“Hard work is a given in terms of success. The other three are to be competitive, be curious and be coachable.” – Jake Reynolds, VP of Sales and Service, Philadelphia 76ers

There are many lists and opinions about what leads to success. I liked this one.

Competitive? I’ve found a competitive fire makes a difference. Having a sense of where one stands relative to the field usually inspires intention. People who aren’t content to be average usually take stock of the score and craft plans for improvement. And, if the competitive fire is hot, they don’t stop until they get results.

Curious? The curious ask why. They have a desire to understand things. They dig deeper. They break things down to more parts and, the more sophisticated the understanding of the finer points, the greater the creativity employed to gain an edge.

Coachable? Curious competitors understand that there are people with a more sophisticated understanding of the game. And, if they can gain their advice, it will accelerate their improvement. It takes humility to acknowledge that there are others smarter than you. But, it’s not usually about intelligence but more about perspective. We each have a view of the elements of the game. We are wise if we listen, learn and adjust.

This may not be the perfect list. But, you can’t go wrong trying to win and doing the things necessary to get better.