by Sherrie Campbell:  Counter to what many believe, accolades are not really what success is about. To be rich is to have money and status, but to be wealthy

is to have physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness plus financial abundance. Exceptional people are those who seemingly have it all. They have monetary success along with a deeply felt happiness and satisfaction in life.The truly exceptional focus on cultivating their inner worlds and the more soft-spoken qualities of their character because they know to be wholly successful, it takes being a really good human being.

1. Grace.

Grace is that dignified elegance about a person’s appearance, movement, personal style or behavior. To be graceful is to be strong and assured in who one is and to move gently within that energy.

Exceptional people live with a sense of inner elegance and are graceful even amidst a challenge. They are able to handle themselves in a noble and ethical manner. They hold good posture, their energy has a mystery, softness, strength and cleverness to it. They are vulnerable yet self-assured.

Grace is the undeniable quality of the depth of their personal wisdom.

2. Kindness.

Kindness comes naturally to exceptional people. It is consistent in how they treat, think about, and speak to others. They are genunine and come from a sensitive place. Although being kind may be perceived as weakness or vulnerability by others ,exceptional people understand that kindness is one of their strongest influences.

Exceptional people are kind, even to those whom they do not care for. They are aware they can love someone even if they do not like them. If they can’t say something nice, they have the control to remain quiet.

They believe there is no other human quality that will get them further in life than that of kindness.

3. Composure.

Composure is the beauty of self-control. Exceptional people accept that life is always going to bring its challenges and are aware that without a sense of composure it is too easy to allow conflict in situations and relationships to unnerve them. They embrace the concept of less equals more.

Exceptional people understand the less they react, defend, explain, become fearful or controlling, the more command they have over a situation. Having composure allows them to stand tall with resilience in the face of loss and challenge. They are also mindful to not be boastful about their success.

Composure allows them to maintain a certain stillness in the face of life’s changes.

4. Fearless.

Exceptional people are willing to dare greatly in life. They know it takes courage to love fully, to change themselves when necessary, to feel deeply, to take risks even when it’s scary and to chase their dreams with passion and an unwavering tenacity.

They are aware that to become courageous they must do courageous things. The exceptional understand it is not the loudness of their words but the depth of their character, to keep going no matter their circumstances, which makes them thrive.

5. Poised.

Because exceptional people are self-loving they naturally possess a quiet confidence. Their self-awareness, dedication to self-development and personal growth provide them the knowledge to succeed at nearly anything they seek.

Because of their life experiences and inner depth, they can be certain positive things will happen in their lives because they depend upon themselves to have the information and willingness to do the work necessary to get to their result.

6. Deliberate.

Exceptional people are clear and persistent in who they are, where they are headed and what they want from their life and relationships to be happy. In being deliberate other people know where they stand with them. The exceptional get what they want in life because they are clear in saying what they want.

Exceptional people use each challenge life brings to positively refine themselves. This refinement keeps their lives clear of negativity. Being deliberate keeps them pointed in the direction of their dreams, connected to their true loves and to living genuinely as who they are.

7. Intelligent.

For exceptional people, intelligence is about knowledge but even more so about emotions. In being aware of their own emotional patterns they are endowed with the flexibility to handle challenge and change, allowing them to unlock smart solutions to their problems.

With a well-rounded intelligence the exceptional carry themselves in a stately and unafraid manner. They live with a sense of security knowing there are a multitude of choices available in life, so there is no need to be reactive. In being emotionally grounded they have the ability to keep their eyes on the bigger picture turning obstacles into opportunities.

8. Unassuming.

Exceptional people do not see life as being all about them, in fact, they prefer to celebrate the accomplishments of others as much as their own. They are proud of who they are but have no need to add histrionics to their success.  Most of the time they prefer being in the background, working hard and allowing their success speak for itself.

The exceptional are sensitive and want the best for everyone. They do not see themselves as above others as they are secure enough in themselves that the trap of comparison doesn’t interest them. They enjoy their lives and do not feel entitled to more without the commensurate work to back it up.

9. Truthful.

People gravitate towards what is real. Exceptional people are simple, upfront, gentle, but direct in the “being” of who they are. They are content to live life patiently, and know how to wait well. For them life is about being authentic and following their heart and nothing else.

The truly exceptional are people others can depend upon as they have no ulterior motives. They are relationship oriented not agenda oriented and believe that the truth is the only path to success and deep intimacy. Because they are truthful their personalities are not set up on pretenses. Who they are does not change from person to person or situation to situation. They are who they are and their priority in life is to be forthcoming.

10. Loving.

There is nothing more appealing to others than to be in the presence of a loving person. The truly exceptional know they must love themselves in order to have endless love to give. For them love is a verb and it is expresses itself through loving kindness, touch, their smile and sense of inner joy and vitality.

Exceptional people are warm towards others and kind to themselves. There is nothing they wouldn’t do to help and this loving approach is taken into every area of their life from career to parenting. Further, they apply love as a form of discipline and set boundaries when necessary. They are clear there will be times when the only way another person can learn and grow is for them to either have to withdraw their love, or to set boundaries around it to protect their generous nature. They know that for them to remain loving they must protect their heart and put themselves first in negative situations.

Through life’s experiences exceptional people have come to accept that some people can stay in their heart, but not in their life.

To be truly successful in life it is the understated qualities of success which are sustaining. To possess any one of them will increase the experience of a person’s success exponentially. The truly exceptional know that who they are internally is the most powerful marker of their influence on the world.