Habits of Highly Successful People You Can Start Right Now

Successful People Spend Free Time Reading 

Successful people are serious bookworms. Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk all report that they spend several hours a day reading, and credit a lot of their success to their love of gaining new knowledge. Warren Buffet reportedly reads through about 500 pages of financial documents a day and suggests anyone hoping to find success in investing do the same.

Remove Distractions - Successful People Focus on Their Goals

Every moment spent scrolling through social media is a wasted moment that could be spent working toward your goals. Research from Hokkaido University in Japan showed that just having your cell phone near you makes it harder to concentrate, even if it's set to silent. Prioritize your goals by leaving your phone in another room when it’s work time. If you need help keeping your eyes off your phone, download a lockout app.

Successful People Don't Watch Tons of TV 

Thomas Corley, who authored the book "Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits Of Wealthy Individuals," found huge differences between television viewing habits of wealthy people and habits of people with lower incomes. He found that only 7% of wealthy people watch reality television, compared to 78% of “average” people. Even self-professed fans of reality television are often quick to admit that it's trashy. Wealthy people don't just avoid reality television; they tend to avoid television altogether. Only 23% of average people keep their viewing of any kind of TV to an hour or less a day, while 67% of wealthy people cap their TV viewing off at one hour. If you're noticing a trend here, it's that successful people spend their time pursuing their goals than less successful people do.

Successful People Wake Up Early 

Successful people tend to be early risers. It gives them a jump on the day and an advantage over people who sleep in later. They have more time to themselves in the morning to set priorities, work without distractions, squeeze exercise into their schedules, or meditate before the rest of the world gets up and demands their attention.

Make A Schedule To Suit Your Goals 

Successful people don't wake up in the morning wondering what they're going to do with the day. They make a to-do list the night before and prioritize the tasks that will help them achieve their goals. They spend time envisioning what success looks like to them and writing it down to clarify how they're going to get there. This practice, called imagery training, is popular among elite athletes.

Take Care of Your Health 

The majority of successful people watch what they eat and make time to exercise every day. Regardless of how busy they are, they make time to get proper nutrition and carve out time for physical activity. Exercising improves productivity, stress levels, and mood on top of improving cardiovascular health. Exercise even increases self-efficiency, the sense that you can achieve your goals. You don't need to spend a lot of money to take care of your body. The internet is full of videos for yoga and body weight exercises that don't require any equipment, and the tried-and-true tactic of taking a walk is free!

Don't Leave It To Fate 

While 90% of average people believe in fate, only 10% of highly successful people believe they're predestined to follow a certain path in life. Successful people believe that their hard work and mindset contribute heavily to where they end up in life. Successful people believe in taking credit for their wins, being accountable for their losses, and using their failures to learn and move forward.

 

There’s no one-size-fits-all, fail-proof strategy for success, but by emulating the traits and habits of successful people, you can increase the likelihood of your own success.