I want to tell you the most common characteristics of highly successful people.
I’m not talking about Elon or Bezos or anyone like that. I mean, maybe your goal is to be a billionaire but I’d rather learn from those who are just like me and you.
I’ve been a coach for a long time. In fact, my first job ever was as a tennis coach.
Anyway, when I started as a nutrition coach I was making $50 per week working for a company that shall remain nameless.
While the ending wasn’t pretty, it was actually a great experience. First of all, it taught me what not to do, as a coach. Second of all, I was able to look at thousands and thousands of data points. So I learned a lot.
Since starting POP 5 years ago, we’ve successfully coached thousands of individuals, so my sample size is pretty vast.
Unfortunately, with the company I used to work for, I’ve witnessed thousands of failure stories.
I’ve witnessed the extremes of success and failure.
Fortunately with POP, I’ve witnessed thousands of success stories. Now, not every individual who has come through POP since our inception has achieved their goals. But our success rate is pretty damn high.
The point is simply that I’ve seen both sides. And I’ve seen both sides on a massive scale.
Yesterday, I got two very different messages from separate people who joined our two week free trial for our POP Essentials program.
The first person said … “I am blown away at how amazing this program is! I joined the trial expecting it to be just another cookie cutter program and was pleasantly surprised at how much care and attention is given to this group! The workouts are amazing, the nutrition support is excellent, and the resources are so helpful! I listen to your podcast and love your whole philosophy. I just wanted to say thank you for doing this, Mike! I wouldn’t have joined without the free trial but I’m staying for the full program!”
The second person said … “I find this to be so overwhelming. I just want to cancel before I waste any more of my time or yours.”
Same exact program. Same entry point. Wildly different perspectives.
I was on a call with my client success team and I was sharing these comments with them. Just as a reminder that not everyone is going to be for us and we’re not going to be for everyone. I couldn’t help but think about the differences.
It stayed with me last night and when I woke up and sat outside with my coffee I started thinking about the characteristics of successful people.
Quick note: I don’t want it to seem like I’m saying the person who cancelled won’t be successful. If something isn’t a good fit, it’s best to move on. I’m simply saying that success leaves clues and I’ve seen patterns form over the years as to what makes people successful in their pursuits.
That’s the lens I’m using.
What we’ve learned from thousands of success stories
So here are the top 10 characteristics of highly successful people when it comes to achieving their body composition goals (or any goal for that matter).
1. They don’t need to have it all figured or have their “ducks in a row.” They just start. They recognize there’s a problem they want solved and they jump in without needing to feel “ready.” A lot of the people in our success stories are immediate action takers.
2. They take it one step at a time. Feeling overwhelmed is often a result of thinking everything needs to be done all at once and right now. Successful people micro step their way to success. What’s the one thing I can do right now? Cool, that’s where I’m going to begin.
3. They ask questions. Should seem obvious but when they don’t know something or can’t figure something out, they ask! They don’t throw their hands up and say … I don’t know how to do this, I quit!
4. They keep showing up. They are persistent, resilient, and don’t allow one poor decision or one bad day to ruin it all for them. In fact, their setbacks make them stronger because they learn from them.
5. They count their wins, no matter how small. They find little wins in the process and acknowledge them. It helps them to find joy in the process.
6. They are willing to do things differently. They recognize that their way hasn’t gotten them to where they want to be so they are open minded and have a willingness to change their approach.
7. They have a deep understanding of what their goals mean to them. They have a strong connection to their goals (better example for their kids, don’t want to struggle with aging like their parents, want to be active for their grandkids, want to feel confident in their own skin, know how much every area of their life would improve, etc).
8. Their priorities match their espoused values. They don’t question the investment in themselves because their words and actions are aligned. Misalignment is when you say how important and meaningful something is and then you have 17 other expenses that get prioritized over your own well-being.
9. They never go at it alone. Not only do they value support, guidance, and accountability, but they also understand the mental stress that’s removed by having a coach. The opposite of that is when someone thinks … I’m so busy and have a lot on my plate so I can’t do this right now. Successful people know that’s the EXACT reason you should do it. Offloading mental energy and freeing up time by having someone make the process more efficient for you.
10. They view it as a forever change, not a temporary fix. They know they want their results to last a lifetime so they approach the process that way. That doesn’t mean they don’t get frustrated or want things to happen quicker. They simply have the ability to remind themselves that they’re in this for life. They have a process for re-centering themselves and continuing to play the long game.
I could keep going but I think 10 is enough.
You can CHOOSE to be one of our success stories!
Now, the good news is … all of this can be learned and applied. It’s not a matter of … you either have it or you don’t.
When I first started on my journey, I was probably 0 for 10. I guess maybe 1 for 10 because I was persistent. Or stubborn lol.
But I quickly learned that I had to change my ways if I wanted to change my results.
You might react when reading that list. You might see something and think … “he just doesn’t understand my situation.”
Maybe I don’t. Or maybe that reaction is telling you something. Maybe you need to sit in that uncomfortable feeling and explore. Maybe pushing it away is the exact thing that’s holding you back.
Maybe.
Or you can completely ignore it and hope for the best.
Either way is cool with me. I just want to help you succeed.
