How Successful People Achieve Success
Many of us have looked at highly successful people and wondered how to reach the same level. There is, of course, no ironclad guarantee that we’ll find the key to success, but the daily habits of successful people are no mystery. People who cultivate these same habits are more likely to find themselves on the road to success.
Success Habit #1: Start the Day with a Cold Shower
A warm shower may feel more pleasant in the moment, but a cold shower will make you feel better afterward, and the small act of choosing the immediate discomfort prepares you to face difficult choices through the workday.
Success Habit #2: Wake Up Early and Use the Time to Think
Many successful people find that early-morning hours and quiet and free of distractions. They use this time to reflect on the progress and problems of the previous workday and the task that await them during the day ahead.
Success Habit #3: Go for a Morning Run
This tip dovetails with the preceding one. Some successful people find a morning run affords them that precious time to think without distractions while invigorating them both physically and mentally.
Success Habit #4: Exercise and Practice Mindfulness
Once again, this tip dovetails with those above. If you don’t go for runs, you should still exercise somehow to maintain your health and refresh your mind and body. Mindfulness practice helps to clear the mind and relieve stress.
Success Habit #5: Focus on the People You Care About Before Addressing Work
Taking time to focus on your family will refresh and center you. It will remind you why you’re working so hard to achieve success.
Success Habit #6: Prioritize What Matters
Do the most important task first, then move on to the second most important, and so forth. Don’t hesitate to ignore trivial matters when there’s not enough time to address them.
Success Habit #7: Block Out Time for Work and Protect That Time
Set aside substantial blocks of time when you will focus on the priorities mentioned above and safeguard those time periods zealously. To this end, turn off notifications on your computer and phone.
Success Habit #8: Don’t Be Afraid of Innovative Ideas
Success sometimes comes from trying the thing that no one has tried before you. Of course, there’s no guarantee that a particular idea will work. That means you need the courage and confidence to try a new idea, see it fail, and then try again with another.
Success Habit #9: Frontload Your Work
When you tackle a task, put in maximum effort at the beginning. With luck, you’ll avoid time pressure on the back end give you more time to reflect on and improve your work.
Success Habit #10: Quantify What You Can
When something can be counted, count it. This helps you maintain a productive routine, set specific goals, and know when you’ve achieved them.
Success Habit #11: Keep Track of Developments in Your Field
Whatever profession or business you’re in, make a point of staying on top of new developments, methods, etc. You won’t be highly successful if you fall behind.
Success Habit #12: Use the Best Tools
The electronic age provides tech tools and apps that can enhance productivity. Find the ones that are useful in your field and learn to use them.
Success Habit #13: Find the Best People and Trust Them
Whatever field you’re in, it’s probably not a solitary endeavor. You probably have coworkers and possibly subordinates. To the extent it’s possible, make sure they’re the best people you can find. Then avoid the temptation to micromanage them. Trusting them will bolster morale and motivate them to do their best.
Success Habit #14: Take Your Lunch Break and Other Breathers
Though it may feel like you’re too busy to take the time, refreshing and recharging yourself will make you more productive.
Success Habit #15: Take Stock Before Falling Asleep
At the end of the day, think back over it. Determine what worked, what didn’t, and why. Doing so will help you perform better tomorrow.
Naturally, few if any highly successful people practice every single one of these habits. But by considering and experimenting with the items on the list, you can find the habits that will work for you.