The most effective successful people are whole, healthy individuals who know how and when to employ the success strategies. Similar to sunflowers, they have personal traits of confidence and self-esteem, curiosity, energy, integrity of effort, optimism, passion, regeneration, and wholeness.10 We are born with the potential to live true to these characteristics at the highest level. Once you understand the traits, use the Self Inventory to assess how you are doing with these attributes.

Confidence and Self-Esteem

As the core foundation for human development,11 full trust in self and others— confidence—is the most important element of the healthy self. Oakleigh Thorne II, environmental educator, tells us, “The key to finding and pursuing a worthwhile purpose is developing self-esteem. Nature is a builder of self-esteem.”

Conf ident people generate high self-esteem. People with high selfesteem know their own worth; they have a favorable impression, respect, appreciation, and belief in themselves. Thus, successful people pack high self-esteem, with confidence, for their journey. Follow Goethe’s advice, “Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.”12 People in my study report that early responsibility during the growingup years, supportive inputs from external sources, banishment of self-doubt, and use of positive feedback loops strengthen self-esteem and self-confidence. It is encouraging that people can take steps to create more confidence.13 Pursuit of a passionate purpose in itself stimulates assurance. No one says it better than Mark Plaatjes, 1993 world marathon champion. “Believe in yourself. The one who wins is the one who wants it the most—the one with the most self-confidence.”

Curiosity

Curiosity to learn, explore, and discover propels successful people forward. People who are curious actively bolster interest, attention, and desire to know. Albert Einstein14 said, “I am no different than everyone else. I just have great curiosity.” Exploration strengthens curiosity. Jacqueline Frischknecht, divorced from a disastrous marriage and the sole supporter of her children, decided at age 29 that she was severely unhappy and completely bored with her life. What she needed, for her own sake and that of her children, was to be better educated. Not sure if she was smart enough to get a college degree, she decided to try a night school class in Art Appreciation. Two and a half years later, she had finished a four-year degree while working 20 hours a week and caring for her daughters. “A major force encouraging me to find and pursue various purposes in my life has been curiosity about the world and a desire for knowledge. Once my mind was made up, nothing really held me back. Finances were usually difficult, but they were overcome.” Jackie eventually completed her PhD and now is an accelerated learning consultant, author, and former professor.

Energy

The capacity to do work—energy—is a habit of vigorous activity and forceful expression. Your head, heart, and hands are your energy centers. There are simple ways to increase your energy level. David Hawkins, MD, PhD, explains in Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behaviors  that energy levels can be calibrated into a map of consciousness. Low energy levels manifest as shame, guilt, grief, and fear. Courage, acceptance, love, and enlightenment align with high energy levels. Positive jumps in energy are possible through intention, will, choice, and motivation. Many spiritual disciplines of the world are interested in approaches to ascend these levels. Meditation is one such useful technique.

Optimism

Norman Vincent Peale in The Power of Positive Thinking16 popularized and humanized the importance of a can-do outlook using examples of real people. People with a positive attitude carry a hopeful, upbeat disposition with the belief that good ultimately overcomes evil. Johnny Halberstadt, professional runner, footwear inventor, and entrepreneur, has such a winning personal philosophy. “There’s no such thing as can’t. If you want to do something passionately you will find a way.”

Integrity of Effort

Successful people have a strong inner drive—a determined willingness and ability to work hard to get what they want. They harness this initiative and maintain a strong work ethic. This “industry” concept, also a fundamental element in the progress of human development,17 is defined by Erik Erikson as an ability to “eagerly work and produce to completion by steady attention and persevering diligence.”

Passion

When you are passionate, you have intense zeal, fervor, and devotion. Passion reflects interest, enthusiasm, and excited involvement. As explained earlier, you will find what you are passionate about at the intersection of your values and gifts. successful people have clearly defined convictions based on their core beliefs, morals, ideology, and ethics. They know who they are and what is meaningful to them, and they align their values with their talents to spark passion.

Regeneration

A regenerative nature allows successful people to revive, renew, and produce again despite adversity, setbacks, and obstacles. As a process of human development and reinforced through life, generativity is indispensable in all pursuits of passionate purpose. Such resilience appears to be interdependent with the traits of confidence, optimistic attitude, and integrity of effort.

Wholeness

When you are whole, you appreciate and unify all aspects of your nature especially head, heart, and hands; you are connected to your inner self. The internal and external worlds are coalesced into oneness to create stability and strength. This concept is so significant for successful people that it is included here as well as in the Polarity Strategy and in the Connections Strategy.

Assessment of Self

You cannot easily build a healthier self until you know who you are now. Start with an inventory of how well you are doing with these traits. Completing the Self Inventory will take only a few minutes. Use it to understand where you are now and what aspects you need to nurture.

To Build or Not to Build

Everyone, regardless of overall scores, has the potential to develop. All these traits can be strengthened. How? Make the choice to begin. Start with where you are. Then use the approaches that follow.