The Winner’s Brain – 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success is a ground-breaking book by Jeff Brown and Mark Fenske reveal 8 key traits that great minds possess. How many of these qualities do you possess? How many need to be improved?

Let’s look at 8 traits of a “Winner’s Brain”?

Win Factor #1: Self awareness – Those who are self-aware not only realize how they relate with the rest of the world but also how the rest of the world relates with them.  If you are confident, authentic, and aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you will be more long-term focused and effective in all areas of your life.  Ask yourself: What does money meaning to me and why do I want more?

Win Factor #2: Motivation – Have you watched Daniel Pink’s viral video on the surprising science behind what truly motivates us?  In his book Drive, Daniel looks at how money and material “things” rarely motivate us.  It is a greater sense of purpose and greater passions that catapult us to success.  Do you let obstacles in challenges get in your way or are you fully committed and dedicated to your cause? Weak motivation is often a key crippling factor that stands between you and success. Ask yourself: Do my financial goals have deep meaning to me or are they generic impersonal goals?

Win Factor #3: Focus – Let’s face it: in a world of emails, phone calls, Twitter, Facebook, IMs, texting, and so on, so many items are competing for our attention.  It’s easy to develop A-D-D!  You may say, “I Don’t Have A.D.D., I just… Hey look! A squirrel!” You could be In denial that you have Attention Deficit Disorder or maybe it’s not that severe, but still you let “life” get in the way. Do you focus on what’s most important and the key activities you need to accomplish in your financial life to be successful?   Ask yourself: Will I focus only on those things that will make me financially successful or will I allow each crisis to consume me?

Win Factor #4: Emotional Balance – Successful people adjust their emotions to remain balanced during the highs and lows that come along.  They tune out negative thoughts and focus on what they can control. Focus on what you CAN do, instead of what you CAN’T do! Ask yourself: Will I allow emotions like greed and fear to influence my decisions or will I instead focus on making sound financial decisions?

Win Factor #5: Memory – Our past can either be helpful or harmful.  Failure and past mistakes can either consume us or build character and become “teaching moments”.  Those who are financially successful learn from past mistakes and don’t let previous failures hold them back. Ask yourself:  Will I make progress financially, view the past as useful history and now look to the future?

Win Factor #6: Resilience –How we react during the bad times is more important than what we do during the good.  It’s easy to stay on track when things are going according to plan.  The bumpy roads of life often create quitters. Those who succeed get knocked down but they get back up again -more times than most people. They embrace failure because it means they are one step closer to success.  When Thomas Edison was asked about how he viewed all his failed attempts to invent the light bulb. He responded, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Ask yourself: At what point will I give up or will I press on no matter what the cost?

Win Factor #7: Adaptability – Those who succeed are willing to change and not set in their ways. Apple Computer revolutionized how we listen to music with one device – the Ipod, Netflix changed how we watch movies.  Ask yourself: what small, incremental, and big changes can I make today that will positively affect my future?

Win Factor #8: Brain Care – We all know proper sleep, regularly exercising, and eating right, are the keys to proper health.  Yet, we look for “magic diet pills”, “radical diets” and a host of weird solutions that will instantly erase years of overeating and under-exercising.  The fact remains if you want to improve something, it takes time, hard work, commitment and  new habits! Ask yourself: will I spend time educating myself, learning more about proper financial solutions, and regularly spend time reviewing my financial plans?

How did you do?  Are you a winner?