Productivity
The 5 surprise personality traits that can help you succeed
Being modest, supportive or diplomatic may not be the first traits that spring to mind when it comes to success, but they can make a massive difference if you want to reach the top. Here's how.
Think of the world’s most successful people. People like Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk. Love him or loathe him, it’s easy to spot a dynamic, go-getting style, with success built on incredible hard work, innovation and ‘straight talking’, but this approach is far from being the only way to the top. It takes all sorts of different, often more subtle, traits to be truly successful and the Red Bull Wingfinder personality test has discovered that the world’s best athletes demonstrate plenty of different strengths and weaknesses in getting to the top of their respective disciplines.
These strengths and weaknesses could also help you to get ahead in your own life, even if you’re quieter, more laid-back, diplomatic or supportive of others. So sit back and read on as we take a look at five of the more surprising personality traits that could help you to succeed, wherever you are and whatever you do in life.
1. Modesty
Modesty is a trait that’s easily associated with humble, quiet people – the type of person you may not expect to work their way to the top. You’d be wrong, as there are plenty of elite athletes – including former F1 ace Mark Webber – who've used their modesty to achieve great success.
There’s a reason for that; modest people are generally down-to-earth and respectful of others, but it’s the fact they’re unlikely to underestimate problems and have a natural ability to sense risk that can really help them to get ahead in the world. If you’re modest, you have an awareness of who you are and who you’re not, and being able to know your capabilities and aim to do your very best means you’re likely to set and achieve realistic goals.
2. Diplomatic
We’ve seen plenty of people get to the highest positions in life despite personality traits that are the complete opposite of diplomatic, but sometimes there’s a lot to be said for biting your tongue, especially if it’s in your nature. If you’re diplomatic, you’re able to build and maintain good relationships with people at any level, and it’s a personality trait that has helped athletes like freerunner Jason Paul to reach the top of his sport.
Being diplomatic is also great when it comes to managing teams effectively, and because diplomatic people tend to look after everyone’s needs and wellbeing, relating well to colleagues and proving cooperative, those who are diplomatic are great to have around in any company or walk of life.
3. Supportive
Supportive people are more concerned about other people’s welfare than their own, with a desire to help and advance others. That doesn’t mean they can’t also be highly successful in their own right, however, as demonstrated by heptathlete Sarah Lagger and surfing champ Carissa Moore.
Being supportive is particularly useful for those spending time working with internal and external partners or teams, where the consideration of other people’s opinions and the focus and desire to do well for others, along with keeping an eye on the bigger picture, can lead to great success.
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4. Patient
With cliches like ‘the early bird catches the worm’ flying around, it’s easy to imagine patience as a negative trait when it comes to getting ahead, but once again it’s a trait that can be put to good use in any industry. Freeskier Jon Olsson is just one of the people who’ve taken the Red Bull Wingfinder test and found out that patience is one of his biggest strengths, but how is it actually a benefit?
Being patient is a strength that helps you to avoid making risky and ill-judged decisions. Patient people can succeed through balancing work, life and relationships, along with grabbing opportunities as they crop up. Because they take a more measured approach, patient people also have more control over situations, staying within their comfort zones and waiting to react to things as they happen.
Jon Olsson
© Daniel Rönnback/Red Bull Content Pool
5. Relaxed
Having a laid-back approach to life can also prove beneficial to success, and there are plenty of elite athletes who list being relaxed as one of their biggest strengths. Along with patience, a relaxed demeanor was also highlighted by Jon Olsson’s Red Bull Wing Finder results, and he’s joined in that by climber Angela Eiter.
Because relaxed people are so laid-back and happy to live in the moment, they’re better suited to coping with changes happening around them, remaining stress free and focusing on the bigger picture. Relaxed people are also comfortable working without a structure, without being afraid to ask for advice. Who wouldn’t want positive traits like that around on a daily basis?
Interested in finding out more about your own strengths and weaknesses? Take the Red Bull Wingfinder test today.
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