Istherea“successpersonality”—somewinningcombinationofqualitiesthatleadsalmostinevitablytoachievement?Ifso,exactlywhatisthatsecretsuccessformula,andcananyonedevelopit?AttheGallopOrganizationwerecentlyfocusedindepthonsuccess,probingtheattitudesof1500prominentpeopleselectedatrandomfromWho’sWhoinAmerica.
Ourresearchfindsoutanumberofqualitiesthatoccurregularlyamongtopachievers.Hereisoneofthemostimportant,thatiscommonsense.Commonsenseisthemostprevailingqualitypossessedbyourrespondents.Seventy-ninepercentawardthemselvesatopscoreinthisquality.And61percentsaythatcommonsensewasveryimportantincontributingtotheirsuccess.Tomost,commonsensemeanstheabilitytopresentsound,practicaljudgmentsoneverydayaffairs.
Todothis,onehastosweepasideextraideasandgetrighttothecoreofwhatmatters.ATexasoilandgasbusinessmanputsitthisway:“Thekeyabilityforsuccessissimplifying.Inconductingofmeetinganddealingwithindustry，reducingacomplexproblemtothesimplesttermishighlyimportant.”Iscommonsenseaqualityapersonisbornwith,orcanyoudosomethingtoincreaseit?Theoilman’sansweristhatcommonsensecandefinitelybedeveloped.
Heattributeshistolearninghowtodebateinschool.Anotherwaytoincreaseyourstoreofcommonsenseistoobserveitinothers,learningfromtheir—andyourown—mistakes.Besidescommonsense,therearemanyotherfactorsthatinfluencesuccess:knowingyourfield,self-reliance,intelligence,theabilitytogetthingsdone,leadership,creativity,relationshipswithothers,andofcourse,luck.
Butcommonsensestandsout.Ifyoudevelopthesequalities,you’llsucceed.AndyoumightevenfindyourselflistedinWho’sWhosomeday.
