20 soft skills to develop to build your happiness and success

Perpetual happiness and consistent success appear to be the hallmarks of certain individuals. They are always upbeat and smiling.

If you are wondering what soft skills are, these are skills related to your attitude, disposition and personality. However, to be truly happy and successful you need to develop a wide-range of soft skills. You too can by yourself build your own happiness and success.

See 20 soft skills most successful people are likely to have;

1. The ability to listen. Through listening, you can learn from others. You’ll also gain more friends – as most people love to talk about themselves or their lives.
2. Willingness to accept feedback. Whether good or bad, feedback is vital for your success. For example, by taking criticism on board, you may be able to make positive changes.
3. Assertive when needed. You may not be a naturally assertive person. However, you should definitely learn to be assertive when the situation requires it. For instance, if you need to ask an online shop for a refund.
4. Understands the power of team working. Being able to work amicably in a team is a vital skill. You must learn how to get on with others, and if you are a team leader, you must also know how to motivate and inspire your team.
5. Confident in all situations. Successful people seem to exude confidence. You will need to do the same if you want to match their success. If you lack confidence now, then try building it by completing small goals which you can enlarge as your confidence grows.
6. Understands how to resolve conflict. Conflict is everywhere. You probably argue with your partner, spouse or fall-out with colleagues at work. For happiness’ sake, develop conflict resolution skills. This can be as simple as knowing when to walk away from a confrontation.
7. Be courteous and good-mannered. In my experience, many people are unaware of how they come across to others. For example, they may appear arrogant and aloof when they are simply trying to show self-confidence. To be courteous and good-mannered is to return to a relaxed, natural state. Put any pretensions aside, and let your inner charm shine for all to see.
8. Enjoys providing great service. Whether dealing with customers or colleagues, be sure to put great service at the heart of all your interactions. By doing this, you will increase your chances of success, and also boost your personal happiness.
9. Absolutely trustworthy. Trust is vitally important in life. By doing this, you will quickly gain the confidence of others, and soon develop a reputation for being honest and reliable.
10. Has an eagerness to learn. Where would we be without learning? From our birth to adulthood, we constantly learned new things. However, as we aged further, many of us stopped learning. To stay young, happy and satisfied, re-ignite your enthusiasm for learning. You should be ready to learn, unlearn and relearn.
11. Knows when to delegate tasks. Some people are often insecure and like to do everything by themselves. You may find that you often run out of time and energy. If you have family members or colleagues whom you are able to delegate tasks to, then use this option when needed. However, for this to work successfully, be sure to match delegated tasks to individuals with the relevant skills.
12. Communicates clearly and effectively. Communication is at the heart of all personal and business interactions. It’s critical that you learn how to write and speak well. And of course, communication is not a one-way street. You must also be a good listener.
13. Great interpersonal relationship skills. Happy people know how to interact harmoniously with others. They are comfortable communicating with people from all backgrounds and walks of life. They also know how to partake in constructive conversations and meetings. The best way to learn interpersonal skills, is to listen and watch others who are naturally great at this skill.
14. Knows how to tell compelling stories. Stories are the lifeblood of society. You may recall the bedtime stories that your parents read to you when you were a child. From there, you most likely became addicted to reading novels and watching movies. Storytelling is global and timeless. Everyone loves stories. To succeed in life, learn how to be a great storyteller.
15. Is endowed with a super-positive mental attitude. Negativity will get you nowhere. Life has so many ups and downs, that if you focus on the negative, you’ll quickly lose sight of what’s possible. Positive people constantly seek out opportunities. For sure, be realistic. But also carry a super-positive mental attitude with you at all times.
16. Is highly-organized at all times. Do you class yourself as an organized person? If yes, do others also see you that way? Being highly-organized is essential. Being organized can make the difference between success and failure.
17. Is creative and innovative. Bill Gates, Michael Jackson and other successful people have all excelled in their fields because they were creative and innovative. It allowed them to stand out from their competitors. You can do the same. Start by looking for ways to do things differently.
18. Planning and goal-setting abilities. Without goals, we are simply drifting with the tide. If you desire success and achievement, then make sure that you have specific goals and a plan to reach them. If you have never tried goal-setting before, start small, and build your way up to bigger and bigger goals.
19. Is always punctual. Think about how frustrating it is when buses or trains are running late. It often leads to people becoming stressed or angry. You should see your own timekeeping in a similar light. If you are constantly late for meetings, people may not tell you, but they are likely to be angry or fed up with you. Timekeeping is about respect for others. So, please be punctual.
20. Leads through example. Great leaders teach through example. They’re also willing to do any task that they may ask others to do. You can adopt this approach too. For example, instead of asking your team to work in a specific way, let them see how efficiently you work, and they will naturally want to copy that.

As you can see, soft skills are an essential part of happiness and success. Develop the ones you already have, and adopt the ones you are missing.