What sets successful women apart from the rest of the pack? Were they simply born lucky or do they have a secret strategy that led them to the top? Most successful women agree that achieving success requires an ability to recognize opportunities when they present themselves and a risk-taking attitude that allows them to take advantage of these opportunities. Successful women are often happy to share their secrets; what follows is a list of helpful tips from various women who have found success. Here are 7 secrets of successful women.

1. Set a Goal

Decide on a goal and then set about attaining it. It is crucial to know where you are heading. Keep your focus on the brass ring and pursue it relentlessly. Your every action should have a clear purpose and leave you another step close to your goal.

2. Put Aside Your Fears

Don’t let fear paralyze you into doing nothing; you are your only limitation. Believe in yourself or no one else will; Michael Dell (Dell Computers) was told time and again that his ideas would fail. He was convinced his ideas would succeed; the rest is history. Don’t talk yourself into failure!

3. Rely on Instinct

When faced with choices, let your instinct lead the way. Highly successful women frequently “go with the gut” to make the most important decisions; they rely on instinct first and analysis second. Hindsight shows that first instincts are generally right.