Do a Google search on “5 P’s of Success” and you will get hundreds of results. It seems there are many versions of the 5 P’s of Success. Some are quite good, some rather lame and some are repetitions of common themes like Passion and Perspiration. But I believe one of the best 5 P’s of Success was originally articulated by a guy called Kurt Mortensen who writes articles and books on Persuasion. I like this particular 5 P’s because it hits bulls eye for so many ordinary people all around the world, people like you and me…
The first ‘‘P” is Psyche.
This is about self-belief. No one can achieve any kind of success unless they actually believe they can. Many people will discourage you along the way – only your self-belief will continue to propel you forward. No amount of intelligence, knowledge or skill can help unless you believe in yourself.
The second ‘‘P” is Persistence.
This is what separates those who declare themselves to be failures from those who continue until they succeed. Margaret Thatcher tells a story in her autobiography of how her father drilled into her this idea that the world is full of “starters” but only a small minority are “finishers”. Behind every really successful person, there is usually a tale of persistence, of dogged self-belief.
The third ‘‘P” is Personal Development.
The best performers usually spend time developing their personal effectiveness. This could be reading self-improvement books, spending time with people who have something to teach, and challenging themselves outside their comfort zones. There is a reason for their success. Those who spend time developing themselves are usually more positive and optimistic about their future. They recognize that the problems one faces are not unique, that someone somewhere has figured out some answers and that it will be smart to leverage that experience.
The fourth ‘‘P” is Passion.
This is a much-used word – these days every man and his dog talk about how passionate they are. Nonetheless, it has a place in this ultimate 5 P’s collection.
It is essentially a combination of energy, enthusiasm and conviction and helps to persuade others to see things your way.
The fifth ‘‘P” is Persuasion.
This is about using both logic and emotion in a balanced way to persuade others to see how they can gain using the value add of your knowledge, your credibility, your service, your offering, and so on.
If you know a better version of “The 5 P’s of Success”, I will want to know.