Photo by Dino Reichmuth on Unsplash

What do successful people believe in? Ghostwriter & speaker Jeff Haden tries to answer this question with ten examples of ordinary beliefs that lie at the core of successful types. You wouldn’t believe how many simple-yet-crucial things most of us overlook.

According to the influencer, these ten beliefs are not to be ignored if you’re aiming for the stars: 1) success is only inevitable in hindsight; 2) you can choose choose yourself; 3) your role is to serve; 4) you’ll win through persistence; 5) doing things no one else is willing to do; 6) making lasting connections; 7) strategy is important… but execution is everything; 8) real leadership is determined over years, not moments; 9) work comes first and payoff comes later… often much later; 10) you’ll write your own slice of history.

#2 is easily the most compelling point of all. Choosing who you are – instead of letting others dictate your purpose in this world – is by far the most important trait one needs in order to do well for themselves.

What Haden has to say about it in detail is even more interesting. He notes that not too long ago you had to sit on the edge of your seat waiting to be discovered, accepted, promoted, etc. In today’s connected world, you can grab the attention of any CEO with the appropriate social networking tinkering, email, blogging, posting art online, etc.

That’s huge! And yet we take it for granted every day. In fact, we ignore this ability so much that most of us don’t even use it. Think about that the next time you’re complaining to your friends about not finding a job. As Haden Himself notes, “The only thing holding you back is you–and your willingness to try.”