What is success? The answer is not as cut and dry as people may think, especially because different people have different definitions of success. For some, success is based on accomplishments or the ability to live life to the fullest, doing as much as possible in the time they have here. For others, success is measured by how many lives they are able to positively influence.
In this blog, we will shine a light on what it means to be successful by going over some of the habits of successful people that you can adopt in your own life.
Start by befriending failure.
Essentially, everything you do in life has one of just two possible results: success or failure. If things work out the way you had imagined they would, that’s a success. If you face unforeseen challenges and the results are not in your favor, you’ve experienced failure. It should come as no surprise that all of us have experienced failure at least once in our lives; how this makes us feel is why we run away from it. Few of us understand, however, that failure is an essential part of life, and that, without it, we might not appreciate the true value of success.
So, how can you make friends with your failure?
We have the answer! Instead of labeling your unsuccessful attempts as failed attempts and giving up, you can simply consider them to be not yet successful attempts. That way, you can be persistent and keep working towards achieving your success.
Even if you recognize this, failing can still feel quite bad. Yes, you will feel like you got the short end of the stick, and it is absolutely fine if you want to take the time to grieve and vent. Do that, but you cannot let that one failure stop you from moving toward the best “you” you can be. Do not give failure the power to stop you from following your passion. Instead, make friends with failure and acknowledge its important role. Failure makes you learn new things that you would not have known otherwise—consider your failure as a lesson learned.
Okay, so what does the life of a successful person look like?
First and foremost, successful people are just ordinary people like you and me, which means that they fail, too. While you may believe they have the element of luck on their side, much of what makes people successful involves the cultivation of certain lifestyle choices. It is certainly worthwhile to learn what these habits are and how to incorporate them into your own life.
So here are 11 of the most commonly cited habits of successful people. Take a look and, perhaps, they will rub off on you!
1. They wake up early
Most successful people rise at the crack of dawn, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. Rising early adds more productive hours to the day because there are fewer interruptions in the morning; it also improves concentration, enhances efficiency, and improves the quality of sleep. We understand that motivating yourself to get up early is easier said than done. If you try to be productive from 9 a.m. to 4:30 a.m., you will almost certainly fail. Why not take baby steps and begin waking up earlier in 30-minute intervals? That approach is easier and will aid you in your journey to become an early riser.
2. They exercise regularly
Another common habit shared by people at the top of their game is taking time out of their busy schedules to work out. And why not? Regular physical activity makes you look and feel good. Whether it’s jogging, cycling, lifting, or yoga, any type of physical activity can give you the physical energy and confidence to tackle the most important challenges. Just remember that working out every day is not about becoming a sculpted Adonis or getting the perfect beach body. It is about keeping yourself healthy and free from self-loathing, as well as improving your self-discipline. It is about shaping you from the inside and out, allowing you to keep your eyes on the finish line and give it all you’ve got.
3. They meditate daily
Despite what you might think, daily meditation is not some spiritual nonsense. It actually makes tangible impacts, which many successful people leverage. Invest as little as 20 minutes of your time to meditating, and you will surely avoid unnecessary stress and give yourself strong problem-solving skills.
4. They are always ready to make sacrifices
No successful person was born successful. They all progressed to where they are today. They made many sacrifices to overcome obstacles in their paths. They missed out on spending nights out with friends, they were not always present at family dinners, and they did not have much fun in their lives. These people always remained focused, shunning anything that tried to distract them from their destinations. If you are trying to be successful, you will also have to give up on many things.
4. They read every day
Physical workouts are not enough for successful people. They also engage in mental exercise, usually in the form of reading. Whenever you read, your brain is on the treadmill, constantly working to absorb all the information and make sense of it. Why are successful people so knowledgeable? They read daily, which enriches vocabulary and improves their language skills, in addition to improving sleep quality, unraveling anxiety, and lowering stress.
5. They spend money
There’s no doubt that any outcome will require investment. It is common sense that you’ll have to give some input to receive your desired output. Successful people never run away from investing and do not cut corners with their investments. Instead, they take calculated risks, focusing more on potential profit over current expenses. This quality of delayed gratification pays off, as they’re spending on a bright future and not on, for example, a top-of-the-line sports car—although the sports car is pretty great, too.
6. They detest conformity
Successful people do not only think outside the box. They live outside the box. They don’t believe in herd mentality, always pumped up to go their own way and try something new. This might seem extremely weird and even “stupid” to those trapped inside the box! Rather than copying others, they try to materialize their innovative ideas. Most importantly, they are never afraid of being compared to other people or mocked.
7. They procrastinate… but mildly
There are two types of procrastination: passive procrastination and mild procrastination. What we all do is passive procrastination—putting off doing things. Successful people engage in strategic procrastination, meaning they prioritize projects with better Return on Investment (ROI) and delay procrastination-worthy tasks! This helps them do important things as efficiently as possible.
8. They do creative writing
Why do you think most successful people are published authors? Most of them do creative writing. This not only boosts their communication skills, it also supports their self-expression and self-reflection. It also bolsters their creativity, which is why they always have innovative solutions and ideas on hand for any problems.
9. They are always on the lookout to expand their networks
Successful people are great networkers. They do not simply chat with people to make friends; they believe in also creating lasting connections in their fields to help them boost their careers in the long run. Whenever surrounded by people, they always try to find worthy partners, investors, and potential employees. They embrace the saying It’s all about who you know.
10. Failure is precious for them
Another common and seemingly odd habit shared by all successful people is that they place a high value on failure! These successful souls have learned that failure is inevitable, so they don’t whine about it. They take chances without second-guessing themselves or being afraid of failure. If they screw up, they learn from it and use the mistake as a springboard rather than a roadblock. They analyze why and how they failed, then they correct their flaws and continue on the path to success.
11. They constantly work on self-improvement
They are always on the lookout for ways to improve themselves. Yes, even they have shortcomings that need to be addressed. Successful people are not flawless. They commit mistakes, but what makes them successful is that they learn from these mistakes. Learning, for them, is a never-ending process.
We may have spilled all the secrets of successful people and what makes them successful. Now that we’ve covered all of that, you might as well take advantage and make their habits into your habits to be as successful as they are!
