The surest way to become a high achiever on the career path is to adopt the traits of those who have earned that status. Winners are identified by 13 indicators.

1. They separate work and play. They work hard and consistently to achieve success in each segment of their life.

2. They see their job as being composed of a variety of bite-size task and manage their time according to priorities. They focus on the tasks at hand.

3. They know how to manage their relationships with their boss, as well as their peers. They enlist mentors. They treat people with whom they have contact with proper respect.

4. They work according to a career plan; they are persistent in pursuing goals. At the same time, achievers know that the best-laid plans must evolve with changing conditions. They make plans with optimism and confidence; at the same time they design fallback strategies if things jump the track.

5. They embrace change and are able to adapt to new conditions.

6. They can spot opportunities and are willing to take informed risks to capitalize on them.

7. They are willing to admit mistakes and accept responsibility. They learn from them.

8. They share the spotlight and credit with their associates, especially their boss.

9. They are not afraid to ask for help from winners. When they seek assistance they learn new information and skills. They recognize that those who are asked for help feel complimented.

10. They understand how their function can contribute to the success of their employer.

11. They avoid a romance with their employer. That is, they treat the relationship as a business arrangement between supplier and user.

12. They recognize that there are no guarantees in the world of work; all employer-employee relationships are transitory. So they always have a stand-by plan to move forward if they lose their job. This means maintaining contacts in their career field and state-of-the-art skills.

13. They know that careers are cross-country runs, not 100 yard dashes that involve times of great satisfaction and, yes, pure joy, as well as onerous assignments, losses and disappointments. They plow ahead whatever the situation.

Take time NOW to assess how you rate on these attributes. Then act to adopt them as your own.

To get common sense advice on how to achieve your career goals subscribe to Ramon Greenwood's free semi-monthly newsletter and blog. Go to http://www.commonsenseatwork.com His take-it-to-the bank advice comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author. You can also visit his blog via this route.