When it comes to professional success, people only need to have one of two goals: to make money or make a difference. Some people do both; however, plenty of self-confident people brimming with high self-esteem have never had a chance at professional success. For one reason or another — and often from no fault of their own — the opportunities and milestones do not present themselves. Regardless, everyone can strive to have more control over their personal success.

The Look of Personal Success

Many more goals are set to achieve personal rather than career success. The goals set usually include the following: family, quality-of-life, friendships, health, creative endeavors, financial, and long- and short-term steps. While many of those categories blend into one another, it should be clear enough that once you figure out what your personal goals are, you’ll probably never find another person with the same set.

When it comes to personal success, you need to have equal parts of self-confidence and self-worth. Unless you believe at your core that you are capable of a successful life (self-worth), you won’t take the chances, make the decisions, and act in the way necessary to achieve that success (self-confidence). Since neither personal success nor the goals to reach it are created equal, it’s important not to compare yourself to others.

Famous People and Personal Success

Look at the rap producer and superstar Dr. Dre. He made millions with his music and became world-famous. He also made billions somewhat quietly by creating and selling his Beats headphones company. Is either example a more important personal success? It’s only up to him to decide.

Or look at Donald Trump. He rose to be the President of the United States. Although he was a huge business tycoon before that, he had far less success with marriage. Does that make him any less personally successful? He’d have to answer that question. The truth is — neither Dr. Dre nor Donald Trump present themselves as people who lack self-confidence or doubt their self-worth, even in the face of occasional setbacks.

Achieving Personal Success

While nobody’s life is perfect, and personal success is different for all of us, there are still some common traits found with people who deem themselves successful:

1. They know what they want.

   If a family isn’t important, they make no apologies. If being famous is more important than being rich, they own it. If they’ve decided to forego security in the long-term for excitement today, they tell you. Having confidence in their choices went a long way to helping them achieve their personal success.

2. They believe in themselves.

   Some pray; others look at things logically or look at their history to predict their future. Still, in all cases, they have developed a technique to internally tell themselves that they are capable of achieving their personal goals. Positive self-talk is crucial for personal success.

3. They go after what they want.

   People who want to get married don’t sit at home waiting for love to come to them. Singers don’t wait for their talent to be noticed — they know they won’t be discovered if they don’t work hard. People who want to become doctors and lawyers know they have to study hard to make it in their career field. It takes time, planning and sacrifice to meet personal goals. Those who lack confidence focus on knowing there are no guarantees in life and stop their progress toward personal success before they even start.

4. They build on their successes.

   One of the best ways to build self-worth and self-confidence is to score a victory and build upon it. People who haven’t dated anyone for two years but finally do after three are proud that they broke back into the scene. Their confidence also proves that their personal goal of becoming a reliable and loving spouse is reachable.

I hope you have enjoyed this series about looking at all areas of a life where self-confidence and self-worth play major roles. All self-improvement comes from the self; that personal spark or desire that keeps you excited about getting up in the morning.

I have worked with many people and helped them develop a deeper feeling of self-worth and a higher sense of self-confidence. If you feel like you need a boost, contact me. Together, we’ll build both to a level that guarantees you will find the career you want, the success you desire and the happiness you crave.