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7 Habits of Successful People That You Can Apply to Your Life

The habits of successful people

What habits do successful people possess that make them flourish so effortlessly?

You might guess that they’re just lucky, but luck has nothing to do with it. There are habits that all successful people have in common, and these habits can be applied to your life as well!

In this blog post, I will discuss the 7 habits of successful people and how you too can benefit from implementing these habits.

A Quick Prerequisite

Don’t Start Working on All These Habits at One Time!

Give yourself time to become familiar with these habits before implementing them into your life.

Habits take time to build, and the key to making a habit stick is small implementation over a period of time. That time frame is different for everyone, so find what works for you and stick to it!

The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People

1. Successful people work with their peak hours

Working with your peak hours is key.

When you work during your peak hours, you’re more productive and efficient. You’re able to get more done in a shorter amount of time. Successful people know this and plan their day according to when they’re feeling most energetic.

If you’re unsure of your peak hours, try tracking your energy for a week. Jot down when you feel the most energetic and see if there are any patterns. Once you know your peak hours, try doing your most challenging work during that time frame every day. This will allow you to save the fun stuff for when your mood changes

Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you - Mark Cuban

 

“Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you.” – Mark Cuban

 

2. They have a plan for the day

Highly successful people don’t wing their daily schedule. They don’t go into work thinking, “I’ll just figure it out when I get there.”

Whether they have a long-term goal or want to complete several important tasks for the day, they always plan their day in advance.

Planning your day ahead of time goes beyond creating a daily schedule. It also includes knowing your priorities. What tasks need to be completed first for you to feel accomplished at the end of your day, whether that’s at 2 a.m. or 5 p.m.

When you’re clear on your priorities, it’s easier to say no to distractions and focus on the important things.

Creating a plan for your day allows you to avoid wasting time on things and tasks that are counterproductive and move you closer to achieving your goals.

Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today - African Proverb

 

“Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” — African Proverb

 

3. They exercise regularly

Exercise is vital to staying healthy, happy, and productive, and successful people know this very well.

When you take care of your body by exercising regularly, you’re able to think more clearly, have more energy, and be in a better mood.

Exercise is also a great way to relieve stress and tension. All of which can interfere with your productivity.

According to the National Institute Of Health, regular physical activity and a high level of fitness will reduce the chance of dying prematurely from any cause.

According to Harvard Health, exercising is also a great way to keep your brain fit by improving your memory and thinking skills.

A successful person understands that being at their optimal best to keep achieving their goals takes more than just focusing on their goals. It’s a lifestyle.

Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity - John F. Kennedy

 

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” — John F. Kennedy

 

4. They eat healthy foods

Maintaining a healthy body means supplying it with the right ingredients to keep it running at its optimal level. This is why it’s so important to be mindful of what you put inside your body.

If you feed your body junk, you’ll get junk back.

However, if you feed your body healthy foods, it will run more smoothly, and you’ll be less likely to get sick.

Successful people understand this, and they take the time to cook or pack their own meals with healthy ingredients. They may even opt for a delivery service that allows them to eat healthy without the hassle of figuring out what to buy and cook.

They don’t rely on unhealthy fast-food options that are often high in sugar, sodium, and artificial ingredients.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult, and it’s also not expensive. Think about it, if you spend more time in the whole foods section of your local supermarket and avoid processed foods, you’ll probably spend less money.

Foods like legumes, beans, fresh fruits, and vegetables in season will cost less than buying lamb chops or a steak.

Food is fuel for the body, so if you want to attract more success to your life, you must start with the basics first.

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live - Jim Rohn

 

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” — Jim Rohn

 

5. They make time for themselves

Self-care is essential.

If you don’t take the time to recharge and rejuvenate your mind and body, you’ll eventually reach your breaking point and burn out.

Successful people know this, and they schedule in time for themselves, whether that means taking a bath, reading their favorite book, going for a walk, or meditating.

You have to step away from it all once in a while to give your mind a break and allow it to explore different options and fantasies.

Create a self-care corner in your home and visit it regularly.

It can be as simple as lighting some candles while burning incense, sage, or natural fragrances and taking 5 to 10 minutes to breathe.

Implementing self-care to your daily habits can be the difference between staying productive and excelling at any task or burning out completely because you didn’t take care of yourself first.

You are the most important thing in your life, not anyone else. It is not your kids, your partner, or your parents. It’s imperative that you take care of yourself, especially if you have others depending on you being there.

When you take care of yourself, get enough hours of sleep, eat healthily, and exercise regularly, you’ll have the energy to be there for every recital and every other event that may arise. It’s okay to take a minute or ten for yourself because if you’re not feeling optimal, it will show in your mood and everything else you do.

Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one - Eleanor Roosevelt

 

“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.”— Eleanor Roosevelt

 

6. They stay organized

The less time you spend looking for things, the more productive you will be.

Staying organized is a form of time management.

If you’re disorganized, your day will be spent running around like a headless chicken trying to find that pen or the file you were working on.

Instead of throwing that important paper on the couch or the table, spend time organizing your work area and make it a habit.

If everything has its place, you’ll be able to find what you need without any fuss.

Taking the necessary time to label your folders, use different colors for different types of papers, have a designated spot for your keys and wallet, and name your images and computer files will make all the difference in finding what you need and not wasting time.

Being disorganized can lead to chaos, stress, and feeling overwhelmed, which will only hinder your productivity.

I dislike looking for things. It makes my blood boil for some odd reason. So to avoid that feeling, I make sure everything has its place so I’m not second-guessing where I put things.

Searching for things is a waste of time and energy. Being organized will help keep the peace in your home, office, and mind!

Organization begins with awareness of what doesn’t work for us - Unknown

 

“Organization begins with awareness of what doesn’t work for us.” — Unknown

 

7.  They are positive thinkers

Positive thoughts help create a positive reality.

Your thoughts have the power to change and create your reality.

If you think negatively, chances are that’s what you’ll get and live in. But if you think positively, then good things will happen and keep happening.

The key to success is understanding that not everything in life will be a breeze. Without challenges, you wouldn’t grow and become the best version of yourself.

It’s important to think positively during those hard times and know that you’ll get through it with a little determination and patience.

Successful people don’t expect things to be handed out on a silver platter; they work for their success, knowing that the roadblocks they will inevitably face are valuable lessons that they must learn.

To implement the habits of successful people, you must understand that you have to sacrifice your comfort zone. Nothing good comes easy.

Whether that’s waking up early to start your day a little earlier or staying up later to work on that important task, you hold all the power to change your life. The way you think plays a big part in that transformation.

Never underestimate the power of your thoughts. They’re the reason why you’re experiencing life the way you are right now.

The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes - William James

 

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.” — William James

 

How to Apply These Habits to Your Life

As I explained earlier in the prerequisite section, do not try to start all these habits at one time. The reason being, your mind loves routine and will always go back to what it deems easier even when that’s not the case.

Breaking habits and replacing them with new ones require a lot of work, time, and dedication, so patience is a must.

I’ve written a blog post about habits and routines. If you want more information on how to start building habits that stick, click here.

A year from now, you may wish you had started today - Karen Lamb

 

“A year from now, you may wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb

 

Finally, to Summarize It All

Successful people are humans, too, and the habits they’ve implemented in their lives have helped them accomplish their goals and become the best version of themselves!

Nothing in life is truly impossible unless it defies physics, and that’s a whole different topic.

If you wish to implement the habits of successful people in your life, keep these things in mind:

– be patient with yourself and the process

– don’t try to change everything at once

– start small so that it’s more manageable

– work on one habit until it becomes automatic and then move on to the next

– personal growth takes time

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” — Steve Jobs

In the comments below, please share habits that you’ve implemented in your life to help achieve success.

Also, subscribe to the newsletter for more tips on productivity, habits of successful people, and ways to change your life for the better!

Questions You May Have

What are success habits?

Success habits are small things that successful people do on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis to increase their chances of being successful.
Can I be successful without these habits?
Of course! However, the habits of successful people will increase your chances of success drastically.

Why can’t I start all the habits at once?

Starting habits all at once will result in failure. You’ll end up quitting because everything will become overwhelming and you won’t see results right away.
Build habits slowly, implement one after another until they stick!

What are the 3 habits of Highly Successful People?

There are countless habits of successful people, but here are a few that I think are essential: waking up early (an hour before your regular time), being positive (your thoughts create your reality), and staying committed to personal growth (you never stop learning so take advantage of that and learn what you desire).

What habits should you have to have a successful life?

Living a successful life means something different to everyone, but the habits of successful people include being positive, planning your day, week, month and year while working smart to achieve all your goals.

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Jody

Jody

Jody is a creative writer, artist, graphic designer, and a digital nomad who also helps people live more fulfilling lives by finding creative solutions to their personal growth and development problems and lifestyle challenges.

8 thoughts on “7 Habits of Successful People That You Can Apply to Your Life”

  1. Having a clear plan for the day and some time for self-care is boosting my productivity. Great list with productive ideas. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    1. Jody

      Thank you for reading and commenting Mariya, I’m always happy to help

  2. Organization is key! I can’t work unless I’m organized, and having a to-do list is a big part of that.

    1. Jody

      I’m the very same way Katrina, and organization makes everything flow so much better too!

  3. Don’t Start Working on All These Habits at One Time is my favourite part of the blog post. When we are determined to make changes in life, for some reason, we get impatient and want the results in an instant but we have to remind ourselves that it takes time and patience to build/change habits.

    1. Jody

      We always tend to bite off more than we can chew but get overwhelmed quickly and then say it doesn’t work but small bites at a time are key. Thanks for reading Nicole.

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