A fter the death of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in 1993, I was recruited to help restructure the Peale Center and its annual conference for CEOs.

Reviewing Dr. Peale's 47 books -- and thousands of his sermons and articles -- showed me how applicable his wisdom still is to today's business world.

We are all born positive thinkers, but those traits become clouded by the inevitable stresses of our lives. Recapturing our innate positiveness can lead to incredible success.

Ten crucial traits for success -- and some strategies to make it happen...

Optimism -- expectation of positive outcomes, even in the face of roadblocks or crises.

Before starting any project, write down several compelling reasons why you should be optimistic. Review the list whenever you feel yourself shift toward pessimism.

Too often, I see businesspeople begin a project with great hope pinned to a single factor, such as a head start on their competitors. If that lone advantage falls through, negativity and hopelessness set in.

Enthusiasm -- positive energy, passion or personal motivation.

Connect mundane tasks to a meaningful purpose. A CEO I know saw a hospital janitor enthusiastically mopping the floor. The CEO asked how she found so much joy in her work. The janitor replied, I'm creating a clean, safe environment that helps the nurses and doctors make people healthy.

Introduce game-playing into unchallenging projects. Even the simplest games can dispel feelings of drudgery and promote positive competition.

Example: I have a friend who owns a telemarketing company. It can be frustrating work. He placed a bell on each employee's desk -- to be hit whenever a sales milestone is met. His staff enjoys the public acknowledgment of ringing the bell.

Belief -- trusting in oneself, others and/or a higher power for support and guidance. Belief drives optimism.

Act as if you already possess the traits you lack or want to improve upon. Dr. Peale liked to say, You achieve what you and others expect you to achieve.

Example: I worked with a businessman who dreaded public speaking. I suggested he visualize himself as a dynamic, masterful speaker, in demand across the country, before making presentations. He quickly began to feel more confident.

Integrity -- personal commitment to honesty and openness... living by and for one's standards.

Run your situation through a personal ethics checklist. Dr. Peale had a three-point litmus test...

Is it legal and in line with the organization's policy?

Is it fair to all concerned -- both short and long term?

How will I feel about myself in the end?

Imagine you are a reporter accompanying yourself to work -- attending business meetings and listening in on phone conversations. What kind of story would you write about yourself? Would you be proud of it? What, if anything, would you change for the reporter's sake?

Courage -- willingness to take risks and overcome fears, even when the outcome is uncertain.

Consider the worst-case scenario, then develop a plan to deal with it. Remember -- likely scenarios are less intimidating.

Conduct a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In situations you fear, ask yourself the following...

To identify your strengths: What skills, experiences or beliefs do I have that will help me meet this challenge?

To identify your weaknesses: What skills do I lack? What negative attitudes might get in the way?

To identify your opportunities: Why is this important to me?

To identify threats: What do I have to lose?

Confidence -- being personally assured of one's abilities and potential. Belief is the foundation of confidence.

Use confident language. Eliminate negative phrases, such as I can't... impossible... I'm afraid that.... Such generalizations predict negative outcomes and dismiss possibilities.

Instead, seed your conversation and thoughts with phrases like I have great confidence and courage... I am a capable professional... I will look people in the eye and be resolute in my convictions.

Think positively about past successes. When asked to reflect on a specific accomplishment, many people talk about the things that went wrong. Learning from success and how to repeat it is just as vital as learning from failure. Deconstruct the experience. Ask yourself, What factors led to success in that instance?... How do I apply them to the next situation?

Determination -- tireless pursuit of a goal.

Attack doubt immediately. Dr. Peale had no tolerance for negative self-talk or self-pity.

Stay committed to -- and disciplined about -- deadlines. If negative thoughts creep in, make a list of the benefits of attaining your objective. Remind yourself that your situation is not unusual -- and that many people in similarly difficult situations were able to find a way up and out.

Know when to quit. If you get too caught up in the pursuit of a goal, you may miss signs that you've drifted off course. Answer these questions to determine when to abandon or redirect a goal...

Is it in the best interest of my company to find closure and move on to the next project?

Are the costs of the endeavor exceeding the benefits?

Is the project having a seriously negative effect on my personal or professional relationships?

Patience -- willingness to wait for opportunity or results from oneself and from others. Don't take delays personally. They rarely have to do with you directly.

Example: If your boss fails to get back to you about a project, don't assume it's because he/she is dissatisfied with your work.

If you feel as if you want to act impulsively, count to 50. This brief pause will keep you from overreacting.

Calmness -- maintaining serenity and balance in response to difficulty.

Tackle the problem you least want to address first thing each morning. You'll free up enormous psychological energy by not fretting all day.

Quickly deal with physical symptoms of stress. The first signs of losing your calm are physical -- tightness in your jaw and neck, grinding teeth, etc. Recognize these symptoms, and practice relaxation techniques that will prevent the anxiety from mounting.

Focus -- attention directed on preset goals and priorities. Concentrating on one priority at a time is critical to success. Keep a portion of your desk uncluttered. Use that space to work exclusively on your current task. Keep your mind uncluttered, too.

One of Dr. Peale's favorite imagery techniques: Empty your mind the way you empty your pockets. Close your eyes, and imagine reaching into your mind. Pull out each thought unrelated to the task at hand and put it in a drawer.