What characteristics would help someone

The Best are optimists.
You can't get to the top if you don't think that there is a top or if you
think you can't make it. One characteristic of those who reach the peak is
that they always believe that things can get better or be done better. This
pushes them on to be their best.

The Best have vision.
They can see ahead of the pack. Their eyes aren't locked into the here and
now. They see the bright future and what things will look like when they
reach their destiny. While working hard for today, they live for the future!
They do what Stephen Covey calls begin with the end in mind.

The Best pursue excellence.
The status quo is not for them. They want to be the best and experience the
best. And that means giving their best. They go the extra mile so that in
everything they do, in everything they say and think, they are striving for
excellence.

The Best understand that they will be pushed by the competition - and they
welcome it.
Like the lead runner in the race who has someone on his heels, the best know
that the competition is right behind them. They love it though because they
know that the competition pushes them to go faster and to achieve more - to
remain the best by forging ahead.

The Best make no excuses.
When they fail they admit it and move on. They get back up and do it right
the next time. They let their actions speak loader than their words. They
stand tall and do the right thing the next time. No excuses, just results.

The Best have a life long habit of personal growth.
They don't want to stay at the level they are at. They want to grow in their
work, their intellect, their spirituality, their relationships, and in every
area of their life. Personal growth doesn't "just happen." You choose to
grow. The old saying is true: Leaders are readers.

The Best are masters of time and personal management: Prioritize and
execute.
Just like weight loss boils down to eat right and exercise, personal
management boils down to prioritize and execute. First, prioritize your
activities. Then, execute: do them. The best have habits and discipline that
get them to the top by doing the best things and doing them first.

The Best focus on building relationships.
Success does not come alone. Everyone who achieves much does it with the
help of countless others. How do the Best get others to help them? They
treat them right. They embrace them and help them. People become the best
because they help other people, and people like them.

Think about this and start moving towards becoming the "best" and make it a
great week ahead.