I stubled across this tonight on Dan Putt's blog and found it inspirational I adapted the original document that was at http://www.scribd.com/doc/17759/Geniuses posted by user "Cata."

24 Qualities That Great People Have in Common

The world’s Greatest people have all had 24 personality characteristics in common. Here are the characteristics which enable great people to come up with and develop world changing ideas:

1. DRIVE. Great people have a strong desire to work hard and long. They’re willing to give all they’ve got to a project. Develop your drive by focusing on your future success, and keep going.
2. COURAGE. It takes courage to do things others consider impossible. Stop worrying about what people will think if you’re different.
3. DEVOTION TO GOALS. Great people know what they want and go after it. Get control of your life and schedule. Have something specific to accomplish each day.
4. KNOWLEDGE. Great people continually accumulate information. Never go to sleep at night without having learned at least one new thing each day. Read. And question people who know.
5. HONESTY. Great people are frank, forthright and honest. Take the responsibility for things that go wrong. Be willing to admit, ‘I goofed’ and learned from mistakes.
6. OPTIMISM. Great people never doubt they will succeed. Deliberately focus your mind on something good coming up.
7. ABILITY TO JUDGE. Try to understand the facts of a situation before you judge. Evaluate things on an opened minded, unprejudiced basis and be willing to change your mind.
8. ENTHUSIASM. Great people are so excited about what they are doing that it encourages others to cooperate with them. They don’t hold back.
9. WILLINGNESS TO TAKE CHANCES. Overcome your fear of failure. You won’t be afraid to take chances once you realize you can learn from your mistakes.
10. DYNAMIC ENERGY. Don’t sit on your butt waiting for something good to happen. Be determined to make it happen.
11. ENTERPRISE. Great people are opportunity seekers. Be willing to take on jobs others won’t touch. Never be afraid to try the unknown.
12. PERSUASION. Great people know how to motivate people to help them get ahead. You’ll find it easy to be persuasive if you believe in what you’re doing.
13. OUTGOINGNESS. I’ve found Great people able to make friends easily and be easy on their friends. Be a ‘booster’ not somebody who puts others down. That attitude will win you many valuable friends.
14. ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. Great people are generally able to get their ideas across to others. Take every opportunity to explain your ideas to others.
15. PATIENCE. Play life like a long term game. Be patient with others when appropriate, but know when to put the fire under their feet and be impatient with yourself.
16. PERCEPTION. Great people have their mental radar working full time. Think more of others’ needs and wants than you do your own.
17. PERFECTIONISM. Great people cannot tolerate mediocrity, particularly in themselves. Never be easily satisfied with yourself. Always strive to do better.
18. SENSE OF HUMOR. Be willing to laugh at your own expense. Don’t take offense when the joke is on you.
19. VERSATILITY. The more things you learn to accomplish, the more confidence you will develop. Don’t shy away from new endeavors.
20. ADAPTABILITY. Being flexible enables you to adapt to changing circumstances readily. Resist doing things the same old way. Be willing to consider new options.
21. CURIOSITY. An inquisitive, curious mind will help you seek out new information. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know it all. Always ask questions about things you don’t understand.
22. INDIVIDUALISM. Do things the way you think they should be done, without fearing somebody’s disapproval.
23. IDEALISM. Keep your feet on the ground — but have your head in the clouds. Strive to achieve great things, not just for yourself but for the better of mankind.
24. IMAGINATION. Great people know how to think in new combinations, see things from a different perspective, than anyone else. Unclutter your mental environment to develop this type of imagination. Give yourself time each day to daydream, to fantasize, to drift into a dreamy inner life the way you did as a child.

“Most people have the mistaken idea that geniuses are born, not made” - Dr. Alfred Barrios