The Strange Habits of the World’s Most Successful People.How do the most successful people in the world live their lives? That’s what British journalist Paul Moran wanted to know, so he interviewed dozens of the world’s most successful people to find out the secrets to their success and their habits. His findings were published in The Success Habit, but we’ve boiled down some of his most interesting findings here to help you harness your inner super-person.
They wake up early
Successful people don’t sleep in and lounge about until noon, doing nothing all day. Waking up early gives them more time to get things done and exercise. It also forces them to do so since there’s not much else to do. Having an empty schedule may feel overwhelming for some, but successful people use it as a chance to jump-start their workday with creative ideas or reflections on their goals. An added bonus: waking up early often means less traffic during the commute, resulting in reduced stress levels throughout the day.
They meditate
Despite what many people believe, meditation is not just for new-age hippies. It has been practiced in many religious traditions as far as back as to 2500 years ago, according to some historians. Western science has only recently discovered the benefits of this practice and with some studies showing increased longevity, higher concentration levels and reduced anxiety, it may be worth your time.
Meditation can be done in one or two ways: There are meditations you sit in a lotus position and then there are meditations you can do while lying down. The latter type will typically consist of six steps, which include relaxation techniques that require deep breathing.
They plan their day meticulously
Steve Jobs famously gave a talk about how he would spend time getting ready for work by deciding on the day’s tasks, strategizing about them, and visualizing himself successfully carrying them out. In short, he prepared his day. Once his morning routine was over, he’d be immersed in work from early morning to late evening, often pausing only to take breaks to meditate or get something to eat. Occasionally though, a particularly pressing issue would arise that demanded all his attention (e.g., developing an iPad). If this happened, Jobs would shut down operations at Apple and focus exclusively on solving the problem.
They’re willing to invest in themselves
One of the common habits among people with successful careers is that they invest in themselves. They are willing to invest their time and money in improving their skills and knowledge, taking more risks, seeking out mentors, and finding meaningful jobs. They want to get better so they can increase their chances for success and financial stability.
They break their goals into actionable steps
Let’s say your goal is to lose weight. One key step is to make a plan with actionable steps that are specific and measurable so you know when you’re done. For example, instead of saying I will exercise more, decide on an activity like walking, running, or biking and then set aside time to do it. Tracking progress on paper or online (for example with a fitness app) can be helpful because it gets you motivated if you see how close you are to meeting your goal.
They read voraciously
Fantastic entrepreneurs read voraciously. They fill their minds with new ideas, models and skills which is so important for building successful ventures. Entrepreneurship is a continual learning process; and great entrepreneurs always keep reading. One of my favorite questions to ask prospective clients is What are you reading? Nine times out of ten, they will say they don’t have time to read because they’re too busy–tell me how you can grow if you don’t consume new content?
Their friends are successful too
After reading Tony’s bio, I wanted to take a minute to reflect on all the success he’s achieved.
He’s been able to make long-lasting change in his life and in so many other people’s lives.
That means that he has healthy relationships with his family and friends.
Successful people surround themselves with others who will challenge them, push them out of their comfort zone, encourage them and keep them accountable.
I think it is safe to say that we can be good friends with those people too!
They spend quality time with family and loved ones
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of all successful people’s habits. And not everyone who is successful can or wants to spend a lot of time with their family. But it makes sense that someone with a strong support system and plenty of good relationships would be more likely to succeed. The bottom line is that while you’re probably not going to automatically become wildly successful just by doing these things, they’ll probably help—and at least you won’t be hurting your chances by not doing them.
Conclusion
Many people have great ideas, but few people actually put in the time and effort to make them happen. Put in what most successful people put in and you’ll be able to reap their rewards. Remember that even if you’re passionate about something, and you put your heart into it – that might not be enough. Unless you do more than just dream about it, there will always be someone who has done more work than you.
