The ways to be successful are unlimited. With that said, how does each individual describe success? Maybe it’s not one goal, but several along the way to the ultimate goal. For example, if you’ve decided to stop smoking cigarettes, you’d count one week as a massive success. Finishing a book within two weeks is a breakthrough. Defining triumph has a different meaning for everyone.
There has to be some habit of similarities between all successful people, and you are absolutely right. Studies have shown that a large percentage of highly successful people have these following habits in common. Take a look and make a change.
The 5 AM Gang
By now, you’ve probably heard that many high achieving CEOs out there are notoriously known for their early morning habits. How is choosing to be awake a few hours before your actual workday in any way productive?
Other than getting a head start on your day, willpower is proven to be most reliable in the morning and ease any decision making. Thomas Corley, author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, conducted a five-year study of over 150 self-made millionaires and found that nearly 50% of them wake up at least three hours before their workday. Whether it’s to catch up on emails, a side hustle, a novel, exercise, or even meditation, a few hours to yourself will give you a sense of control over yourself and events of your day.
Failures Made Them Who They Are
You might have heard the famous Thomas Edison phrase, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Before their massive success, many widely known entrepreneurs have failed numerous times. Some names you may be familiar with are J.K Rowling, Walt Disney, and even Bill Gates.
The path to success is never a straight line, and by the time you’ve reached your utmost potential, you’ll realize the downs outnumbered the ups on this self-finding journey.
Enough Sleep is Vital
Sleep has always been one of the most researched topics of our time. How many hours count as enough? Is there such a thing as too much sleep? If you’re a mother, I highly doubt it. Now, this isn’t to say that people who don’t get a solid 8-9 hours of sleep are not successful.
Before Microsoft took off, Bill Gates admitted to pulling all-nighters and even staying up “two nights in a row.” In his book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker explains how “neglecting sleep undercuts your creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, learning, memory, heart health, brain health, mental health, emotional well-being, immune system, and even your life span (GatesNotes).”
Exercise is a Priority
According to Entrepreneur, “Exercise is one thing most successful people do every day”. Other than its proven effect on the human mind to release endorphins and make us happier, exercise can become a life-changing aspect when added to your daily routine.
For that one hour a day, you can get in tune with your body, relieve stress, work harder, challenge yourself, build self-esteem, and most importantly, maintain a healthy mind and body.
They Read, and Read…and Read
I’m going to be honest with you. After college, I didn’t even think of reading another book. It just seemed like enough, you know? Well, sorry to tell you this, but the books that helped you graduate college are very different from the ones that will help you succeed in life—several people credit reading as a factor to their success.
In a 2015 post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg started a reading challenge and wrote, “My challenge for 2015 is to read a new book every other week… I’m excited for my reading challenge. I’ve found reading books very intellectually fulfilling. Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today.” Keep in mind, highly successful people are picky about what they read, and I can tell you now, 50 Shades of Grey doesn’t make the list. For what does, click here.
Multiple Incomes
Side hustles are a thing, even for already successful people. Say you’re working a 9-5 job. You know you’re making just enough money to pay bills, buy groceries, spoil yourself, etc. But ask yourself this: Is it enough to keep working like this and waste away until retirement? It’s not.
These ten genius entrepreneurs used their assets and success to build empires and rise from the ground up. If you can take one piece of advice from this post, it’s never to settle for one thing, because neither did the successful people we look up to today.
They Pick Their Friends Wisely
The people you want around you when you’ve reached the ultimate goal are the same ones you that are going to be cheering you on along the way. It seems a bit redundant to say, but always recognize who’s there for you at your lowest and which ones are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The human mind is so easily manipulated, and if we continually hear that we’re no good, then we’re bound to believe it. Stay positive and keep only positive people around.
Time is Money
It’s no little secret that making money takes time. Tons of it, actually. Despite what you may hear, there is no such thing as an “overnight success.” Even though we are fully aware that time is one of the most valuable resources out there, we tend to take it for granted.
The more productive you are in time well spent, the better your chances are of making plenty of money. By the end of 2020, someone is sure to say, “wow, I can’t believe it’s almost 2021”, so think: what value did you bring with the time that was presented to you? Arrange your time wisely and leave no space for regrets—only success.
