Success can be a brutal game that needs to be played.

I know that sounds a little “rough” but it’s true in some cases. See, not everyone you deal with will be as honest and straight forward as you are.

So, you need to change things up with your actions and the way you do business if you want to see success – when the time is right that is.

• Some people are scandal-is and others are easy going.
• Some people think the world is out to get them, and others believe everyone has a nice side.
• Some people think they have to get every single penny from every single person they can, while others think there is more than enough money for everyone.

What you have to do is evaluate the people you’re doing business, take in every look, action they take and the eye movements they have and gestures they make.

Try and determine what type of person they are, so YOU know how to handle them so you don’t get screwed or end up getting the short end of the stick.

With that, here are 5 BRUTAL success traits you may consider taking on when the time is right…

1. Always Say Less than Necessary - When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinx-like. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
2. Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky - You can die from someone else’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as disease. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.
3. Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself – Isolation is Dangerous - The world is dangerous and enemies are everywhere – everyone has to protect themselves. A fortress seems the safest. But isolation exposes you to more dangers than it protects you from – it cuts you off from valuable information, it makes you conspicuous and an easy target. Better to circulate among people find allies, mingle. You are shielded from your enemies by the crowd.
4. Re-Create Yourself - Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define if for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.
5. Enter Action with Boldness - If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.

Reality is, there are people out there that will try and take advantage of you. There are people out there that will miss-lead you in business and there are people out there that are using these same (and more) tactics – so YOU need to use them when the time is right as well.

But be careful – there are some nice, honest and real people out there as well and you don’t want to be the bad guy/girl. evaluate people, watch them and judge for yourself when it’s the right time to bust out the “brutal business” side of you