5 key characteristics of successful professionals

Please join me in welcoming guest writer Karen Smith today. Because we all wannabe successful businessmen and -women throughout our careers, I'm sure you'll enjoy her article. Who wants to learn these 5 characteristics with me??

There are a host of wildly successful people in this world. Even though no two individuals are designed exactly the same, many of the most successful business minds share a handful of personality traits. In the modern business world, in fact, there are a number of required characteristics it takes to become successful, accomplished businessmen and businesswomen. For years, I've seen many people attempt to move up the ranks in business only to fail because they haven't cultivated the traits it takes to climb up the ladder. For those of you who are trying to succeed and grow in business, here are five key characteristics you should try to nurture and embrace in your career.

1. Start the day early

Waking up early in the day increases your production tremendously. The most successful businessmen and women rise early not only to get work done and arrive at the office early, but also to check off an agenda list of items, such as exercising, eating breakfast, writing out to-do lists, reading the newspaper, etc. By getting these menial tasks out of the way, individuals are better able to focus their attention on the work day ahead of them. If you're at work and thinking about getting to the gym, picking up the dry cleaning, or reading the news online, you're not going to be able to devote your full attention to the work that needs to be done in the moment.

2. Do things now, not later

A little procrastination from time to time never hurt anyone. Yet when it becomes a common, habitual behavior, procrastination can ruin your ability to produce consistent, stellar work. For the sake of producing the best work possible, go ahead and get your work done now and not later. In the moment, it may seem tempting to push something a day back, but doing so will inevitably come back to haunt you and your productivity. Not only are you delaying other projects, you'll be more likely to rush your work, which leaves room for low-quality, sloppy work. Therefore, if an agenda item needs to get done, go ahead and do it right away.

3. Avoid distractions

Distractions present themselves in various forms throughout the work day. Early in the morning, you may have a desire to read the news online as opposed to responding to work emails. Later in the day, your colleague may want to pull you aside to chat about the latest office gossip. The most successful businessmen and women avoid distractions at all costs. Distractions are something we all must face, and even though they are hard to avoid, the only way to reach your highest productivity potential is to do away with any distractions. A fifteen-minute break to grab a cup of coffee or go for a walk outside can't hurt, but if it gets in the way of your productivity or daily goals, your work is inevitably going to be affected.

4. Make friends with colleagues
Team players are some of the most respected individuals in the office. Let's face it: everybody can appreciate someone who works hard and plays well with others. I've seen one too many people try to pit themselves against fellow employees for promotions and raises, only to find that they are doing more harm than good to their office reputation. If you want to be respected by your bosses and colleagues, make an effort to get to know each of them on a personal, friendly basis. You don't have to invite them over to your home for family affairs, just try to get to know a little more about each and every one of them, such as their personal hobbies, favorite sports teams, the names of their intermediate family members, etc.

5. Have a vision

If all you can stomach about your job is putting in the bare minimum amount of work required, it's not likely you'll climb your way up the career ladder. In order to be successful, you have to love the work you're doing in your career. Alas, it's not always easy to love your work, especially when there is so much pressure and expectation encompassed in it. Yet as long as you have a passion for the work you're doing, you should be able to find some fulfillment and pride in your career. If you haven't done so already, go ahead and think about where you see your career five to ten years down the road and cultivate an ambitious vision. If you want to get that big promotion, start planning out what you'll have to do to achieve it. As long as you have a strong vision, you should be on your way to a number of successes.

No two successful people are the same, but many of them share a number of key traits and personal habits. If you wish to become a successful businessman or businesswoman, try adapting these five habits into your endeavors.

Karen Smith, a former newspaper reporter and globe trotter, now freelances for various publications and websites. She hopes to bring her readers the latest in business education at onlinebusinessdegree.org, as well as up-to-date, informed advice on everything from careers to parenting to health and more. Karen welcomes your comments below!

lessons learned from sheriff andy taylor

Welcome back to awesome guest writer Zach Buckley with a good ol' inspirational post to get us motivated towards a successful life. Enjoy!

The recent passing of Andy Griffith at the age of 86 is the loss of a television legend; one of the early pioneers of sitcom TV who was the face and namesake of one of the most popular television shows of all-time. The Andy Griffith Show ran from 1960 to 1968 and was beloved for being downhome and wholesome—words also used to describe Griffith himself.

In that career-altering role, Griffith was Sheriff Andy Taylor, the widowed sheriff of a fictional North Carolina town. Surrounded by dopey deputy Barney Fife—played by close friend Don Knotts—as well as the motherly Aunt Bee and Taylor's young son, Opie, Taylor often dispenses life advice and serves as a mediator handling many of the townspeople's trivial problems. He also struggles to juggle his job's responsibilities with his duties as a single parent while also keeping Barney and Aunt Bee in check.

In doing so, the show also provided its viewers with regular morals and life lessons, often delivered from Sheriff Taylor himself. In light of Griffith's recent passing, here's just a few of the lessons we learned from his most famous role.

1. When making decisions, trust yourself -- not the letter of the law

One of the predominant themes of The Andy Griffith Show was that, while laws and rules are meant to be followed, nothing can substitute for one's personal sense of judgment. Sheriff Taylor often taught his son that when problems arise, it's sometimes best to follow what your heart is telling you to do.

The lesson is one that can be applied to all walks of life, including business. Even though project management, personnel issues and other demands of business are often governed by specific rules and policies, many business leaders are put in their positions because of their strong sense of judgment and their well-developed problem-solving skills. Like anything else, it takes time to acquire these skills, but there is a lot of value in having the confidence to make decisions that feel right, even if they aren't the most popular approach.

2. Compliment the skills of your business and co-workers

Throughout the television series, Taylor was known for his ability to calm the impulses of the townspeople while calling for more perspective and deliberation. His personality contrasted that of the townspeople, and the town as a whole appreciated this role because he helped bring the town into balance. The suggestion made from the show is that leaders of companies should be a compliment to the styles and tendencies of the organization as a whole. The end result is more balanced decisions that have looked at a given issue from a variety of perspectives.

3. Embrace loyalty

In today's fast-paced, cutthroat business world, it's tempting—and easy—to cast aside virtues. Sheriff Taylor constantly reminded us of the importance of remaining loyal, both in business and in life. He constantly stood beside his friends, family and son even in the midst of bad decisions. Instead, Taylor focused on the positives and used his status as a local leader to lift up those around him—even if it ultimately hurt his own reputation. It's a tough lesson to learn and embrace, but loyalty's rarity makes it a precious commodity.

More than half a century after it first aired, The Andy Griffith Show can still be seen on TV in reruns. It has endured not only for its quality programming, but also for the timelessness of its humor and morals. As the world keeps spinning without Andy Griffith, the values of his life's work continue to live on through his show and its fans.

About the author: Zach Buckley is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. He enjoys exploring developing trends in education, technology and culture.  When he isn’t reading or writing blogs, he enjoys sampling good music and good food. Follow him on Twitter! @Zach_buckley