Achievement, Motivation & Personality Factors

Some individuals seem to naturally have what it takes to push above and beyond the expectations of the norm. The motives and rewards that come along with excelling are small parts of the equation when compared to personality. A high level of motivation and the ability to achieve goes hand-in-hand with certain personality traits that make achievement possible.

Determination

• High achievers tend to be persistent and determined, and are not afraid of putting in the time and effort that is required to reach their goals. They actually prefer tasks that are moderately challenging and are not easily swayed to give up in the face of failure. It seems that these individuals possess enough self-worth to resist crumbling when a task becomes frustrating. When an individual is not necessarily any more talented or intelligent than the norm, this determination can be the key to high achievement.

Passion

• One implicit attribute to achievement is passion, or an individual's inherent enjoyment regarding a subject or achieving in itself. Having a natural passion for learning or performing can be a great asset in the path toward achievement, because many of the tasks others would find excruciating would simply be enjoyed by an individual who is passionate about a subject. For example, some students may simply enjoy math for its own sake and will advance much more quickly than their counterparts who despise it.

Competitiveness

• Many high achievers have a natural inclination toward competition and enjoy striving to be the very best. These individuals may have a high investment in their self-image and seek recognition from others to validate their self-worth. They may actively place themselves in situations where they will be compared to others, such as spelling bees, Advanced Placement classes and jobs in business or marketing. Although they may take second place as a harsh blow, they are usually able to dust themselves off and try again quickly.

Self-Control

• Experiments have shown that children who are able to exhibit self-control and delay gratification are much more capable of high achievement. The motivation to resist impulses such as zoning out to the television or hitting the sack before finishing one's set goal can be crucial to success. Being able to resist these short-term forms of gratification allow the individual to hold out for much more satisfying gratifications.