High achievers are wired differently.
In his Theory of Human Motivation, David McClelland proposed that human beings are motivated by one of three things:
- Affiliation
- Power
- Achievement
High achievers fall in the third category. They are people who are intrinsically, driven by achievement. Money, fame, power may be secondary goals for them. But, their fulfilment comes from accomplishing their goals.
Many of the high achievers even define accomplishing goals as something that gives them a “high”.
Characteristics of high achievers
If this is someone who sounds like you, read on to see how many of the core characteristics of high achievers you identify with:
- Are you action-oriented?: High achievers believe in doing over talking. In a team, these are people who take ownership of critical actions and drive them to completion. As a result, they are people who their managers often describe as reliable and someone who pulls more than their weight.
- Do you believe in your ability (but sometimes have imposter syndrome?: High achievers intrinsically believe in their own capability. They may have moments of self-doubt, but they also know from experience that when they put in the effort they can learn and deliver.
- Can you persevere?: Angela Duckworth Researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the book”Grit” says that grit and perseverance is a strong predictor of success and the ability to reach one’s goals. It is no surprise then that high achievers do not give up easily. This is perhaps the biggest differentiator for high achievers. They are willing to go on way longer than most people.
- Do you like a challenge?: High achievers get bored in the absence of a sufficiently challenging goal. They constantly look for new and exciting challenges. Where others see obstacles they often see opportunities.
- Are you a constant learner?: Because their sense of fulfillment comes from their achievements, high achievers like to keep learning and expanding their knowledge and reach. This allows them to keep taking on new challenges and setting higher milestones.