Who doesn't want to be happy and successful? We all have a dream of how our lives should ideally go. Those dreams run anywhere from becoming a Hollywood superstar, to climbing the corporate ladder. We also want to be happy while we're doing it. Happy and successful people actually have a lot of traits in common. Here are just a few of them.

They don't compare themselves to others

It's really easy to fall into a trap of comparing yourself to others, especially when Facebook lets us see a (carefully curated) window into other peoples lives. When you get passed up for promotion, or everyone you know seems to be getting married or having kids, it can feel like you're the only one not moving ahead.

Happy and successful people don't compare themselves to others. They focus on their own goals and personal successes, and grow at their own pace.

They meditate daily

A great many CEOs and other high profile executives meditate daily. They do so for a variety of reasons, with some doing it to control their ego, while others do so to increase their focus and productivity. Meditation is good for everyone, regardless of who you are or what you do.

They dream big

If you don't have a big dream or goal, you don't have anything to guide your life. People who feel like their lives have no meaning or purpose tend to feel less happy, so having a goal is very important. A big dream also helps you narrow your focus onto what's most important to you in life, so that you don't waste time in the pursuit of something you don't really want.

They spend time in nature

Happy people tend to spend more time being active, and a lot of that active time is spent outdoors. Study after study has shown that when we are interacting with nature, we are happier in general. Even if it is as simple as sitting under a shady tree in your own backyard, spending time outside can do wonders for your overall wellbeing.

They have a growth mindset

Runners have this one down pat. If you've ever wondered why a runner could celebrate being dead last in a race with thousands of competitors in it, you probably don't fully understand a growth mindset. When you're focused on growth, it isn't about being first place, it's about beating your own personal record.

Even if you're dead last in that marathon, you can celebrate the fact that you finished, perhaps even minutes ahead of your last time. For you, it's a personal record, and that's a big achievement on its own.

 Happy and successful people have a surprising number of things in common, and the good news is if you want to be happy and successful also you can model them. Every one of the traits listed above are things you can copy without having to spend any money or special equipment. All you need is the right attitude to be a happy, and yes successful, person.