The DNA of Top-Earning Entrepreneurs and CEOs

You don’t have to dig deep in your industry to find some big differences of opinion amongst the top dogs. But no matter how differently they see things, the leaders of the pack have a lot in common.

That’s because deep inside the biggest and baddest entrepreneurs is a cluster of entrepreneurial DNA with all the same elements. What’s that DNA look like?

This.

They’re driven by something bigger.

Everyone is driven to have enough money to pay the bills. A lot of people are driven to get more money than they can spend.

While money is important to the top earners, that’s not their number one priority. They want something bigger and better. They want to make a difference, change their industry and the world. Because this is their driving force, they’re able to do just that, one customer at a time. They understand that money is simply a vehicle to greater freedom, opportunity, and impact.

How’s this make them rake in crazy cash? Because they’re genuine, and people respond to that. They respond with their hearts and their wallets.

They’re relentless in their pursuit.

Just as weekend warriors will never make the NBA, part-time entrepreneurs will never reach the top tier. That’s because they’re content with how things are. Business going well? Fantastic! Take a turn for the worse? Oh well. It’ll change soon, right?

Wrong. The top entrepreneurs know you’ve got to be relentlessly pursuing excellence. They work harder and longer than anyone else. They design their whole lives around high performance. They watch the market constantly and execute against the right opportunities with speed and certainty. So while the world is running in terror of an economic collapse, they keep their companies in growth mode.

Which brings us to the next piece of their DNA.

They’re hungry for more.

Top-earning entrepreneurs and CEOs are hungry for more of everything. They want more out of life, expect more out of themselves, and stop at nothing to squeeze more profit out of their businesses.

Whereas lesser business owners are pleased to be in the black, empire builders want to be so far in the black they can afford to cut a million dollar check for their favorite charity on a whim. They do this by listening to customer feedback, evaluating their offerings, watching the competition for what’s working, and building offers that make serious bank.

Once an offer takes off, the top CEOs don’t rest and enjoy the proceeds. They thrive on outdoing it. These entrepreneurs carefully look at what worked with their offer and mercilessly trim what didn’t. They know the bottom line only grows with a better offer.

They’re generous with their time, money, and words.

Stingy people repel people. No one wants to be around stingy folks, because they’re always protecting what they have and know.

But here’s the truth of the matter, and if you get nothing else from this article, get this. When it comes to your time and knowledge, you have a choice to make. You can give it away freely, empowering and encouraging other people to reach your level of success OR you can hoard it up in an effort to protect your position.

It may seem counterintuitive, but sharing what you know will help you build wealth. Being open and transparent and helpful — even to total strangers — sets you up as an expert in your given field. What do people do when they find an expert? They listen to them. And when that expert says to buy a product that helped them, people buy it.

If you think you can be stingy and happy, think again. Whether you pay your team members the lowest possible salaries or resist giving to charities, being tight-fisted is only going to make you miserable.

Your money will always go where your heart is. If your money is always aimed at your own pocket, people see that, and they’ll never follow you or buy into your vision. Find something bigger than money to drive you to succeed, and you’ll be happier and be surrounded with happy people who share your passion.

They’re true to their word.

What are you going to do? What will your product do? Say it clearly, guarantee the results, and follow through, each and every time. If your product or service is worth believing in, there’s no threat in guarantees.

Inside the business world, you’re only as good as your word. If a handshake agreement isn’t enough to bind you to a promise, you’re poison. No one will want to waste their time working with you, because you feel no obligation to follow through on your promises. You’re an asshole who’s only interested in your best interest, and you don’t mind going back on your word if it helps your bottom line.

Man up and be true to your word or prepare to never be trusted. Do it often enough and public opinion will turn on you, and once that happens, it’s a long, hard road to come back.

They’re always dissatisfied.

Don’t read this wrong. The cream of the crop aren’t constantly complaining. They don’t struggle to kick back and see the positive. But they do know that any success they’ve gained can be increased. So they’re not content.

Instead, they see room for growth in everything. Even the best performing offer in your business’s history can perform better. If you want to grow an empire, you have to get used to seeing that potential and then going after it.

They’re happy.

Despite being dissatisfied and constantly pursuing bigger things, top-earning entrepreneurs are happy. Way happy. And it’s not a happiness that can be destroyed with a declining economy.

That’s because the happiness they have is built on something bigger than dollars and cents. It’s built on the tangible proof of the impact they’re making and the self-confidence they’ve developed by staying true to their word.

Want to have a bigger smile on your face every day? Stop playing at being a business owner and go after it full throttle. Wake up every day planning to blow your company into the stratosphere. Once there, you can serve more people, make more money, and get more of that happiness that everyone chases.

Reach the top and you’ll have a great view. Then, there’s only one thing left to do.

Get back to work. Build your empire even bigger so you can create the new top.