7 Essential Personality Traits of the Top 1% of People and How to Master Them
Are You Cut Out for the Top 1%? These 7 Traits Separate Ordinary from Extraordinary
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Since I was a child, I wanted to be the center of attention. And I remember telling a lot of lies to reach that goal.
They weren’t big life-changing lies. And they always had something true beneath them. But I thought the truth was not interesting enough. So, I choose to exaggerate.
When I got older, those lies didn’t work anymore. On the contrary, they made people distant. And I couldn’t understand why.
I thought people loved my stories. But then, they stopped because my lies became too childish.
Later, I discovered what I was doing back there was storytelling. But I didn’t make it evolve. I remained in my comfort zone for so long that I became stagnant. So, I needed a way to get my friends back.
That’s when everything started, and I discovered the 7 personality traits of the top 1% of people. In this issue, I will show you how to master them (or, at least, how I did it.)
How to Enter the Top 1% of People
When I think about the top 1% of people, I think about solopreneurs who succeeded in building an empire from nothing.
I admire their strength, intelligence, and skills. And I would like to become one of them. I would love to enter the club.
However, when you think about the top 1%, your priorities might be different. We didn’t inspire the same people. So, we might have opposite aspirations.
But there’s something we all have in common. The top 1% of people will always be those who find their purpose and give their everything to reach it.
They had a goal, they succeeded, and they are still going. They made connections, built systems, remained confident, and reached their dreams.
I tried to understand how they succeeded. How did they enter the top 1%? And how can I do the same?
These are the 7 personality traits of the top 1% of people I found.
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1 – Think like a winner.
I failed at most things until I started to think like a winner.
I was a terrible partner, friend, and solopreneur. I failed at anything I tried to achieve — relationships, education, work — I got them all.
And when I hit rock bottom, I thought I could never come back to light. But when you realize you can’t go deeper — that’s when you free your spirit.
You start to try new things, see new people, and build relationships without expectations.
You start to think like a winner. You can do everything you want because doing it already means succeeding. And once you relieve all that mental pressure, you leave space for growth, learning, and winning.
How to Master Winner Mentality
Winners don’t overthink their choices. They follow their instinct and do everything they think will work.
However, winners set strict rules to prevent future failures when their instinct proves them wrong.
Also, winners don’t follow people’s suggestions if they never reach the same goal first.
2 – Obsess over repetition.
Reaching the top 1% of people is no joke. And if you think you can do it by working one hour per day, think again. You will never reach that level of mastery. So, don’t even bother.
The top 1% obsess over repetition – they are always unsatisfied. They can spot the little imperfections in everything they do. And the next time, they will try to make it perfect.
When I was younger and started with storytelling, I made many mistakes. Sometimes, I exaggerated too much. Other times, I didn’t pump up the details, so the audience lost interest in the story. But repeating the same story over and over again made it perfect. It’s bulletproof. And it’s entertaining.
So, obsess over repetition to reach the top 1% of people.
How to Master Repetition
Repetition doesn’t work without feedback. Find someone willing to give an opinion on what you are trying to achieve. It can be a friend, mentor, or someone you pay to do it. But feedback is necessary.
You can never achieve perfection. So, don’t stop trying to improve your craft whenever you can. But at the same time, don’t waste too much time trying to be perfect.
3 – Behave as the main character.
You have to behave as the main character of the story to become the main character of the story. Not the other way around.
The main character makes decisions, and everything evolves around them. So, if you want to become the main character of your story, you must take action.
Make your choices and follow them. Take hard decisions and see where they bring you. Become the center of attention and focus on who you are and want to become.
Other people will give you traits and characteristics that don’t align with your vision. And, sometimes, they might try to walk over you with their ideas. But you can’t allow them.
Speak your truth and speak with confidence. You are the only one who can change people’s ideas about you. So, do everything to align that idea to your purpose.
How to Master Independence
Only do things that you want to do. Everything else will give the wrong idea about you. You will either do things unwillingly or execute them poorly. So, avoid activities that others try to convince you to do.
Show your purpose and speak only about your goals. If you are afraid you might fail, you don’t believe enough. And if you build in public, you gain an incredible accountant system.
4 – Burn with desire.
When I started writing online, I didn’t settle for anything.
My first follower wasn’t enough. I wanted more.
My first dollar wasn’t enough because I wanted more.
And my first client wasn’t enough. I still wanted more.
I burn with desire because I want to build great things. I want to make it – to enter the top 1% of solopreneurs. And I am willing to do everything it takes to get there.
Sometimes, I’m afraid I could lose everything I achieved if I keep going like that. I am sacrificing my free time and personal relationships. But then, I remember I attracted those people with this attitude.
They love to talk and spend time with me because they see the eagerness and fire they may not have. They dream throughout me. And I can’t let them down. I can’t let myself down. So, I keep burning with desire.
How to Master Avidity
Avidity gained a negative aura over the years because of horrible people. But avidity is not a bad trait if you don’t hurt anyone. And to master it, you must never settle for the crumbs – aim for the whole bread.
Set progressive goals to remain motivated. If your goal is too high, you might surrender. But if it’s progressive. It builds up motivation.
5 – Focus on your strengths.
You must be recognizable to enter the top 1% of any category. But nobody will remember your name if you don’t sell your qualities well enough.
Copying others is the simplest way to start doing something new. When I started my online business, I tried to copy the writers of the moment and do what they did.
For the first few months, it helped me because it gave me structure and taught me what works. But then, you must find your way. You can’t copy others for life. Otherwise, you will lack originality. And nobody wants a copy instead of the original.
So, find your strengths and use them. Analyze your past and unique set of skills. What’s one thing you like? And what’s one thing you do better than others?
Use those things to take over.
How to Master Uniqueness
Your uniqueness is the skills, experiences, and relationships you built in your life. And you will always have time to learn and do new things. So, don’t worry if you haven’t found your unique traits yet.
Spend at least 20% of your time learning new things and mastering your craft. Repetition is nothing without improvement. And 20% is not even that much.
6 – Build a backstory.
The most successful people on the planet had a story even before they became who they are today. And they used that story to build relationships, attract people, and leverage those connections for their goals.
There’s nothing more engaging than a good backstory – maybe something that gives a lesson to the listener. Lessons, failures, and comeback stories – those are things we love to hear because they connect with our deepest fears and hopes.
I failed many times in my short life. I was alone. I was abandoned and betrayed. I even risked my life once. And I use all those stories to connect with people and build deep relationships.
Storytelling is one of the essential skills to master to enter the top 1% of people in the world. And it all starts with a backstory.
How to Master Storytelling
Search for good stories in your life. Then, find a hook for people to listen to them. And practice your storytelling skills. I even wrote a dedicated issue about it if you want to know more about storytelling.
Practice is everything. But you can’t stay in front of the mirror all your life. You need feedback from people to understand if a story might work and how to tweak it.
7 – Speak with confidence.
I will never stop blabbering about the impact confidence has on my life.
I was a lonely, introverted boy without friends only five years ago. Now, I have to ask for forgiveness from my friends because I can’t go out every night with all of them.
Confidence changed my life. It made me stronger and more easy-going. People like me more now. They want to spend time together. And that’s because one day, I decided to try and exit my comfort zone.
How to Master Confidence
The first step will always be challenging because you must exit your comfort zone. And you will fail a few times and run away in fear. But once the benefits start coming, you will see it was the best decision of your life.
Being confident is not only about what you say but also what you do. So don’t become clingy. Don’t search for people if they don’t show interest. You must keep your ground and never give up your social integrity for other people.
The “fake it ‘till you make it” rule always works. So, if you can’t be confident, at least fake it for a while – you will get there.
The Challenge of The Week
When I was a child, I used lies to construct the world I wanted to live in. And it transformed me into a lonely man. But it also helped me build the life I wanted once I realized what I was doing wrong.
Being in the top 1% of people in any niche means learning many things. And these 7 essential personality traits might help you.
Think like a winner.
Obsess over repetition.
Think like the main character.
Burn with desire.
Focus on your strengths.
Build a backstory.
And speak with confidence.
Before You Go
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Stay consistent and stay strong.
Cosmin.