To become and remain an innovation leader, be sure to focus on these four key personal attributes. When you have them, you’ll be much more likely to stay ahead of the innovation curve—and your organization will be all the more profitable.

1. Develop a Keen Inward Focus

You need to know yourself and learn to follow the cues that your mind and body are giving you. It’s more than just not giving in to random distractions; it’s all about mastering the art of sequential multitasking—the ability to move from one task to the next, giving each your full attention, while giving your brain regularly scheduled breaks.

2. Focus on Your Employees and Stakeholders

Without these people, you have no organization. They are the ones who serve and satisfy the customers who give you their money. They make the products and deal with suppliers. But don’t make the mistake of lumping your employees into misleading demographic categories like Millennial or Baby Boomer. Like your customers, your employees are individuals, and you need to relate to them without falling back on unhelpful stereotypes.

3. Know Your Market and Business Environment

Your marketplace is the source of both opportunities and threats. It feeds your organization, but it could just as well starve it. Watch for disruptive technologies or big cultural shifts, as they could wipe you out. Tap into new market trends that could lead to increased profits. And—unless you fancy yourself a consumer clairvoyant, like Steve Jobs—get to know your customers, treat their feedback with respect, and amaze them by giving them just what they want.

4. Keep Learning

The day you stop learning new things and broadening your horizons is the day you begin to die. Stay alive and stay ahead by challenging yourself and exercising your mind.

In business, you must take lessons from every source. As Bill Gates said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”

And Richard Branson: “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.”

Keep doing, falling over, and getting up again!