Do you want to achieve more success in life?
Do you want to learn from the best and emulate their habits?
If so, you are not alone. Many people aspire to be successful, but not everyone knows how to get there. Success is not a matter of luck or talent, but a matter of habits. Habits are the actions you repeat every day that shape your character and destiny. In this blog, we will share with you five habits of highly successful people that you can adopt to create the life you truly want to live.
Habit 1: Plan out your day the night before
It’s easy to get off track when you don’t have a plan. Without planning what your day will look like, you wake up not knowing what you want to do or accomplish. Successful people spend a little time the night before giving themselves clear goals for the next day. Then they wake up and go down their list. Life doesn’t always work out as planned, but with a plan, you can adjust without losing momentum.
One of the most successful people who uses this habit is Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. He reportedly plans his day in five-minute [Timeblocking] increments and reviews his schedule every night before going to bed. This helps him stay focused, organized and productive.
Habit 2: Read books to get inspired
Reading is an essential element in success —books contain so much knowledge. Reading can help you expand your horizons, learn from others and stimulate your creativity. Successful people read books regularly to get inspired, informed and motivated.
One of the avid readers among successful people is Mark Cuban, the billionaire investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks. He claims to read at least three hours a day, mostly on topics related to his businesses and interests. He says reading gives him an edge over his competitors and helps him learn new things.
Habit 3: Make your health a priority
What you eat and how much you exercise affects every area of your life. Your health influences your energy, mood and performance. Successful people make their health a priority by eating well, exercising regularly and taking care of their mental well-being.
One of the most health-conscious successful people is Oprah Winfrey, the media mogul and philanthropist. She has been open about her struggles with weight and health issues, but she has also shown how she overcame them by adopting a healthy lifestyle. She follows a balanced diet, works out with a trainer and practices meditation.
Habit 4: Avoid meetings unless they are necessary
Meetings can be a waste of time if they are not productive or relevant. They can interrupt your flow, distract you from your goals and consume your energy. Successful people avoid meetings unless they are necessary for closing a deal, solving a problem or making a decision.
One of the successful people who hates meetings is Mark Cuban, who we mentioned earlier. He says meetings are one of the biggest time killers in business* and he tries to avoid them as much as possible. He prefers to communicate via email or phone, and he only agrees to attend meetings that have a clear agenda and outcome.
Habit 5: Live each day as if it were the last
Life is busy, it’s chaotic, and so you tend to focus on the future—we all do it, worry about what’s next. But sometimes we forget to enjoy the present moment, to appreciate what we have and to seize the opportunities that come our way. Successful people live each day as if it were the last, because they know that life is precious and unpredictable.
One of the most famous examples of this habit is Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple. He once said in a commencement speech at Stanford University: “For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”*
Conclusion
These are five habits of highly successful people that you can adopt to create the life you truly want to live. Of course, these are not the only habits that matter, but they are some of the most common and effective ones. By implementing these habits into your daily routine, you will be able to improve yourself, achieve your goals and enjoy your journey.
The authors’ other contributions for Lesson of Life: MyMoon