 6 attitudes for high achievers:

1. High achievers set no small plans.

2. High achievers are willing to do what they fear. See: Courage

3. High achievers are willing to prepare

4. High achievers are willing to risk failure. See: Risk and Comfort zone and Risk management

5. High achievers are teachable. See: Growth mindset

6. High achievers have heart. See: Motivation

John R. Noe's book Peak Performance Principles For High Achievers: 10 questions that will change your life

See also: Peak performance

In his book Peak Performance Principles For High Achievers John R. Noe offers the following 10 questions that will change your life:

1. Do you really want to be a high achiever?

2. Do you have a strong inner desire to reach out?

3. What matters most to you?

4. What are you willing to invest?

5. How much are you willing to endure?

6. What are you willing to give up?

7. How much responsibility are you willing to assume?

8. Are you willing to start where you are?

9. Are you willing to think for yourself

10. Are you willing to settle for nothing less than your full potential?

The link between optimism and happiness/hope. The link between happiness and success

The smiley, often called a Smiley face, is a symbol often used to express happiness.

See also: Happiness

Research indicates that there is a link between optimism and happiness/hope. In addition, research also indicates that happiness is more apt to lead to success in one's endeavors.

Optimistic salespeople have higher sales and company retention rates

See also: Sales

The Hoffeld Group indicates:

"University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman conducted some interesting research, which was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, on how optimism and pessimism impacts the performance of sales people.

Seligman gave sales people a psychological assessment that measured their level of optimism. Then he evaluated those sales people’s performance over a two year period. The findings were that those sales people who scored high on optimism sold 37% more than their more pessimistic counterparts. What’s more, the sales people who tested in the top tier in optimism had sales production that was 88% higher than those who had scored high in pessimism.

That’s not all. Seligman’s research also revealed that those sales people who had pessimistic mindsets were also 300% more likely to quit the profession of selling than those who were optimistic."

Mental toughness

“The 3 key components for success are as follows: psychological preparedness, physical conditioning, mental toughness.”- Chuck Norris

See also: Mental toughness and 4 C's of mental toughness and Antifragility

According to the company Mental Toughness Partners:

“

Mental Toughness is a personality trait that determines your ability to perform consistently under stress and pressure, and is closely related to qualities such as character, resilience, grit and perseverance. Peter Clough, Professor of Applied Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University and a pioneer on research into Mental Toughness further describes a mentally tough person as “someone who is comfortable in their own skin, can take whatever comes along in their stride and mostly enjoy the challenge”.

”

Mental toughness is often referred to relative to sports and work performance and it is a predictor of success in sports, the workplace and education. Mental toughness is estimated to account for up to 25% variation in performance according to research carried out by Professor Peter Clough and his colleagues (See: MTQ mental toughness assessments). In the workplace, salespeople have high levels of mental toughness compared to other workers.

4C's of mental toughness of the MTQ assessments

See also: 4 C's of mental toughness

The 4 C's of mental toughness of the MTQ Plus assessments and their factors:

• Challenge (Learning from experience - even setbacks are opportunities for growth/learning (See: Growth mindset); Willingness to stretch oneself and take calculated/reasonable risks)
• Control (Emotional control/emotional intelligence - ability to handle one's emotions and others emotions; Life control - believe you can do what you set out to do)
• Commitment (Goal orientation; Achievement orientation and results orientation). See also: Achievement orientation - One of the 8 factors of the MTQ Plus model
• Confidence (Confidence in one's abilities; interpersonal skills confidence)

Sports psychology and mental toughness

• Jones, Hanton, and Connaughton study on mental toughness

• Gucciardi, Gordon, and Dimmock on mental toughness

• The Art of Mental Training - A Guide to Performance Excellence

Growing mental toughness

The abstract for 2013 journal article Mental toughness: what is it and how to build it published in the journal Revista da Educação Física/UEM states:

“

Mental toughness is a term that has been long talked about but often misunderstood. Fortunately, in the past 12 years, researchers have begun to study this phenomenon. Although there are differences among researchers, mental toughness appears to contain four critical attributes including motivation, coping with pressure, Concentration (psychology), and confidence. In terms of developing mental toughness, one way to approach its development is to consider that it is sometimes taught and sometimes caught. Teaching mental toughness involves a deliberate attempt to train specific mental skills (e.g., goal setting, relaxation, focus) whereas sometimes mental toughness is simply caught due to environmental influences (e.g, having a sibling how was older but pushed you to be more competitive and to continually strive to improve). The paper concludes with some suggestions for future research including focusing on the early development of mental toughness as well as developing interventions to test the effectiveness of mental toughness training.

”

Growing mental toughness articles and videos

• Increasing mental toughness articles and videos

Psychological resilience

See also: Psychological resilience and Mental toughness and Antifragility

Psychological resilience according to the American Psychological Association "is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands."

Dan Peña's 10 habits of success

Daniel Steven Peña Sr. is a successful businessman and business coach.

Below are Dan Pena's 10 habits of success:

In 1984, Dan Peña purchased Guthrie Castle in Angus, Scotland from which he has operated several businesses.

1. Practice Daily Affirmations See also: Self-talk

2. Measure What You Do And Improve

3. Success leaves clues

4. Smell the leather

5. Conventional Wisdom is Almost Always Wrong

6. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone. See: Comfort zone and Risk and Risk management

7. Have Laser Beam Focus. See: Prioritization and Concentration (psychology) and Cognitive control

8. Don't Care About What People Think About You. See: Overcoming a fear of social rejection

9. Surround Yourself with Successful People. See: Social influence

10. Take Action

Dan Peña quote

See also: Optimism bias

“Never underestimate how wrong you can be. Even the most careful planning can be overtaken by external events and circumstances.” - Dan Peña, American businessman and business coach

Research on achievement orientation

Journal articles on achievement orientation

• Why I Believe I Achieve Determines Whether I Achieve, Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development, University of Connecticut
• Predicting success in college: A longitudinal study of achievement goals and ability measures as predictors of interest and performance from freshman year through graduation, Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(3), 562–575. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.94.3.562
• The Sustained Effects of Achievement Goal Profiles on School Achievement across the Transition to Secondary School, J Youth Adolesc. 2023 Oct;52(10):2078-2094. doi: 10.1007/s10964-023-01813-7. Epub 2023 Jul 22.
• Relationships Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Learning Engagement, and Academic Adjustment in Freshmen: Variable-Centered and Person-Centered Approaches, Frontiers in Psychology, 01 November 2021. Sec. Educational Psychology. Volume 12 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.767886
• Grit, self-efficacy, achievement orientation goals, and academic performance in University students, International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, Volume 25, 2020 - Issue 1
• Achievement goal profiles and developments in effort and achievement in upper elementary school, British Journal of Educational Psychology. 2017 Jun 13;87(4):606–629. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12167
• Pro-Social Goals in Achievement Situations: Amity Goal Orientation Enhances the Positive Effects of Mastery Goal Orientation, Perspectives of Social Psychology Bulletin. 2018 Aug;44(8):1258-1269. doi: 10.1177/0146167218765745. Epub 2018 Apr 11.
• Predicting student success: Considering social and emotional skills, growth mindset, and motivation, Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy. Volume 5, June 2025, 100080
• Achievement Goal Orientation and Situational Motivation for a Low-Stakes Test of Content Knowledge, American Journal of Pharmacy Education. 2012 May 10;76(4):65. doi: 10.5688/ajpe76465
• Winning Isn't Everything: Competition, Achievement Orientation, and Intrinsic Motivation, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Volume 35, Issue 3, May 1999, Pages 209-238

Education: Achievement Orientation Model (Siegle & McCoach, 2005)

Progress through Education by the Filipino Carlos V. Francisco.

• Achievement Orientation Model (Siegle & McCoach, 2005)
• Achievement Orientation Model (Siegle & McCoach, 2005) (Useful diagram)

Key variables to task engagement and achievement:

1. Possesses adequate skills to perform the task (See: Skill and Self-efficacy)

2. Values the task or outcomes (Meaningfulness)

3. Expects to succeed (Environmental perception. See also: Confidence and Self-efficacy and Positive thinking and Optimism

4. Confident in one's ability to perform the task (See: Confidence and Self-efficacy)

5. Sets realistic expectations and implements realistic strategies to successfully complete goals (Self-regulation)

6. Home, peers and school are important input (See: Social influence)

Limitations of achievement orientation

• Your Need to Achieve by Daniel Goleman, Korn Ferry

Factors which impede achievement

See also: Conscientiousness and Concentration (psychology) and Growth mindset

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." - George Washington

Factors that hinder achievement include:

• Inadequate preparation (lack of study, relying on poor sources of information, etc.). Laziness in upgrading new skills.

• Not setting short-term, intermediate and long-term goals. Not making goal setting and/or goals a priority. Setting your goals too low or unrealistically high.

• Making excuses. See: Excusitis and Rationalization (Psychology)

• Bad company. Hanging out with the wrong crowd. See: Social influence

• Perfectionism. Viewing mistakes as failures rather than having a growth mindset

• Fear of trying new things. See: Overcoming and facing fears

• Fear of failure.

• Not anticipating difficulties or difficult times. See: Optimism bias and Humility and Gratitude

• Getting trapped in the past.

• Being too obedient and unwilling to say "No". Lack of prioritization.

• Getting distracted (See: Concentration (psychology))

• Procrastination and waiting until you "feel" ready. See: Proactive

• Lack of persistence and patience. Wanting it all now. Giving up before you start seeing results. See: Psychological resilience

• Lack of consistency. See also: Consistency - video playlist

• Unrealistic expectations. See: Optimism bias and Work ethic

The power of social influence: Research on how friends, family and society can influence you

See also: Positive social influence

St. Paul defends his preaching (Giovanni Ricco).

The Apostle Paul taught: "Do not be deceived:‘Bad company ruins good morals.’" (1 Corinthians 15:33).

• You’re NOT The Average Of The Five People You Surround Yourself With by David Burkus

• Following the Majority: Social Influence in Trusting Behavior

• Study Shows The Power Of Social Influence: 5 Ways To Avoid The Herd Mentality, Forbes, 2014

• How Herd Mentality Explains Our Behavior

• The Asch Conformity Experiments

Social networking, business networking and connectors in a social network

See also: Social network and Friendship and Social intelligence

A social network "refers to a group of individuals who voluntarily interact on the basis of the interest which they profess for an idea, a problem, a product, etc. A social network may be defined as having three principal elements: consciousness of kind, rituals and traditions of the community and the moral responsibility of the individuals it comprises."

According to Investopedia, "Networking is the exchange of information and ideas among people with a common profession or special interest, usually in an informal social setting." Business networking is networking for business purposes.

Articles on social networking, business networking and connectors in a social network:

• Social networking, business networking and connectors in a social network
• Business networking

Book on social networking

• Friend Of A Friend . . .: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Your Career by David Burkus, ‎Harper Business (May 1, 2018)

Relationship building skills

See: Relationship building skills

The power of surrounding yourself with high achievers with good character

See also: Social network

A fictional social network diagram

The power of surrounding yourself with high achievers

• How Surrounding Yourself With High-Achievers Can Improve Your Performance, Forbes

• The Power of Surrounding Yourself with People Who Are Doing Better Than You by Scott Joseph

The power of surrounding yourself with people with good character

• Bible verses on surrounding yourself with godly people

• How to surround yourself with good people

Show me your friends and I will show you your future

• Surround Yourself with Successful People

• Show Me Your Friends and I Will Show You Your Future

Achievement oriented leadership

See also: Achievement oriented leadership

Achievement oriented leadership is a leadership style where the leader encourages subordinate growth and progress by setting goals that are challenging or at the highest level possible.

Achievement-oriented leadership articles

• Achievement oriented leadership, CEOpedia
• What Is an Achievement Oriented Leader?, AllNewBusiness.com
• Achievement Oriented Leadership – A Complete Guide
• Achievement-Oriented Leadership: Your Guide to Team Success
• Achievement Oriented Leadership: How to Lead with it
• Achievement Oriented Leadership Tactics & Benefits

Sales and achievement orientation

See also: Sales

Harvard Business Review indicates about success in selling: "Eighty-four percent of the top performers tested scored very high in achievement orientation. They are fixated on achieving goals and continuously measure their performance in comparison to their goals."

Risk management

See also: Risk management

Risk management is "the continuing process to identify, analyze, evaluate, and treat loss exposures and monitor risk control and financial resources to mitigate the adverse effects of loss." It is an organized method of identifying and measuring risk and developing, selecting, and managing options for handling these risks.

Revenue diversification and businesses

• Revenue diversification and businesses

Importance of taking risks in life

See also: Risk and Comfort zone and Optimism and Optimism bias

Part of reaching goals, making progress and mental toughness is stretching yourself to reach your goals which involves taking calculated risks.

The article Benefit from taking risks states:

“

You never really know what you're capable of until you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. When you take risks, you learn more about your strengths and weaknesses. This self-knowledge can be invaluable in both your personal and professional life. Taking risks can lead to new opportunities. If you're always playing it safe, you're likely to miss out on new opportunities. Sometimes, the only way to get what you want is to go for it. Even if you don't succeed at first, taking risks can open up doors that you never would have thought possible.

”

Articles on the importance of taking risks in life

• Benefit from taking risks
• Tired of playing it safe? Learn how to take risks that pay off
• Why Risk-Taking Is Required To Achieve Your Goals, Brian Tracy International
• Is Appetite For Risk Taking An Indicator Of Your Future Success?
• If You Want to Increase Your Success Rate, 2x Your Failure Rate
• The Benefits of Taking Risks, MorningCoach
• Breaking Out of the Routine: The Importance of Adventure in Life
• Importance of Taking Risks, South Dakota State University

Quote

"If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate." - Thomas J. Watson, the former CEO of IBM, who helped grow the company in its glory days.

Taking care of one's spiritual/physical/mental health and achievement

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." - Proverb

See also: Character and Virtue and Self-care and Academic performance and nutrition and Cognitive decline and diet and Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health risks

Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health.

One's spiritual/physical/mental health does affect how much energy one's ability to learn, one's energy level, and one's achievement levels in life.

Jim Loehr, EdD., is a world-renowned performance psychologist and C-Suite Leadership Coach who has worked with hundreds of world-class performers from the arenas of sport, business, medicine and law enforcement, including Fortune 100 executives, FBI Hostage Rescue Teams, and military Special Forces. Best-selling author Tim Ferris states concerning Jim Loehr: "From his more than 30 years of experience and applied research, Dr. Loehr believes the single most important factor in successful achievement, personal fulfillment, and life satisfaction is the strength of one’s character. He strongly contends that character strength can be built in the same way that muscle strength is built—through energy investment."

See also:

• Virtue

• Sanctification

• Repentance

• Academic performance and nutrition

• Cognitive decline and diet

• Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health risks

Jim Loehr on energy management

For Thomas Aquinas, the ultimate goal of one's life is union with God. And Aquinas indicated that ethical behavior is essential for achieving this goal.

• Dr. Jim Loehr on Mental Toughness, Energy Management, the Power of Journaling, and Olympic Gold Medals by Tim Ferris
• Managing Your Energy

Videos:

• Jim Loehr and energy management

Articles on character development

See also: Character and Virtue

• Spotlight: Build Character Each And Every Day, Yale University
• How to Develop a Strong Moral Compass, VeryWellMind.com
• Seven Strategies for Character Development
• Three Things That Influence Our Character, Greater Good Magazine
• What is character, Character Lab
• Five Ways to Build Your Character
• Critical Success Factor: Developing a Moral Character to Achieve Greatness

Videos:

• Character and virtue development - video playlist, Video playlist

Jonah complex

See also: Jonah complex

The Jonah complex is the: fear of success; fear of change; fear of personal growth, fear of reaching one's potential; fear of achieving one's aspirations and dreams; and fear of meeting one's social and God-given responsibilities (golden rule, etc.).

The Jonah complex may interfere with an individual's achievement orientation and hinder a person's ability to achieve organizational/societal aims and goals.

Recommended books

• The Achievement Factors: Candid Interviews With Some of the Most Successful People of Our Time by B. Eugene Griessman, Omni Media; 1st edition (November 1987)

• On the Journey to Achievement by John Patrick Hickey, Motivational Press, Inc. (January 21, 2015)

• There Are No Limits: Breaking the Barriers in Personal High Performance by Danny Cox, Career Pr Inc; Authorized edition (January 1, 1998)

• The Achieving Society by David C. McClelland. Martino Fine Books (December 10, 2010). (Reprint of a 1961 book)

Christian authors

• Peak Performance Principles by John Noe, Frederick Fell Publishers (June 1, 2005)
• No Limits: Blow the CAP Off Your Capacity by John Maxwell, Center Street; Large type / Large print edition (March 7, 2017)

Journal articles

• Achievement orientation, Science Direct
• Grit, self-efficacy, achievement orientation goals, and academic performance in University students, International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, Volume 25, 2020 - Issue 1
• Winning Isn't Everything: Competition, Achievement Orientation, and Intrinsic Motivation, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Volume 35, Issue 3, May 1999, Pages 209-238

See also

• Achievement related articles
• Quotes on achievement
• Results orientation
• Growth mindset
• Mental toughness
• Leadership
• Transformational leadership theory
• Management
• Meritocracy
• Sport psychology

Essays:

• Quantifying a winning mindset
• Grit, the key to outstanding achievements
• The power of upgrading your social network and reading excellent works

External links

• Achievement orientation: the secret weapon for meaningful impact
• 4 Things High Achievers Do Differently, Harvard Business Review, 2023
• Getting Into The Mindset Of A Top Achiever, Forbes, 2022
• Achievement orientation: the leaders and C-Suite’s secret weapon for meaningful impact
• The Secret Skills of High Achievers, Korn Ferry

Videos:

• Achievement orientation - video playlist