I am obsessed with success and successful people. Growing up, my favorite books to read were always about conquerors and people who accomplished extraordinary things like Alexander the Great.
Now that I have grown up, I still admire conquerors, but I have modernized my heroes; they live remarkably life experiences thanks to their accomplishments. Take, for example, Bill Gates or Elan Musk. They have reached success levels beyond imagination, and they all seem to have certain habits and qualities in common.
I know that even if I develop all their good habits does not mean that I will reach their level of success, but it is worth trying 😉 don’t you think.?
So let’s increase our chance of success by acquiring some or all of the following habits.
1. Good planners
Successful people seem to practice the habit of organization, and it appears as one of the most desirable habits to have. They plan everything beforehand.
Elan Musk and Bill Gates both go as far as planning their days in 5 minutes interval. That is how careful they are about organizing their days.
Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
Benjamin franking
2. Frugality
Frugality is considered a virtue. You should not waste resources that can be used to do well to others and yourself.
According to Wikipedia, Frugality is the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent, or economical in the consumption of consumable resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness, or extravagance.
The most virtuous in this sense that comes to mind is Warren Buffett. If you haven’t heard from his frugality stories, let me tell you this: His Lincoln Town Car once had a license plate that read “THRIFTY.” that is how seriously he takes it. And he has an estimated fortune of 67.6 billion dollars.!!
3. Positive thinking
According to most successful people having a positive mental attitude is one the root cause of success. Being positive helps them navigate through stormy weather without giving up.
This is also about remaining hopeful even when you don’t see the results. That’s what gives them the strength to keep going even when 100 doors have closed. They are optimistic about the future and wait for the number 112 door to open after they have failed 111 times.
Such is the case of J. K. Rowling who was rejected 12 times before a publisher accepted Harry Potter.
If you are into the law of attraction (I am), a positive attitude also raises your vibration, which causes you to be in synchronization with the universe, manifesting more of what you want into your life.
4. Reading
Reading is a must!; successful people can devour pages and pages a day. Warren Buffet says he spends 80% of his day reading. It’s not about reading other people’s opinions but rather about gathering information and then making your own conclusions, which at the same time make you think and develop your brain.
Reading is a habit that not only stimulates thinking and memory improvement but also helps you reduce stress and even sleep better.
If you are planning to be successful you better arm yourself with the reading habit.
5. Taking action
Action is worth 0ne thousand ideas. And successful people master the habit of taking action often. Michael Masterson, self-made millionaire and the author of Ready, Fire, Aim Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat, a must-read for any business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, emphasizes that you should start your own business even before you are fully ready to launch something. You shouldn’t worry about perfection since the market will give you feedback on the things that need to be changed and improved.
If you see an opportunity and are hesitant to act on it, ask yourself these questions:
What is the reward if everything goes well?
What is the reward if everything goes well?
What is the reward if everything goes well?
If you can live with the worst-case scenario results and the rewards will bring you closer to your goals, stop overthinking, and take action.
6. Raising early
This habit is a common denominator among successful people as well. One of my all-time favorites successful people, Benjamin Franklin, and his mantra about sleep was “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,”
And it seems to be right, according to a study by Christoph Randler a professor of biology at the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany. People whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success because they’re more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening.
So the early bird does get the worm!
7. Sharing
Yes, this is a common habit that is linked to success. Sharing is one of the most uplifting practices, and successful people know it and exercise it.
In the category of sharing, Bill Gates, Melissa Gates, and Warren Buffet are the champions; however, I recently found out about Chuck Feeney, known as the billionaire who wasn’t or the James Bond of Philanthropy. I was surprised to see the impact and the magnitude of is giving. He has committed to giving away all his fortune while still alive, and he is about to give the last cent of his fortune of $9 billion. On top of that, most of his philanthropic effort has been made secretly, which is rather remarkable since it is not looking for fame or glory, just pure altruism.
Nevertheless, you don’t need to have billions to give. Moreover, you can still have an impact on someone’s life just by giving small things. Don’t wait until you have lots to share; if you don’t give while you have little, you can’t expect to give when you have lots. Time is a valuable asset your community can benefit from. You can volunteer for any cause that inspires you, and still, you will be contributing to the betterment of your fellow human beings.
To sum up
Successful people are not perfect. They have good and bad habits as well; they think and act differently than the average person. Yet, If we imitate their habits, maybe we will be ready to be successful as well.
I do believe that by acquiring those habits, you will have a better, more fulfilled life. For that reason, it only is already worth trying to develop some or more of them. Good luck in your endeavor of becoming a better version of you. Do not hesitate to become more than what you are; it is worth the try.
What do you think? Would you try to acquire any of these habits? Let me know.
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Growth Mindset: The foundation of success and how to acquire it.