Inc – One thing the highest achievers have in common? A steady dose of discipline.

Study high achievers and you’ll find the recipe for success is fairly consistent and includes hard work, perseverance, as well as a willingness to take risks and learn from failure. A steady dose of discipline doesn’t hurt, either. Take it from these executives who share their words about the daily habits that helped them get to the top and stay there.

5. Say what you mean.

“My communication style is direct, blunt. This was something I came to appreciate while working at Bertelsmann, a German media company. I prefer an open discussion and work best with direct reports who can reciprocate.”

–Todd Krizelman, cofounder and CEO of the ad sales intelligence tool MediaRadar

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