In life, success is synonymous with winning. Success is not a one-time thing as we often erroneously think. Rather, it is a culmination of little steps that we take daily. Achievements in life are the results of several steps taken in the right direction.

"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.”
– Isaiah 28:10

We must stop falling for prophecies and pronouncements of instant success—these are frauds. Success is a process, not an endpoint. It only comes from taking predictable steps consistently toward preset goals. When you fall for promises of instant success without the process, it leads to loss—since you failed to exercise the due diligence needed for your undertaking to succeed.  This is the reason why successful people do not play the lottery. They know that making wealth is a process, and that when that process is followed, success is predictable.

There are certain characteristics that distinguish winners from losers. Let's take a look at some of them:

1. Winners Are Driven. Winners are ambitious and driven about what they want to achieve. They do not take no for an answer, and are self-motivated to keep going.

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed”. – Michael Jordan

2. Winners Take Responsibility. Winners hold themselves accountable for what happens in their lives and don’t blame external factors. They decide that they are in control of their destiny, and do not let others decide that for them.
3. Winners Are Eager to Learn. Winners are always learning, and are always looking for new ways to challenge themselves. They never feel like they know enough, and they truly understand that knowledge is power.
4. Winners Are Positive Thinkers. Winners always take an optimistic perspective towards life, and are always trying to leverage the field in their favor.

Watch your thoughts, they become words;
Watch your words, they become actions;
Watch your actions, they become habits;
Watch your habits, they become character;
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

5. Winners Are Humble. Winners never let their ego get in the way of their success. They know what is more important. Also, they don’t keep a short-term mentality. While they are modest, on the inside they know their worth and are confident in their abilities.
6. Winners Are Certain. Winners do not doubt their actions or decisions. They focus on what they are going to do next and “Pull the Trigger”. They don’t overthink negative thoughts and stand by their actions.
7. Winners Set Goals. Winners are very goal-oriented. They decide on what they want and when they want it, and then do whatever they morally can to reach it.

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. – Jim Rohn

8. Winners Focus on Solutions. Rather than focusing on the problem, winners focus on how to solve the problem. They don’t let the past hang over them—instead, they work on solutions.
9. Winners Work Hard. Winners put in their best effort and never run away from work. They have a relentless engine and they keep pushing forward no matter what they face. They are driven and yearn for success.
10. Winners Act. Winners never refrain from action and are always the first to start. They don’t need a reminder to begin working and become legendary.
11. Winners Listen. Winners pay attention to others and think before they speak. They know that don’t have all the answers and know that they need the help of others to reach their goals.

"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." ― Stephen R. Covey

12. Winners Are Passionate. Winners love what they do and are passionate about life. They use this inner obsession to fuel them and push them forward; especially when the going gets tough.
13. Winners Are Willing to Stand Alone. Winners are very independent, and they understand that the path to victory is sometimes a lonely one. While they are great at communication and networking, they are the best lone wolves.
14. Winners are Self-Motivators. Winners can motivate themselves when it gets tough and are able to keep going. They have a permanent fire inside of them that always burns for success.
15. Winners Constantly Expand Their Comfort Zone. Winners constantly explore challenges and opportunities to expand their comfort zone. They know that being satisfied means you’re not improving. They strive to stay on the edge.
16. Winners Have Strong Willpower. Winners can withstand all kinds of hurdles and hardships. They have good self-discipline and can control their mind and body.
17. Winners Have High Self-Esteem. Winners know what they are worth, and they feel good about themselves. They are self-assured and don’t need external approval to keep them steady.
18. Winners Are Persistent. Winners do whatever it morally takes to achieve their goals. They don’t easily give up and don’t let small obstacles get in their way. They push and push and keep pushing until they reach their goal.
19. Winners Aren’t Afraid of Failure. Winners know that to reach success, they will have to at one time or another face failure. So rather than fear failure, they embrace it and learn from it. Winners use failure to motivate themselves even further.

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker.
Failure is delay, not defeat.
It is a temporary detour, not a dead end.
Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." - Denis Waitley

20. Winners Don’t Procrastinate. Winners don’t put things off; they try to get things done as soon as possible. They understand the value of time, and try to make every second count.
21. Winners Are Focused. Winners are always dedicated and focused towards whatever they are doing. They know that "multitasking" is a myth, and they try to be as productive as possible.

Conclusion

Brethren, success is not magic, but rather a process. Whatever you may have woken up with this morning—failed opportunities, disappointments, lack—do not let it stop you from running your race. You can experience more in life if only you are willing to get over excuses and get on living. You can have reasons, or you can have results—but you can’t have both.