10 Ways To Be More Successful

"Sell yourself in three minutes or less--cause that's how long it takes for me to make a decision. The rest is for our entertainment...If I don't respond your email you'll see why. Priority is my fragrance and small talk I am not interested in smelling." - Marquis Phifer

What man doesn't want to be successful? Any man who doesn't should turn in his man card immediately and proceed to the incinerator for disassembly. The keys to success are not pieces of hidden knowledge kept by a secret society nor are they all held within one person like the Keymaker from the Matrix. Everything that a man needs for success and to create the life he's always wanted are within his grasp. I've listed ten helpful tips to get you going in the direction towards fulfilling your goals and making the [positive] impact on the world that you want to make. The most successful men certainly didn't get there on luck or charm alone. We're throwing you a bone to show you how to roll with the big dogs. Check it out below.

1. Time Management - The key to getting ahead is working smarter not harder. Prioritize by keeping a daily schedule or planner, make reminders to yourself for important events, and categorize activities by their importance and urgency and then do them in order from most urgent and most important, to least urgent and least important. You'll find that you have more time to yourself and less time trying to make 28 hours out of 24. This gives you time for planning and rest.
2. Underpromise and Overdeliver - Instead of telling someone that you'll get a project done in three days and taking five to do it, take five days and get it done in three. When you set time and work constraints that are too over-ambitious, you risk setting yourself up for a major failure. By taking more time than is necessary, you will be less stressed about your performance and your superiors will be surprised at your resourcefulness.
3. Maintain Strong Relationships - Building rapports with influential people around you as well as your colleagues sets you up for a potential reference in the future. You never know when you might need connections from someone else, so keep your enemy lists low. Don't be a flatterer or a suck-up, this will only hurt your credibility and can cause others to take you less seriously or see you as a genuine friend. No one likes to be used, but having a set of people you can call on for support at any times is a surefire method to success. It's not always what you know, but who you know.
4. Learn From the Masters - Find out who the best of the best are in your field. Research the strategies and theories they used in their methods and then find things to adopt as well as improve on those strategies. The best only got their by being better than the best. Being well-read and aware of those before you also gives you a chance to find out where you fit in among the competition.
5. Passion - When you love what you do and have a drive to succeed in it, that puts you automatically in front of those who are only in it to win it. Having passion gives your a broader perspective on your area and also makes you more aware of the subtleties others may miss. Passion also makes you more productive because the risk of perfectionism is significantly lowered making you perform better and with less stress.
6. Make Lemonade out of Lemons - Having crucial personal public relations skills is a must. Learning how to resourcefully and smartly turn setbacks into potential triumphs can be the determining factor in a job. Instead of rambling on about your not-so-good relations with your boss as your last job, simply cite your reasons for leaving as "creative differences and a need to pursue my interests in a different environment". No one likes a bad-mouther. You never know what connections your boss has so you definitely don't want to burn any bridges before they're even built.
7. Sell yourself in one sentence - You don't have very long to make a first impression and potential employers are not interested in hearing your life story. Fine tune your personal description into one powerful sentence that highlights your most valuable qualities. It will save you less time than trying to sort through which parts you think will look best.
8. Networking - Creating a portfolio of your work an showing it to important people in your field is the easiest way to get noticed. Don't focus only on what you have to offer, make the effort to build a personal connection with them as well. Employers will appreciate the effort and if you're talented enough, then they will be more than willing to offer you a spot in their ranks.
9. Ask and Ye Shall Receive - If you feel that you deserve a promotion or if you're wanting to take on more responsibilities in your job, then no one's going to read your mind and give them to you. It is ultimately up to you to be your own salesman. Sometimes you have to toot your own horn to get noticed. Just don't overdo it by becoming a braggart or by trying to undercut the accomplishments of others. Nobody likes to be thrown under the bus.
10. Be Flexible - Employers will consider you a more valuable asset if you're willing to adjust your schedule or relocate for them. As opposed to someone with a less flexible schedule, more tasks will be given to you which means more opportunities for you to shine and flex your skills. Also it will earn you a sure spot on a potential employer's team.