I recently wrote about the importance of periodically reviewing ourselves with an eye toward looking at the skills most important to fueling our individual success; things like being a consistently effective listener and staying organized and focused.

Since we are at the end of 2006, I thought it would also be helpful to also review some of the skills that we typically see displayed by peak performers.

We define peak performers as people who consistently demonstrate high level of performances in their chosen field of endeavor.

Examples of current peak performers include James McNerney (current CEO of Boeing) in business, Tiger Woods (golf) in sports, and Warren Buffet (giving away $40 plus billion) in philanthropy.

Research into what makes someone a peak performer shows that natural talent has little to do with high achievement.

However, all of the areas listed below are applicable to becoming a top performer.

uDon&8217;t be afraid of failure. At one time or another, virtually everyone experiences failure. Peak performers learn from negative experiences. They analyze the situation and then apply the lessons learned to do better the next time.

uStay focused on the goal. Peak performers set aggressive goals and stay focused on achieving them. They handle stress and distractions by focusing on achieving the desired outcome.

uLeave your ego at home. Peak performers almost always have a firm control on their egos. As a result, they tend to have the ability to work effectively with others.

uPractice and work hard. People who become peak performers do so by honing their skills in various areas. Warren Buffett became a billionaire because he spent many years developing his skills in understanding financial information and learning how to effectively apply what he learns in a disciplined approach that has been refined over many years.

His results speak for themselves as he rarely makes a poor investment decision.

Research confirms that peak performers are not born, they are made. Use this list of peak performer characteristics to fine tune your skills on the way to the top