Is there a "success personality"—some winning combination of qualities that leads almost inevitably to achievement? If so, exactly what is that secret success formula, and can anyone develop it?
At the Gallop Organization we recently focused in depth on success, probing the attitudes of 1500 prominent people 0selected at random from who s who in America. Our research finds out a number of qualities that occur regularly among top achievers. Here is one of the most important, that is common sense.
Common sense is the most prevailing quality possessed by our respondents. Seventy-nine percent award themselves a top score in this quality. And 61 percent say that common sense was very important in contributing to their success.
To most, common sense means the ability to present sound, practical judgments on everyday affairs. To do this, one has to sweep aside extra ideas and get right to the core of what matters. A Texas oil and gas businessman puts it this way: "The key ability for success is simplifying. In conduction of meeting and dealing with industry reducing a complex problem to the simplest term is highly important."
Is common sense a quality a person is born with, or can you do something to increase it? The oil man s answer is that common sense can definitely be developed. He attributes his to learning how to debate in school. Another way to increase your store of common sense is to observe it in others, learning from their—and your own—mistakes.
Besides common sense, there are many other factors that influence success: knowing your field, self-reliance, intelligence, the ability to get things done, leadership, creativity, relationships with others, and of course, luck. But common sense stands out. If you develop these qualities, you ll succeed. And you might even find yourself listed in who s who someday.
1. It can be known from the passage that who s who _____. [A] is a very useful book telling us how to succeed [B] is a book providing us with the information about the family life of some famous people [C] is a book rpoviding us with the names and brief biographies of the top successful people [D] is a book from which we can find out the names of different peoples in the world
2. According to the author,common sense _____. [A] is something that common people like best [B] is a popular quality a person is born with [C] is something that enables one to form correct opinions [D] is a quality that is possessed by common people
3. It can be inferred from the passage that a successful businessman _____. [A] tries to get experience through practice [B] pays attention to the essence of a problem when he tries to solve it [C] keeps on learning in order to be successful [D] has strong willpower,extensive interest and intelligence
4. The passage is mainly concerned with _____. [A] organizational ability and good work habits [B] the way to obtain big profits and achieve fame and success [C] knowledge and interest which are primary to success [D] what successful people have in common
5. According to the author,how to develop one s common sense? [A] To become a businessman. [B] To learn how to debate and learn from mistakes. [C] To become famous. [D] To be simplifying.