How I Became a High Achiever (And How You Can Do It Too)

A high-achieving personality is the key to success.

But, of course, it’s not something you can gain overnight.

You need to stay consistent, make sacrifices, and change your mindset.

I have been working on this aspect of my personality for years and I can guarantee that you never stop learning.

But everyone can become a high achiever.

So, if you aspire to become one of them, here’s what you need to do.

Ready to take the first step?

Key Takeaways

• High achievers set and hit challenging targets by acting on their goals rather than just dreaming about them.
  
  They work hard, learn from failures, and don’t waste time comparing themselves to others. Their success comes from relentless effort and a belief in continuous improvement.
  
  
  
• Key traits of high achievers include setting high but achievable goals, learning from mistakes, planning time wisely to avoid distractions, adapting quickly when plans change, focusing on consistency over talent, and never giving up despite obstacles.
  
  
• High achievers understand the importance of daily action.
  They manage time effectively by prioritizing tasks that align with their objectives.
  They don’t rely on motivation, they’re disciplined.
  
  
• Recognizing that perfection can be an enemy of progress is vital for high achievers.
  They start tasks immediately instead of waiting for the right moment or motivation to strike.
  
  
• High-achieving personalities balance ambition with self-care by learning not to set excessively high standards that could lead to burnout or disappointment. 
  
  They know that maintaining mental health alongside attaining significant accomplishments is important.

What does it mean to be high achieving?

Being high achieving means setting ambitious goals and working hard for them, no matter what it takes.

High achievers don’t just dream; they act.

They prefer to work on their own and take smart chances. 

They know that are responsible for their actions and outcomes.

High achievers focus on action over mere talk, embodying energy and commitment.

They see errors as growth opportunities, never fearing failure as they strive for success.

For high achievers, comparing themselves to others is a waste of time.

Instead, they constantly search for new paths and opportunities to expand their horizons.

Success comes from their unwavering hard work and determination, proving that achievement is built, not given.

Key traits of a high achieving personality

No, high achievers are not visionary or people with innate talent.

They’ve developed mental strength, and they’re continuously improving themselves.

They motivate themselves and continuously aim high even when they don’t feel like it.

“high achievers are 400% more productive than the average employee”, according to HBR.org

But you can become one of them if you’re ready to tolerate hard work and dedication.

Here are the most important characteristics that transformed me into a high achiever.

They take accountability for their actions

One of the key characteristics of a high achiever personality is to take responsibility for your actions. 

You must understand that blaming others or the situation doesn’t help you grow or progress.

We’ll have the tendency to take all the blame on someone else, but it just doesn’t work.

When things don’t go as I expected, I don’t say “I can’t” or “it’s not my fault.”

Instead, I examine where things went wrong, learn from it, and try again.

This mindset is crucial for achieving your goals.

If you want to succeed, you must learn from mistakes and tackle new problems more effectively next time.

By doing so, you’ll prove to yourself that embracing challenges head-on is crucial for personal growth and productive behaviors.

They focus on consistency, not talent

Consistency is one of the most important personality traits you should work on.

Yes, talent is important, but it’s not everything.

It’s easy to get discouraged if you think, ” I can’t do it,” instead of keeping working on your goals.

High achievers tend to split their long-term goals into small tasks to achieve daily.

They practice and keep moving forward, showing that willpower and consistency are essential.

Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success.

They don’t wait for motivation; they create it by doing a bit every day.

Procrastination doesn’t exist

We all procrastinate every day.

But for high achievers, delays and excuses are not allowed.

Yes, I still struggle with procrastination since I’m a perfectionist procrastinator.

But you need to change your mindset.

You can’t rely on motivation; it won’t make things happen.

I have learned that you must be disciplined and complete your tasks even when you don’t feel like it.

If you’ve already done a life audit, you’re good to go.

You must transform the voice in your head from “I’ll do it later” into “Let’s do this now.” 

Act today for tomorrow’s success.

They start today, not tomorrow

One of the key benefits of consistency is the ability to take action.

I wasted so many years of my life just because I kept telling myself “I’ll start tomorrow”.

And tomorrow became the day after tomorrow, next week or next month.

High achievers know that action beats talk. 

I know, you’ll find it hard at the beginning.

But if you want to make things happen, you need to start NOW.

The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time to start is today.

There’s always a solution to a problem

For high achievers, every issue has a fix.

The moment they hit a roadblock, they dive deep into problem-solving mode. 

This is one of the best skills you must learn as soon as possible.

I’ve always admired this mindset, and it’s one of the key characteristics of high achievers.

This psychological approach turns big problems into small, manageable tasks.

A high achiever may even find these challenges exciting because they know they’ll learn something.

It is the difficulties that help us grow professionally and personally.

They can organize their days

Productivity is key for high achievers.

My life has changed since I started creating my own routines.

This will streamline the process and make you more organized.

But don’t worry; it comes naturally with time.

You should also have a Sunday morning routine if you want to really achieve your goals.

And no, it’s not just about working all day.

It’s about making smart choices and prioritizing tasks so you can have a good work life balance.

You can use a simple to-do list like Todoist, or an AI-planned tool like Notion, if you’re a busy professional like me.

They also understand the importance of flexibility in their plans.

If something unexpected happens, high achievers adapt their schedules without losing sight of their long-term objectives.

Only when your goals are clear, you’ll be able to create your own personal routine and work towards them.

They never give up

Sometimes, you need to accept things and move forward.

A couple of years ago, I worked hard on an Italian blog about digital marketing and never saw results.

The reality is that I had done too many things wrong, and the only solution was to create a new one in a different niche.

This is a perfect example of an unrealistic goal I could never achieve.

I don’t think anyone else would have had the patience and determination to start all over again.

Yes, I experienced frustration and discomfort.

But instead of giving up everything, I decided to learn from my mistakes and try again.

I studied SEO, the art of copywriting day and night.

This has allowed me to become an expert in this field and help other people avoid my mistakes.

So yes, resilience is key!

Is being a high achiever a bad thing?

No, it’s not a bad thing, but there are some potential downsides you must know.

For instance, I used to rely too much on results and external validation, leading to insecurity.

I overlooked important aspects like my relationships and friends because I was too focused on getting results as fast as possible.

And when you reach your goals, you’re not satisfied; you always want more.

This is basically toxic productivity.

You need to appreciate and enjoy the path and celebrate your successes.

You can find a mentor, like an accountability partner or a coach, to avoid this burnout.

In my case, using GoalsWon helped me to be more consistent and less strict with myself.

It’s the perfect accountability app to learn how to become more accountable and achieve your goals.

Conclusion

High achievers shine brightly, pushing limits and setting the pace for others.

They hold themselves to high standards, always seek solutions, and never let setbacks keep them down.

These unique birds organize their time well and consider each day a chance to start fresh.

Their stories inspire us to tackle our goals with a clear vision and unwavering determination.

With traits that lead to success, they show us all how embracing challenges can turn dreams into reality.

And yes, if you really want, you can develop a high achieving personality!