Take Tony Dungy, for instance. Many thought he would never win the Super Bowl because of his laid-back, even-tempered personality. He proved them wrong. What was it that made the Indianapolis Colts a success? Was it their high-priced salaries? No, the salary cap takes that out of the picture. It wasn't a charismatic leader. And it wasn't their desire to win (I guarantee Chicago wanted to win every bit as much as Indianapolis).

Everyone on the field wanted to score touchdowns. Everyone wanted to win. Everyone had the same goals. But victory came to the team that executed the best. Most experts agree that the rain in Miami made this past Super Bowl one of the sloppiest on record. But that doesn't matter. One team executed better than the other. And that team won.

Execution is the ability to take what you know and understand, make a wise decision, and then put it into the corresponding action. Those who execute on a daily basis are the ones who have the greatest ability to succeed. Their personality may be more energetic, which is a good motivator for action. But that action isn't always the right action. Sometimes the contemplative personality has a better chance to succeed because the action he takes is based on better knowledge.

After winning the Super Bowl, Tony Dungy made the point that success is determined by preparation. Preparation is what allows you to gain everything you need to execute properly. If you're not prepared, you won't execute well. You won't pay attention to the details that are so crucial for success. And you won't be able to see opportunities when they pop up. You might have heard that luck is a combination of preparation plus opportunity. Well, that's not entirely true. There's one missing ingredient in that equation -- execution. You can be prepared and you can have opportunities. But if you don't execute well, you'll find nothing but bad luck (i.e., results).

So don't let your personality hold you back. Look at your personality as a tool, not a barrier. Don't let fear keep you from taking action. Prepare yourself (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally) and execute well when the opportunities arise.