If you study highly successful people, you will find they share many of the same habits and principles. The kind of successful people I am referring to are not necessarily millionaires, but they may be. I say this because some millionaires have no integrity. Then some may not be wealthy financially, but they are rich in character.
I use three criteria to classify a person as successful: the quality of their daily life, the strength of their character, and the measure of their contribution to others.
Here are 20 Habits of Successful People.
1. They are early risers. They have discovered the advantages of getting an early start on the day. They know that by getting up early, they can use this quiet time to meditate, plan their day, and work on important projects without interruptions. They also know that by rising early, they get uncrowded access to almost any public facility, like restaurants, grocery stores, and vehicle repair shops.
2. They exercise 5 to 7 days a week. They do resistance and strength training at a fitness club or their house using a home gym. They also exercise aerobically using machines at a health club, jogging, or power walking in their neighborhood. They are motivated to do these things by the health benefits, increased energy, elevated mood, and heightened confidence.
3. They maintain a healthy diet. They do this by learning about healthy and unhealthy foods and ignoring enticing and often misleading advertising. They are motivated to do these things by the extensive health benefits they gain and the ability to maintain their ideal weight.
4. Successful people maintain their proper body weight. They regularly check their weight. If they have put on some extra pounds, they take action to lose weight. They establish goals by determining their perfect weight based on a body weight chart (readily available online). They are motivated to do these things by the profound health benefits, appearance, and the ability to wear the clothes they want, including those great-fitting jeans!
5. They can get themselves to act, even when they do not feel like it. They understand that they will build up the momentum to complete the task once they force themselves to get started. Rather than trying to talk themselves into doing something, they do it without considering any excuses for backing out. They are inspired to do these things because motivation follows action, not vice versa.
6. They plan their day, week, month, year, and life by establishing goals and the steps needed to achieve them. Successful people don’t view this activity as a complicated chore but rather as a process that makes it easier for them to get what they want. They are motivated to do these things because they can accomplish more in less time, stay on course, and ensure that they will remember important matters like calling their significant other, child, parent, or friend on their special day.
7. They maintain a positive attitude. They do this by keeping their thoughts focused on what they desire, not what they do not want. Whether they know it or not, they practice the Law of Attraction
8. Successful people keep their thoughts in the present. This allows them to absorb more of what is before them and have a greater influence on a positive outcome. This habit also allows them to be superior listeners. They are motivated to do this because they understand that all their enjoyment and power in life reside in the present moment.
9. They are courageous. They are not without fear. They experience much more than most people. This is because they do what they must to reach their goals despite their fear, which most people are unwilling to do. They understand that courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the ability to go forward even though you’re afraid. They are motivated to do these things by the exhilaration they feel after facing their fear and accomplishing their objective.
10. They don’t waste time with mindless activities. They don’t watch hours of moronic television programs like so-called reality shows. They may watch educational programs on health, science, history, biography, and an occasional high-quality movie or 30-minute comedy show. They are motivated to do these things because they know they can enrich themselves or mentally pollute themselves by their activity choices.
11. They consume a tiny amount of news. They may quickly survey the headlines once a day and zero in on stories of interest to them, but they filter out all the rest. They know that almost all news is bad, often sensationalized, and even hypothetical, which is amazing. Hypothetical because the news media often “fills” large portions of their broadcasts with projections and theories on what they or some so-called “expert” believes “might” happen in the future! Successful people are motivated to avoid the news because they know they are not flooding their minds with negative messages, images, and outcomes.
12. Successful people constantly feed their minds with new and inspirational ideas for improving themselves by reading and listening to self-improvement books. They also attend seminars by authors and other personal growth experts for the added benefit of direct learning and meeting other like-minded people. They do these things to strengthen their ability to reach their potential and enrich their lives.
13. They are continually expanding their knowledge and experience base. They go to college, take a class, or attend a workshop whenever possible. If they receive a request to teach a class, write an article, or deliver a speech, they do it. They are motivated to do these things because they know it will help them develop their skills and abilities in ways that go beyond the assignment that they are taking on.
14. They do not allow their ego to control them. They remain humble and level-headed regardless of how successful and powerful they become. They understand that the ego is a negative emotion. They are motivated to do these things by their desire to be a person of strength, character, and conviction.
15. They manage their money and other financial matters carefully. They gain the knowledge required to understand their finances and what is going on, even if they entrust certain money matters to various professionals. They are also frugal in their purchase decisions and lifestyle. They are motivated to do these things to have financial security and freedom.
16. Successful people decide what they want to accomplish, and then they do it. They don’t allow negative thoughts, second-guessing, or other people to talk them out of it. They keep moving forward until they reach their chosen destination. They are inspired to do these things because they know it works!
17. They complete any job, project, or task with excellence. They begin by considering the most efficient way of completing it. Then they carefully and methodically proceed through each step until it is finished in an excellent manner. They are motivated to do these things because they know that every job, large or small, is a reflection of them.
18. They know how to be compassionate to those in need. They have the ability to put themselves in the place of another person who hasn’t found their way, gotten off track, or is going through a tough time due to reasons outside their control. They are motivated to do these things because they can easily recall their own challenges and difficult periods.
19. They are loyal to their friends. And they follow the rules of friendship. They pick their friends wisely and avoid associations incongruent with their principles. They are motivated to do these things because they know that true friends make good times better and bad ones bearable.
20. Successful people know how to love unconditionally and without regard to what they expect to receive in return. They are inspired to do these things because they know that love is the fuel for all good things.
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These are habits worth acquiring. 🙂