To Have Succeeded...

To laugh often and love much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children;

To earn the approbation of honest critics

And endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give ones self;

To leave the world a little better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch,

Or a redeemed social condition;

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm

And sung with exultation;

To know even one life has breathed easier

Because you have lived

This is to have succeeded.

The above philosophical words are author Ralph Waldo Emerson's insightful definition of success. Listed below are mine:

1. Successful People Are Leaders: According to the dictionary, a leader is "One that leads or guides." They don't follow the pack. Whether it's at work, at home or at play, leaders set the pace. And as a result, the pack follows them.

2. Successful People Don't Procrastinate: They make up their minds quickly and move on to the next important matter. They generally don't get bogged down in their decision making process, because they realize how counter-productive that can be.

3. Successful People Are Determined: Regardless of how pleasant and amiable they appear on the surface, below the surface they are dogged and fiercely determined. Tom Cruise is a perfect example of that.

4. Successful People Have Money: While I don't think you have to become a millionaire to be successful, most people do associate successful people with having money. Let's face it, it's hard to be successful when you're worried about how to make your next car payment!

5. Successful People Enjoy Helping Others: No matter how busy they are, successful people give freely of the time they have. Whether it's offering free advice on a business forum or speaking to a group of kids at the local high school, they do what they can to give something back.

6. Successful People Are Generous: It is not unusual for successful people to lavish family and friends with expensive gifts for no reason at all. They truly enjoy giving and making others happy. Elton John is famous for that.

7. Successful People Are Resilient: They have the ability to recover readily, from misfortune or setbacks. That includes illness, depression, adversity, or the like. It's one of their most admirable traits. Think Lance Armstrong.

8. Successful People Like To Read: They generally have an impressive library of books at home. They will read anything that will help them to advance in their profession, become motivated, and improve their lives.

9. Successful People Are Cool Under Pressure. Regardless of what kind of crisis is happening around them, successful people are usually the voice of reason, a calming influence among the chaos. That coolness under pressure is one of the reasons former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani was so highly praised in the wake of 911.

10. Successful People Have A Support Group: This usually includes a mentor, a life coach, a mastermind group and even close personal friends. It's hardly a secret how important Dr. Phil and best friend Gail King are to Oprah. And for years, Tiger Woods had legendary golf coach, Butch Harmon present at every tournament critiquing his golf swing.

11. Successful People Are Focused: They have an eery, laser-like focus of where they want to be and what they want to accomplish. God help you, if you're not on the same page as they are, or if you get in their way. Michael Jordans's focus was both notorious and legendary. This focus can also be described as mental toughness.

12. Successful People Are Adaptable: Regardless of the environment or the circumstances, successful people adapt quicky to their surroundings and thrive without the usual struggles that others encounter.

13. Successful People Refuse To Give Up: I purposely saved this trait for last. Why? Because even though I think the aforementioned 12 traits are important, I believe you can still succeed without them, as long you never quit trying...never give up!

So, are having the the above traits a guarantee of success?

No, unfortunately, there are no guarantees in life. Having said that, show me a person with all 13 of the above traits and I'll show you a highly successful individual!