Top 10 Keys To Success

Pinny Cohen
I was reading through Automotive News last week and they were profiling a very successful dealer group owner named Rick Hendrick. He managed to build up a dealer empire of 60 dealerships, 80 franchises, and over $4.3 billion in revenue last year. But the path to there has been filled with hardship, including: a plane accident killing his son and several relatives, a felony fraud conviction, and leukemia.

How did he manage, despite all of the challenges, to build up one of the largest dealer groups in America today? Rick swears by his 10 Keys to Success:

1. Optimism. Think positive.
2. Faith. Believe in yourself, God and your country.
3. Planning. Know what’s important each day; set your priorities accordingly.
4. Determination. Have the courage to stand alone when taking the big risks in life.
5. Vision. Think big, dream big, keep success in your mind.
6. Attitude. If you think you can’t, you’re right. Winners have positive attitudes.
7. Goals. Set goals. Plan how to achieve them.
8. Perseverance. Try and try again until the goal is achieved. Never give up.
9. Knowledge. Learn to accept your mistakes, but make them only once.
10. Enthusiasm. Choose work you like. Enjoy the challenges.

Isn’t it great when successful people share their secret formula? I always like reading about other’s success stories, you never know when someone else has a great idea that can be added to your personal success list.

Success doesn’t just have to be defined by money, or your career; for example, there are plenty of successful mothers who raised wonderful children. To them, the definition of success might be very different than a CEO who just got a big deal signed.

A great way to check if you are lining yourself up for success is to print up this list of keys to success, post it on your wall, and take a look at it weekly or monthly. It will keep you motivated and on your path to success.

Are there any traits you feel Rick left out? I’d love to hear about it, in the comments below!