The No. 1 thing successful people never do, from an investor who sold her startup for $375 million

 The #1 Thing Successful People Never Do From The Investor Who Sold Her Startup For $375 Million

Starting your own business takes confidence, but overconfidence can be a recipe for failure. That's why Alexa von Tobel warns against getting too caught up in your own success.The 39-year-old founder of online financial advisor LearnVest tells CNBC Make It that there's one thing people who start successful businesses never do if they want their success to continue: "No good entrepreneur is ever really like, '[Everything] is amazing" says von Tobel. “You're always in a good state of very healthy paranoia.

When von Tobel left Harvard to start LearnVest in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, she never let the company's initial success get to her head. No matter how good you think your business idea is, successfully executing it is "really hard," he says, and even positive early returns can disappear quickly if you let your guard down and fail to capitalize on the momentum.

"So there was never a day where I thought, 'Wow, this is working,'" she says.That was even true when LearnVest launched online, and "literally thousands and thousands of people showed up" on the first day, causing the site to temporarily crash, von Tobel says. People were clearly excited about the business, and von Tobel knew she was "on to something" with the idea.

Still, she didn't get carried away.

"I never went to bed at night and thought, 'Wow, this is going to work,'" she adds. "I was like, 'OK, that's a sign of something that might work' — it was more the feeling."The survey shows that overconfidence is more prevalent among entrepreneurs than the average person—not surprising given the long odds any new business faces to succeed in the long run. The same overconfidence can cause companies to fail, especially from the big, risky bets that founders and CEOs can make that can go terribly wrong.

As the first female entrepreneur, von Tobel did not get carried away by her company's early success. She charted a path of manageable growth that helped the company acquire 1.5 million users within seven years of its launch, at which point it sold LearnVest to Northwestern Mutual for a reported $375 million in 2015.Making sure you maintain some "healthy paranoia" doesn't mean you have to live in constant fear of failure, notes von Tobel, or be afraid to celebrate wins in order to be successful. Instead, the trick is to work hard and avoid overconfidence, which can lead to big unforced errors.

“I wish someone had told me this: 'If you're a really hard-working person who shows up every day and makes good, reasonable, thoughtful, smart decisions every day, and [if] you do that for decades, you're going to build something really successful, " he says.DON'T MISS: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work and life? Subscribe to our new newsletter!Get Warren Buffett's free guide to investing from CNBC, which includes the #1 billionaire's best advice for regular investors, dos and don'ts, and three key investment principles in a clear and simple guide.

Success is a concept that fascinates us all, especially when it comes to business and entrepreneurship. Many dream of reaching remarkable heights, but only a select few manage to reach the pinnacle of success. Have you ever wondered what makes these individuals different? What habits and practices contribute to their extraordinary success? In this article, we delve into the insights of a seasoned investor who achieved a remarkable $375 million startup. We'll explore the top habit she believes is the driving force behind her success and how you can incorporate it into your journey.

The Power of Resilience: Habit #1

A common trait that emerges when examining successful individuals is their unwavering resilience. In the world of business, obstacles and challenges are inevitable. The ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to changing circumstances, and maintain a positive outlook is what really separates those who thrive from those who falter.

Our $375 million startup investor emphasizes that successful people never let failures define their journey. Instead, they see these challenges as opportunities to grow and learn. This shift in thinking allows them to persevere through tough times, find innovative solutions, and push the boundaries of their abilities. resilience, adaptability, positive outlook, challenges, growth mindset

Cultivating a resilient mindset

So how can you cultivate this resilient mindset and mirror the habits of successful individuals?Embrace failure as a stepping stone: Instead of fearing failure, embrace it as a crucial step on the road to success. Every failure provides valuable insights and lessons that can propel you forward.

Develop a Growth Mindset: Adopt a growth mindset that focuses on the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. This perspective encourages continuous learning and improvement.

Stay Adaptable: The business environment is constantly evolving. Successful people remain adaptable by remaining open to change and seeking opportunities within new challenges.Surround yourself with positivity: Positivity is contagious. Surrounding yourself with optimistic individuals can increase your resilience and motivation during difficult times.

Set realistic goals: Break your bigger goals down into smaller, achievable steps. This approach not only makes your goals more attainable, but also helps you stay focused and motivated. failure as a learning opportunity, growth mindset, adaptability, positivity, goal setting

Case study: From failure to success

Let's look at a real-life example of how resilience led to success. When our investor faced a major setback in the early stages of her startup, many advised her to exit the venture. Instead, she saw the situation as a chance to learn from her mistakes. It adjusted its strategy, improved its product and re-entered the market stronger than before. That tenacity eventually led to the startup exiting for a staggering $375 million. real-life example startup failure learning from mistakes strategy adaptation tenacity extraordinary success

On the road to success, the #1 habit that separates the achievers from the average is resilience. This unwavering ability to face challenges, learn from failures and maintain a positive outlook propels individuals to extraordinary heights. As our investor's exit from a $375 million startup showed, failure is not an obstacle, but a stepping stone to success. By embracing failure, fostering a growth mindset, and remaining adaptable, you can mirror the habits of those who have achieved greatness. Remember that success is not just about avoiding failure; it's about your resistance to them.