Secrets to success
It has been argued in different avenues that the meaning of success is relative. To some it means being rich, having a happy family, having a well paying job, owning a blue-chip company (The list is endless). The best meaning of Success that I have come across is that "Success is the completion of anything intended." In other words success is finishing what you planned to do. From this, success doesn’t necessarily mean being number one; it means achieving your target within the intended timeframe.

The difference between those who succeed in life and those who fail are neither the number of shipwrecks nor the severity of the storms. The difference is in their persistence. It takes persistence to complete the journey. Success is a process. It is an incessant refinement of strategy until something finally works. Success starts with goal setting, and then goal setting is followed by action. Neither your goal setting theory nor your actions have to be perfect. A key to success is to start anywhere; over time, your vision will clear and your actions improve.

Some say that success in any profession is due to luck, chance and hard work. There is nothing further from the truth. Many people work incredibly hard and put in long hours, but they are not successful. Hard work certainly contributes to success, but hard work alone will not make you a "top dog" in your trade or profession. So, what is the secret of success? Is it due to luck or chance? Is it due to not working smartly?

Many experts consider that success is an absolute science. That is, there are exact principles of thought and action that all the top performers consistently exhibit.
Here are the 5 main secrets that top performers always have:
1. Top performers know how to give.
High achievers always ask; “How can I provide more value?” “How can I give to others?” “How can I help my team mates?” “How can I satisfy my employer?” “How can I meet the needs of my clients?” “What can I do to make it all better?” Winners always give 100% more than they ask for in return. They have learnt that to achieve they must also be great at giving
2. Top performers build partnerships.
No one in the world knows everything that there is to know, and no one can make it alone. There is just too much to learn and too many things are moving so rapidly that one cannot hope to catch up on their own. Top achievers spend time with other top achievers, because like attracts like. They attend the same events, they eat at the same restaurants, they join the same churches and clubs and they think identically. They say that business and social environment is more important than genes, so choose your relationships and partnerships wisely.
3. Top performers believe in themselves and their abilities.
Winners always believe in advance that they will win and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. One of the mistakes of would-be achievers is the notion that “if I become more skilled in my profession I will succeed”. How many skilled people do you know who are not winning every single day? Two people may go through the same training course and acquire the same skills, yet one becomes a huge success and the other one fails. Could it be due to the individual belief system that each had and the unshakeable conviction that he or she would win.
4. Top performers visualize their desired results.
The world’s most successful entrepreneurs see themselves winning every single day. This applies to business as well as to any other endeavor, such as athletics, sport etc. Visualising, therefore, is one of the keys to realising your goals.
5. Top performers take action as if they had already achieved their goal.
These people think, work, talk, play and take action like the person they want to become. This means looking past current results and focusing, believing and acting as if they had already achieved what they were trying to achieve. Don’t go by your current results, because they will distract you and direct your attention away from your goal.
Success comes to those who operate under the universal laws and timeless principles that have been there from Day 1. Top performers will always be those who understand and utilize these principles better than their competitors. It means that they will win every time.