Forbes: 9 Core Behaviors Of Positively Impactful People

GameSpot continues to retain the sixty character topic title limit, so I reworded the article title.

9 Core Behaviors Of People Who Positively Impact The World

Look around you and you’ll see three kinds of people – those who hate their work, and complain bitterly, those who just tolerate their work and see it as a paycheck and aren’t looking for more (or feel they can’t have more), and finally, those who love their work, and relish it. The third category is a small subset of all professionals globally, but this group stands out because these are, most often, the people who change the world for the better.

In my work as a success coach and writer, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with people who’ve made a true and measurable impact in the world, including well-known experts, authors, researchers, journalists, scientists, innovators, business geniuses, and entrepreneurs. But among this group of world influencers there are also everyday people who have found a special niche in which they’ve contributed at the highest level.

It’s critical to note that people who’ve made a real difference aren’t all privileged, advantaged or “special” by any stretch. Many come from disadvantaged families, crushing circumstances and initially limited capabilities, but have found ways to pick themselves up and rise above their circumstances (and their genes) to transform their own lives and those around them.

Researching these makers, shakers and disruptors, and working with my own clients who shape the world around them in powerful and constructive ways, I’ve observed 9 core behaviors that set them apart – habitual ways of behaving and approaching life and work that distinguish them from those who long to make a difference but can’t or won’t find the way.

They dedicate themselves to what gives their life meaning and purpose.

They commit to continually bettering themselves.

They engage with people in open, mutually-beneficial ways.

They invest time and energy not in what is, but what can be.

They embrace critique.

They spread what they know.

They uplift others as they ascend.

They view the journey as the goal.

They use their power and influence well.

For more details, read here:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2014/06/02/9-core-behaviors-of-people-who-positively-impact-the-world/

OT, I would like to know if you have any family, friends, or otherwise work with anyone who exhibits these behaviors. For the most part, I agreed to be a GameSpot moderator because the admins and moderators did. Some of the people I work with are as described as well. I trust in my own abilities, but having a great support network is invaluable.

Informative and interesting. :)

Interesting article; I see my wife in this. She loves her job, manages to connect anything she does with her work, is constantly practicing, learning, teaching, sharing, giving and her network is ever expanding, with people who do the same for her. She's always trying to reach further, renewing her goals, making plans, and enjoying every minute of it. What she does is work, hobby, social life and stress relief all in one.

I try to do the same, for the most part, but while I do take pride and joy out of my job, I don't have nearly as much fun with it as she does.

She seems great.

@BranKetra: Thanks; she is and I love that she is like that. The disadvantage is that it's really hard to find some free time since she's always busy. She was out for 4 days doing something she organised, came back home with ideas for more work in 5 other countries XD

@korvus: International work is intriguing. Not only does an individual expand their own horizons, but also that individually hopefully improves foreign relations with international parties. Whether or not your wife works in a government setting, whatever she is doing influences culture at a global level which is awesome.

@BranKetra: Yep, it's like seeing a spider spinning a web...It's fascinating to see more and more people from all nationalities getting "caught in the web". Just last week we had a semi-work dinner with her contacts and there were people coming from Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Scotland, Ireland, France and even the US. All getting together "just because". I was really impressed (and more than a little proud that my wife has such a big influence in her business)

I will do the exact opposite. Someone gotta be yang to tha ying

Except that this mentality caters to a certain type of individual. There are some people who simply don't operate like this, they simply don't just do it. Some of them muddle through it anyway, but plenty of them just get trampled by society. Plenty of them also have a great deal to contribute. Take Isaac Newton for example, he spent a great deal of his life cooped up in his room avoiding his colleagues and working on his own, in part because the head of the Royal Society kept claiming credit for his ideas. Principia almost didn't get published because of this. Or take Van Gogh, he's considered one of the greatest Western artists ever and yet not only was he a pariah in his time, he died penniless and with little to no recognition of his work. These are just examples of individuals who left a mark on society despite getting little to no support (I think it's pretty hypocritical to even call Van Gogh a success as he never experienced any personal success until after he died), but think of how many individuals fall by the wayside who might have something very valuable to contribute to society. Maybe they would be the next Newton or Van Gogh, maybe they would discover the cure for cancer or figure out the key to creating peace between Palestine and Israel, if it weren't for everyone in society telling them to suck it up or just do something about it every time they ran into barriers. I mean, that line alone just reeks of hypocrisy. It's basically admitting that there is something profoundly wrong, enough to serve as a substantial barrier to people who have real value that is going unrealized, but unless those people can undo those systematic barriers in addition to bringing these things of value to society we have absolutely no use for them.