Successful people. Who are they?
They’re regular people, just like you and me. You could be one of them, dearest reader, either now, or in the near future. I truly believe habits are the only thing that separate them from us. The small, basic things that you do really matter in the long run – Do them well, and do them consistently and you’re bound to succeed.
So, what’s in a habit?
Habits are things, good or not so good, that we do on a regular and consistent basis without even thinking about it. Once established, habits can be difficult to break, depending on how easy the habit is and how great the reward is. Think of things like smoking. Nicotine is a *huge* reward for your brain, and the habit is easily developed. Never been a smoker? Maybe your habit is couch-sitting. Feel like you should go do a workout? Oh, but the couch is way easier. Thinking maybe you should make something healthy for supper? Nah, frozen pizza works so I can get back to the couch. And then there’s an extra reward of melted cheese thrown in, so obv the better choice. Ok, that’s enough about our bad habits.
Developing good habits
Everyone’s heard the whole “It takes 21 days to create a habit”. Unfortunately, that is not usually the case. Not to discourage you, of course…If you do something for 21 days, you’re definitely developing a routine, which eventually, will turn into a habit. Now that we know what we’re dealing with, let’s explore some of the most important habits of highly successful people, and see if we can’t adopt one or two of these for ourselves. The good news? None of these habits are difficult or complex. Quite the contrary, actually. In the words of Sherlock Holmes, “Elementary, my dear Watson”.
Habit #1: Goals
If you take a room full of people and ask them what they want in life, an alarming few of them will be able to give you specific desires and goals. You’ll mostly get vague answers, broad things like “find happiness” or “make more money”. Let me tell you something. If your desires and goals are vague, your results and ultimately your life will be vague.
Be Specific And Consistent
Successful people are super specific about their desires, and because of that, they’re able to set super clear goals. So, set some goals! Sounds easy, right? While it definitely isn’t rocket science (wait, is rocket science actually as hard as we think it is?), there’s a catch. You have to be consistent with your goal setting, and you have to measure and track your progress. Sure, you can set a goal and then forget about it (fun fact: The simple act of writing down a goal increases your chances of reaching said goal), but for best results, you’ll want to set goals regularly and track your progress. There’s nothing more satisfying than putting a check next to a goal you set and achieved.
Habit #2: Continuous Improvement
Continuous improvement is a method commonly used in business, however, it works the same for your personal and professional life. Successful people (usually) don’t achieve overnight success, but instead they make small changes in their lives that eventually lead to success. That’s the very definition of continuous improvement: The process of making small changes that add up to big results.
Processes In Your Life
Think of processes as the things you do on a regular basis. Now, what small changes can you make on a consistent basis that will lead to big results? Say you want to eat healthier. It’s pretty daunting to completely overhaul your long-established eating habits, and you’ll likely fall off the wagon when your subconscious mind tells you it’s too hard or too much work. Instead, think small steps. If your current “process” is grabbing whatever frozen meal is within reach, a small improvement could be swapping frozen meals for pre-made salads a few times per week. Simple changes in your life can lead to amazing results when done consistently.
Habit #3: Meditation
Meditation is practiced by countless successful people (Lady Gaga makes the list) and at least one modern-day knight (yes, the “Sir” kind). Meditating for just 5 minutes per day can make a really big difference in your life, in your health, and ultimately, in your success.
What Happens When You Meditate?
According to Stanford Magazine, your brain essentially switches “modes” when you practice meditation. Your brain is usually in the default mode of rehashing the past (judging your past self, your actions, etc) and thinking about the future (AKA anxiety). Most of these thoughts are counterproductive and hinder your path to success. Practicing meditation helps you switch out of that mode and into a state of awareness, also known as the present moment.
No, You Don’t Need Extra Time To Meditate
That’s right, don’t give me any of that “I don’t have time to meditate” crap. You don’t need to carve out any additional time in your busy schedule. Turn something you already do regularly into your meditation practice. For example: Do you take regular showers (please say yes)? Great! All you have to do is become fully present in the shower. Next time you’re in the shower, try this for a few minutes: Count your breaths or repeat a mantra and release thoughts as they come in (which they will). Focus on feeling every single drop of water that lands on your body. Feel your muscles relax under the steady stream of water. The hard part? Try not to fall asleep!
Habit #4: Start Early
When you rise early, you get more of everything. More sunshine. More solitude. More silence. More time to accomplish, reflect, plan, and do. Successful people get up early and take full advantage of their day. Dreaming is great, but getting to live your dream (while awake) is even better.
Your Body Will Thank You
We are wired to be awake when it’s light and sleep when it’s dark (more or less). Instead of working against how you’re wired (i.e. pumping yourself full of caffeine at the wrong time of the day and then wondering why we can’t shut our brains off and get those quality z’s) try working with your body instead. Rising early will increase your energy levels, which can boost your productivity. And more productive means more successful (duh).
Habit #5: Go To The Gym (Mental & Physical)
Exercise: The Physical Gym
I don’t need to go into the benefits of going to the (physical) gym, because we already know that exercise is a key part of health. Now, don’t take this so literally. I just mean you need some form of regular physical exercise. This could be anything from an intense weight lifting session to an easy 30 minute walk. Successful people regularly exercise to improve their mood, their health, and to create discipline.
Education: The Mental Gym
Successful people never stop learning. No matter what stage of life or business you’re in, you can always benefit from learning something new. Successful people are experts in their field, and that doesn’t happen overnight. Set aside some time to read educational or inspirational books. If reading isn’t your thing, audiobooks and podcasts are fantastic alternatives. Short on time? Pop in your Airpods and listen to a podcast or audiobook while you exercise – Then you can check both the mental and the physical off your list.
Habit #6: Take Risks
Taking big risks is something successful people do on the daily. No, I’m not talking mindlessly making decisions that can make or break you, or crossing the street without looking both ways. I’m talking about stepping out of familiar territory and making decisions that sacrifice comfort to pave the way for success.
Start Small
Start with small risks and small discomforts, and document what happens. Once you start to realize that discomfort is associated with success (or feedback, depending on the outcome), you’ll start being less reluctant and more confident in your risk taking abilities.
Habit #7: Gratitude
The funny thing about gratitude is that it actually helps you, the one being grateful. This is truly an amazing thing. Simply saying “Thank you” more often will put you in a better mood. Smiling and thinking of all the wonderful things and people in your life can reduce your stress. Successful people combat stress and negative thoughts with gratitude. You can’t think happy thoughts and be stressed out at the same time.
Habit #8: Time Management
Why is it that successful people seem to have so much more time than the rest of us, considering the work they’re able to get done in one day? The answer is, they don’t. We all have the same 24 hours in a day (unless you ask Einstein).
Plan, Prioritize, and Procrastinate
Successful people plan their days in advance, plain and simple. Grab a to-do list or your calendar and get your tasks down for the day (preferably at the end of the previous day). Once you have your plan in place, prioritize your tasks by importance and urgency. This will tell you what to work on first, and what to work on later. Lastly, successful people procrastinate – yes, really! The only difference here is that they procrastinate with low-priority tasks, which still means they are being productive.
Habit #9: Delegation
It’s easy to think that successful people have all the skills, but the real superpower at work here is delegation. Successful people are super ninja at finding the right people for the job, and delegating tasks they’re not so good at (or don’t want to do).
Delegate Almost Anything
In the connected modern world we live in, we can delegate almost any task easily and cost-effectively. If you don’t enjoy and/or aren’t good at a task, you’ll either put it off or you’ll waste valuable time figuring out how to do it. Delegating a task to someone who enjoys doing it and who does it well will save you time, and therefore money, in the long run.
Conclusion
If becoming a successful person is on your list, which it should be, pick one or two of the above habits and start thinking about how you can incorporate them into your life. You’ve heard it over and over again: Consistency is the key to success. Start small, be consistent, and say hello to the new, successful you.