What does it take to be successful in your career? Opinions will naturally vary. Few would argue that for businesses to be successful, they need to hire and keep top talent. But what makes a person top talent? What qualities do they possess that enable them to have a greater impact on a company’s performance, that make them indispensable?

Research is showing that top performers have certain traits in common, no matter what industry they work in. First, they are intelligent and inquisitive, so they learn quickly. Second, they are good working with people; they have good relationships with their coworkers. They are also hard workers.

But there is another important and more fundamental trait necessary for success, one that is surprisingly overlooked at many companies, according to some talent management experts. It is self-control.

Self-Control

It is the necessary ingredient for long-term success, enabling people to forego temptations, to sacrifice immediate gratification for a greater reward later. All other traits are useless without this one key quality. More scientific research has shown why self-control is so important.

1. Focus

In this day and age, when we are bombarded almost incessantly with information, the ability to concentrate and ignore distractions is vital. People with greater self-control are better able to focus.

2. Learning.

Learning begins with curiosity, with wonder, but to acquire the mastery of a subject, this curiosity has to be sustained. It takes consistent effort over a longer period of time, which requires self-control. Idle curiosity, the kind that flits from one thing to the next after a short time, is useless in learning something in-depth, because there is no self-control involved.

3. Resilience

Competition for good jobs is intense. People are working longer and harder than ever, with higher levels of uncertainty and stress. In conditions like this, setbacks and failures can be hard blows, and resilience is essential. People with greater self-control also have more resilience.

4. Engagement

It is self-control that enables people to work harder and put more effort into their jobs, which leads to greater success and more job satisfaction.

5. Ethical leadership

There is a strong correlation between self-control and ethical behavior. When people without self-control are promoted into positions of leadership, they are more likely to engage in unethical behavior.

If you are looking for success in your career, the place to start is Winston Resources. We can get you off to a fast start by matching you with a job that fits your skills and experience. Give us a call today.