We all know nothing external changes significantly when we transition from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 each year. As far as celestial movements go, this passage is exactly the same as any other transition from one day to the next.
However, internally, this transition can be significant. When we enter a new year, multitudes of us experience a shift together. We share traditions related to taking stock, letting go of what isn't working, identifying new areas to explore, making new plans and setting goals.
And there is a power in starting fresh with so many others after the confetti has drifted to the ground on New Year's Day. As the year progresses, however, some of us are able to stay focused and attain our goals step by step. Others, for a variety of reasons, are unable to do so.
Wouldn't you love to be among those who aim high and reach lofty goals this year? To that end, there are several traits successful people tend to share. According to self-development writer Cynthia Bazin, people need five qualities to reach their biggest goals. They must be positive, persistent, patient, resilient and adaptable.
Addressing each of these qualities in a 2016 blog post at Success.com, she wrote, "What you put your mind to is where you will put action to. … Strong successful people do not give up. … We want the fruits of our labor right now, but sometimes the timing isn’t right for our goal. … Resilience is definitely a quality that you need to have in order to make it. If you find yourself doubting yourself at times, one of the best things you can do is hire a mentor or coach to help you positively push through. … You must have an open mind to the awesome possibilities and opportunities out there. Surround yourself with really smart people who you can learn and grow from."
These aren't the only traits successful people have in common. Optimism, grit, organization, discipline, passion for improvement, gratitude and authenticity are additional qualities often mentioned by experts in this realm.
If you are weak in any key areas (which all of us are), one thing to keep in mind is that you don't have to do it alone. You do not exist in isolation. If you want to go further than you ever have before in your career, ask for help.
Depending on what your issues are, help might take the form of having a check-in buddy with whom you touch base each day specifically to go over your goals and the steps you can take that day to move toward realizing them. You also might benefit from a mastermind group, a type peer-to-peer mentoring group popularized by Napoleon Hill in his 1937 book Think and Grow Rich, which is still selling strong. If pessimism creeps in, a certified personal coach or other type of one-on-one mentor or adviser might help you return to the sunnier side of life and business.
Whatever your path, I wish you the very best for a happy and prosperous year ahead. 
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