Eight Habits of Successful People

What does success look like to you? Whether you see success as a promotion, a certain achievement, or a high salary, you can take steps to achieve success. And most successful people have similar habits that have helped them along the way. Here are a few common habits of people who have had lofty career goals and achieved them.

1. Look for Potential in Other People

You can’t achieve success entirely on your own. If you don’t have other people to support you along the way, you won’t reach your goals. So, pay attention to the people around you. Try to notice their potential, and honor that potential. When someone comes to you with a great idea, think of ways to nurture it.

By noticing potential in others, you can expand your horizons. You need to build up a strong network of co-workers and friends. At some point in your career, your network could lead to an incredible opportunity.

2. Write Down Tasks Every Morning

When you wake up in the morning, take a few moments to think about your day. What responsibilities do you have? And do you have any tasks you’d like to accomplish before the end of the day? Create a list of tasks on your phone or on paper. As you go through the list, cross off the items.

If you start off the day with a list of tasks and chores, you can focus your energy in the right places. You don’t need to worry about forgetting anything important or getting too distracted by unnecessary duties. Additionally, having a task list gives you a sense of accomplishment. Every time you cross something off the list, you boost your energy.

3. Try Working Out in the Morning

If you hate exercise, this tip may not work for you. However, if you don’t mind working out, you may find that having a morning exercise routine could completely change your life. Starting off with exercise puts you in control of your body and the day. Oftentimes, people feel energized after exercising. The activity releases endorphins and boosts your mood.

Exercising early on in the day also gives you more mental clarity. Whether you run, cycle, or do a class at your gym, you can use that time to plan out your day and think about what you have ahead of you. You might even come up with a creative solution to a problem that’s been plaguing you.

4. Always Learn

No matter how well-educated you might be on a subject, there’s always room for improvement. By being a lifelong learner, you ensure that you’re growing as a person and as an employee. You remain competitive in the job market and improve your productivity in the workplace. If you’re unhappy in your current career, you can learn about new industries and discover a new career path.

For many people, the idea of learning is daunting. You may be scared of failing, but don’t let that stop you. If you don’t continue to learn every day, you are missing out on opportunities. And you don’t need to enroll in college to learn new things. Learning comes in many forms, like reading magazines, listening to podcasts, and taking online courses.

5. Think About What Matters and When It Matters

Your day can probably get hectic. If you’re juggling one thing after another, you might struggle to prioritize or remain organized. Rather than drown in a sea of to-dos, you can ask yourself what really matters and consider the timeline.

For instance, you might need to create a training video. On top of that, you could have several other responsibilities. Think about when the video needs to be made. If it has a deadline three months down the line, you can put it off for a few days. Before you decide on your tasks for the day, ask yourself these questions:

Will it matter in a day, a month, or a year?

How large of an impact will it have?

What can I successfully accomplish today that will have a major impact on tomorrow?

6. Don’t Check Your Phone Too Frequently

Checking your email and texts can take up the majority of your day. Unfortunately, your constant communication could keep you from accomplishing your goals. It takes energy to shift from one project to another, and it takes time to refocus on what you’re doing. Rather than stopping mid-task to check your email or phone, you should check your phone less frequently.

How frequently should you check your emails and chats? That answer depends on your job. In some cases, you might only need to check your communication channels every 30 minutes. You should time your checks so you can get your job done properly while still being able to focus on projects in between.

7. Take Time for Self-Care

Although you might think you’re being productive by putting your job first and your health last, doing so only hurts you. If you want to be productive at work, you need to dedicate some time to self-care. Take a break during the day to go for a walk and clear your head. If you don’t already have a favorite hobby, try out a few activities until you find one you love.

When you practice self-care, you have more energy and focus for your career. People who ignore self-care often burn out and don’t perform well. If you want to be successful, you need to take care of yourself.

8. Sleep Well

If you’ve ever gone a night without sleep, you know how difficult it is to operate when you’re tired. Sleep is necessary for you to achieve anything. Getting in seven or eight hours of sleep alone isn’t enough. If you want to succeed, you need to get high-quality sleep.

To improve the quality of your sleep, you need to find a nighttime routine that works for you. This might mean eliminating screen time before bed, going to bed earlier, or using a sound machine. Find a routine and stick with it.