Long-term success is never an accident.
No one ever woke up in the morning to career or financial success without putting years of hard work into it.
Do you know that one of the indicators that can highlight who is likely to become successful and who isn’t is language?
Now, I’m not talking about positive self-talk or motivational platitudes.
I’m talking about understanding that what we say is a reflection of our dedication to our careers as well as to our financial aspirations.
Nike really did get it right when it created the Just Do It marketing campaign because that's the mindset and the word choices that all successful people share.
So, here are three things that successful people never say.
1. It’s not my fault
Have you ever been in a meeting when a problem has been discussed, but no one is prepared to take ownership of it?
Perhaps, a special sales campaign didn’t work or there was a crucial step missed in a new software program.
Regardless of the issue, there is usually someone who should admit they made a mistake.
The most successful people are not afraid of owning up to their boo-boos, which are likely uncommon at the best of times.
The reason why they’re prepared to accept responsibility is because they choose to always be accountable for their actions.
Not only does this create a sound “lead by example” philosophy, it also allows them to learn from their mistakes.
2. This is the way it’s always been done
The extraordinary rate of technological change today means that processes can become outdated very quickly.
A number of global companies have been caught out, Kodak for example, because they weren’t able to adapt quickly enough.
In work environments, using the above phrase is always a signal that an employee or potentially a company is on the way out.
When businesses become lazy and resistant to change, the writing is usually on the wall.
Rather than assessing how to evolve, they remain stubbornly stuck in their glory days, which are long gone.
Successful people are always looking ahead, while also learning lessons from the past.
3. It’s not fair
Everyone knows that life isn’t fair.
Saying it’s not fair suggests that you think life is supposed to be fair, which makes you look immature and naive.
There are better ways of wording it.
For instance, you could say, “I noticed that you assigned Frank that big project I was hoping for. Would you mind telling me what went into that decision? I’d like to know why you thought I wasn’t a good fit, so I can work on improving those skills.”
4. That’s not in my job description
We’ve all probably had colleagues who regularly use this phrase.
They are often people who have stayed in the same role at the same company for decades and decades.
They have no ambition to move up the ladder there or anywhere else, which ultimately means they wind up doing the bare minimum each working day.
If someone dares to ask them to do something that isn’t in their job description, which is possibly laminated on the wall of their cubicle, they quickly point out that fact.
Successful people, on the other hand, always put their hands up for additional work as well as duties above their pay scale.
They do this because they are keen to learn, to advance their careers and they know that showing initiative will ultimately be rewarded.
However, rather than making a big song and dance about working outside of their job description, they use the opportunity to upgrade their skills and knowledge, rather than purely seeking a financial reward.
