--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If successful people have one common…" description: "\"If successful people have one common trait, it's an utter lack of cynicism. The world owes them nothing. They go out and find what they need without as..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ed/mike-zimmer-89427_abundance_if-successful-people-have-one-common-tra_2625505.jpg" --- # If successful people have one common trait, it's an utter… ![“If successful people have one common trait, it's an utter lack of cynicism. The world owes them nothing. They go out and find what they need without asking for permission; they're driven, talented, and work through negatives by focusing on the positives.” quote by Mike Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ed/mike-zimmer-89427_abundance_if-successful-people-have-one-common-tra_2625505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ed/mike-zimmer-89427_abundance_if-successful-people-have-one-common-tra_2625505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ed/mike-zimmer-89427_abundance_if-successful-people-have-one-common-tra_2625505.jpg) > “If successful people have one common trait, it's an utter lack of cynicism. The world owes them nothing. They go out and find what they need without asking for permission; they're driven, talented, and work through negatives by focusing on the positives.” [Mike Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-zimmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful people lack cynicism, act without permission, focus on positives, and turn negatives into motivation **In simple terms:** Cynicism‑free optimism drives success Key Takeaway Adopt optimistic, permission‑free mindset for achievement Themes success optimism cynicism initiative positivity Mood motivational pragmatic Type advice observation When to use this quote - career development - entrepreneurship - personal coaching Key Concepts psychology leadership self‑help Questions to Reflect On - How to balance optimism with realistic risk assessment? - When is seeking permission beneficial? A Different Perspective Optimism may ignore legitimate risks ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abundance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance/) [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common Trait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-trait-965605/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Cynicism World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism-world-1623120/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lack Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-cynicism-2147597/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Permission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permission/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-people/) [Traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traits/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Be positive, be positive. It's rough out there, but don't succumb. Don't succumb to the cynicism in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/be-positive-be-positive-it-s-rough-out-there-but-don-t-succumb-don-t/) [Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/) > [I understand the concept of optimism. But I think with me what you get is a lack of cynicism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-understand-the-concept-of-optimism-but-i-think-with-me-what-you-get/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [“Anger and self-righteousness combined with cynicism about the world as he or she sees it are the marks of the ideologue. There is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/anger-and-self-righteousness-combined-with-cynicism-about-the-world/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [For all the cynicism that the world contains, people are a little more open to those things that maybe are to do with returning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/for-all-the-cynicism-that-the-world-contains-people-are-a-little-more/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [“The most fulfilling jobs share a common trait: They prod us to work at our highest level but in a way that we, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-most-fulfilling-jobs-share-a-common-trait-they-prod-us-to-work-at/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [This will always be a nation of immigrants. It is the one common trait we all share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-parson/this-will-always-be-a-nation-of-immigrants-it-is-the-one-common-trait/) [Mike Parson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-parson/) > [“All underearners, without question, share one common trait: a high tolerance for low”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanny/all-underearners-without-question-share-one-common-trait-a-high/) [Barbara Stanny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanny/) > [The most common trait of all primitive peoples is a reverence for the life-giving earth, and the Native American shared this elemental ethic: The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/the-most-common-trait-of-all-primitive-peoples-is-a-reverence-for-the/) [Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/) > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-masquerades-as-wisdom-but-it-is-the-farthest-thing-from-it/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [There have been times when a particularly heavy dose of such cynicism has caused me to reflect that surely this is the age and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-have-been-times-when-a-particularly-heavy-dose-of-such-cynicism/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [If you're going to reach for it, reach all the way for it. Albums like 'Purple Rain' and 'Thriller' and those kind of records,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sitek/if-you-re-going-to-reach-for-it-reach-all-the-way-for-it-albums-like/) [Dave Sitek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sitek/) > [There's a distinct unease about Americans when they are outside the United States. I can't say quite what it is, but they are easily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-osborne/there-s-a-distinct-unease-about-americans-when-they-are-outside-the/) [Lawrence Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-osborne/) > [“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up faster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-oxenhandler/wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-which-one-fills-up-faster/) [Noelle Oxenhandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-oxenhandler/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) ## More by Mike Zimmer > [Good teams focus on the task at hand. They don't care what's happened the last 13 days, they worry about today and they worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-zimmer/good-teams-focus-on-the-task-at-hand-they-don-t-care-what-s-happened/) [Mike Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-zimmer/) [Explore all 2 Mike Zimmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-zimmer/) ## More Abundance quotes > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“Life is open to us all. No one will ever see life exactly the same as another. Some folks will argue that one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sereda-aleta-dailey/life-is-open-to-us-all-no-one-will-ever-see-life-exactly-the-same-as/) [Sereda Aleta Dailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sereda-aleta-dailey/) > [Our obsession with material things and lack of self-worth is evident in our need for an abundance of momentary luxuries and must-have amenities that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/our-obsession-with-material-things-and-lack-of-self-worth-is-evident/) [T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/) > [Like the sea itself, the unconscious yields an endless and self-replenishing abundance of creatures, a wealth beyond our fathoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/like-the-sea-itself-the-unconscious-yields-an-endless-and-self/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [There are times when born hollandaise heads, as well as nouveaux turbot freaks and recherche escargotphiles alike crave the saignet abundance of a New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-greene/there-are-times-when-born-hollandaise-heads-as-well-as-nouveaux/) [Gael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-greene/) > [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [“Without darkness, we may never know how bright the stars shine. Without battles, we could not know what victory feels like. Without adversity, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne/without-darkness-we-may-never-know-how-bright-the-stars-shine-without/) [Julie-Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [Remember, whatever you focus upon, increases...When you focus on the things you need, you'll find those needs increasing. If you concentrate your thoughts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/remember-whatever-you-focus-upon-increases-when-you-focus-on-the/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [Don't measure the height of your Christmas tree. Measure the abundance of the love present in your heart! Have a Blessed Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-measure-the-height-of-your-christmas-tree-measure-the-abundance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,251 Abundance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If successful people have one common trait, it's an utter lack of cynicism. The world owes them nothing. 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