Maria Bartiromo of CNBC once spoke at a General Electric (GE) women's meeting about--investing, the Fed, inflation and Wall Street. She did a fine job in her presentation, and then was asked the question, "How she has succeeded so well in face of all the prejudices and attitudes toward women on Wall Street?" by one of the "work-life balancers" in the audience. She answered the question succinctly, saying--as a look of real fatigue crossed her face--"I work very, very, very hard."
Maria Bartiromo's new book lists the ten qualities that are the bedrock of enduring success. None of these qualities are dependent on external circumstances. True success comes from the inside, meaning that anyone can have it and anyone can keep it, in good times and bad.
1. Self-Knowledge
Without self-knowledge, nothing else is possible. It's the ability to define for yourself what shape your life will take, and how you will pursue success. Success is not an abstraction. It exists in the context of who you are, where you are, and what you love. The most critical knowledge is self-knowledge.
2. Vision
Vision is the ability to look ahead and see possibility. It is the place where your dreams and your actions come together. Vision may seem like a lofty ideal, but its most important characteristic is focus. The shotgun approach to your life and career almost never works.
3. Initiative
Successful people are always thinking about what they can do to move to the next level. Initiative is the drive to do it--to take the first step, and then the next step, and then the next step.
4. Courage
Courage is the inner fortitude that allows you to overcome barriers and to step up and take a chance, even when it seems impossible.
5. Integrity
Integrity means doing the right thing. And what is the right thing? You'll feel it in your gut.
6. Adaptability
Adaptability is the opposite of complacency. The survivors are always those who can adapt.
7. Humility
Some of the greatest people are also the most humble. Humility doesn't mean being wishy-washy, or letting others run over you in their climb to the top. It's merely the understanding that you're human.
8. Endurance
Since success is fleeting, you can never count on keeping it once you have it. Success is a long march, and you need the tools to endure.
9. Purpose
Having a calling is not reserved just for very special people. We all have a vocation, which transcends the material factors of job, income and lifestyle.
You have to know yourself and follow your heart. Titles, prestige and money are fine, but if you don't love what you do, it's all meaningless.
"No man is born into the world whose work is not born with him." James Russell Lowell
10. Resilience
Life is a seesaw. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down.