5 traits the most successful women possess and you should too

Gaining ground in business and life is rarely a coincidence. Rather, it usually involves a combination of things including hard work, perseverance, tenacity and good traits.

When it comes to women, a few additions to those traits can help. We made a list:

1. The most successful women make their own way.

Because women are generally disadvantaged in today's world, no one is going to have opportunities waiting for you - as a woman. That's why you will need to take charge and create your own lane.

2. The most successful women are not scared of failure.

Amy Vetter, global VP of education and head of accounting at accounting software company Xero, puts it this way: "As long as you're learning from those failures and getting better from them over time--and you don't just keep pushing against something that isn't working--you are agile and you can make those adjustments as you need to."

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3. The most successful women have friends who root for them.

The importance of a support network cannot be overemphasised. Whether it's leadership mentors at work or women outside of work to whom you can rant, that support system is what will get you through the tough times.

4. The most successful women seize every opportunity.

Again, Amy Vetter puts it best: "A lot of times, women are offered opportunities that they don't necessarily think they're ready for and they'll pass it up, rather than taking advantage of those opportunities and growing into them."

5. The most successful women create personal space.

For various women, this could mean a bunch of things. From taking time to run or practice yoga, your personal space helps you handle the demand of work and family much more efficiently.