Hello, dear readers of dohodinet.ru. The habits of rich and successful people are not the only thing that led them to success, but in many ways they were able to make this path so impressive and fast. Of course, by adopting the rules of life of others, you cannot be sure that this will help you earn more or advance your career, but such “life hacks” will definitely improve your standard of living and direct it in a better direction.
Get out of your comfort zone
To achieve what you didn't have, start doing what you've never done. This quote is attributed to Richard Bach. But it's much easier said than done. Everything new is associated with leaving the so-called comfort zone. This is such a cozy and warm state that you just don’t want to leave. Even if, in the future, it will bring something good.
The trap is that anything can become your comfort zone, even poverty. According to research by Canadian business coach Brian Tracy, 80% of people are dissatisfied with their income level. However, none of them is going to earn more. People simply adjust their lives to their income level so as not to leave a comfortable state. They travel less, eat worse and buy cheap clothes.
80 percent of people live in this zone and are not going anywhere. But in vain. If you only do what is comfortable and familiar, you will forever remain at the same level. Therefore, the first thing you need to learn is to push yourself out of your comfort zone. What you will need for this:
- recognize that a comfort zone exists and it is always convenient to slip into it. Understanding that you can get used to the lowest standard of living is the first step to action;
- the realization that going out will bring benefits. For example, it's not easy to wake up half an hour earlier to go for a morning run. But if you do this, after 10 minutes there will be no trace of discomfort left - just pure pleasure;
- effort of will. The ability to leave your comfort zone is a habit like any other. If you believe psychologists, then for the first month you will have to break yourself, and then everything will go back to normal. Pardon the tautology, but leaving your comfort zone will no longer be a way out of your comfort zone - everything will go automatically;
- set tasks that will require you to get out of your comfort zone. Goals should force you to get out of your comfortable state and do something new.
Top 15 Habits of Rich and Successful People
There are hundreds of unusual and interesting habits that can help a specific person in a specific situation. There are much fewer universal rules of behavior, and it is them that you should pay special attention to in order to achieve success in life.
The habits of millionaires are not collected into special classifications and are not studied at the level of scientific research. For convenience, we divide them into three groups:
- Morning habits.
- Daily habits.
- Other good habits.
It is important to remember that a habit is a skill that is formed over time and is very easily forgotten. Even after long and hard work on yourself, you should not give slack to your mind and thoughts. You need to constantly tune in to the positive, work on mistakes and regularly repeat the process of “learning” a habit so that it remains in memory and does not lose its relevance.
Morning habits
Morning habits are the foundation of the day, the beginning of all work. If you “get off on the wrong foot,” life will never get better. You need to start your morning positively and motivated, helping yourself with useful rules and exercises.
#1. In a healthy body healthy mind
Good habits never harm a person’s health; on the contrary, they increase it. Painful symptoms, constant colds and banal uncomfortable feelings from one’s own body do not contribute to earnings and career growth.
Habit! You need to start your morning with simple exercises.
This will help you feel more energetic, get your blood pumping and make your brain work more actively. In addition, moderate physical activity will help maintain muscle tone. If you have time in the morning to jog, go to the pool or gym, you need to use it as efficiently as possible. An active walk with the dog is also a good alternative.
#2. Dress like you're being hosted by the Queen of England
A person's appearance should be liked first of all by himself. We need to forget about dividing clothes into “home”, “work” and “weekend”. An outfit for every day should inspire a person to new achievements, make him like himself and others.
Habit! You need to dress in the morning so that you feel comfortable all day.
We are talking not only about physical, but also about psychological comfort. In order not to waste time in the morning putting together a complete look, you can prepare it in the evening. You need to plan everything, from underwear to accessories and shoes, only then will the early preparations be successful.
#3. Get up early
The world of successful people goes to bed early and rises early. This is dictated by the biorhythm of life for the majority of society, and in this case the owls will have to adapt to the system. If you sleep until noon and stay awake until two in the morning, you can miss the most active period of work for most successful people and, as a result, lose the most profitable deals and contracts.
Habit! Get up at six or seven o'clock in the morning.
You can’t achieve success with bags under your eyes, so you need to go to bed no later than 11 pm, preferably around 10. A healthy seven to eight hours of sleep will help you cope with tasks quickly and efficiently.
Daily Habits
Starting the morning correctly is half the success, but then comes the whole day, during which you need to keep yourself in good shape. The habits of rich people extend to all areas of their lives and do not end with banal motivation or positive thinking. You need to work on yourself every day, systematically and systematically, devoting your time of day to the development of each habit.
#4. Plan
Don’t fool yourself into blindly believing that you can remember everything. The modern world is oversaturated with information; every day a person performs dozens of tasks, and they need to be properly systematized.
A diary will be useful to anyone who wants to manage many tasks without losing a single detail. You need to deliberately write down more things in it than you can actually do. Increasing your demands on yourself helps you gradually expand your physical and mental limits.
Habit! The planner needs to be filled out every day and should be done in the evening.
If you go to bed without a clear routine, you are unlikely to be able to work effectively in the morning. You will have to spend a lot of active time on systematization.
Get up an hour earlier
Brian Tracy conducted a study during which he interviewed several successful Moscow businessmen. They all admitted that they get up early in the morning - between 5 and 6 o'clock. This allows you to slowly get ready, start planning things for the current day, and even go for a short run. Such people come to the office ready to work, and do not sway until lunch.
What time does an average person get up? Just to have time to get ready for work, that is, at the last moment. If it takes an hour to get ready and travel, he gets up an hour before work. And he’ll snooze the alarm clock a couple of times so he can sleep for a couple more minutes. As a result, a person is ready to work after a couple of coffees in the office.
Disney President Robert Iger wakes up at 4:30 am. He listens to music, checks email and watches TV. Apple CEO Tim Cook gets up at the same time. At 5 am, the entrepreneur is already at the gym, and arrives at the office first. Many American presidents also got up early: Benjamin Franklin, George Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. In general, the habit of being among the first to come to work is very typical for many entrepreneurs. This way they set an example for their employees and motivate them to do the same. Agree: if the director comes for lunch, it relaxes the staff too . Successful people know this very well.
Wake up with the first roosters
The earlier your day starts, the more things you will have time to do. Scientists have found that productivity peaks from 6.00 to 11.00, then performance decreases. Therefore, I advise you to acquire this habit first, especially since it is accessible to everyone.
Bernard King, author of Habits of Successful People, highlights this habit in particular. Among the people who woke up before 6.00 are Benjamin Franklin, Immanuel Kant, Ernest Hemingway, Ludwig van Beethoven.
If you are used to waking up around lunchtime, you should gradually switch to early morning mode. Every new day, set your alarm clock an hour earlier, and, of course, give up night vigils. It will take you about two weeks to adjust your routine, then you will enter a new rhythm.
Go to bed early
Many people who have achieved success do not stay up late in front of the TV, but go to bed early. By the way, not watching television at all is a distinctive feature of rich people. American researcher Thomas Corley, who spent 5 years researching their habits, claims: 67% of successful people never watch TV . Among the poor, only 23 percent do not watch TV.
Not having a TV habit allows successful people to go to bed earlier. Many people go to bed as early as 10 pm. That is why they get up earlier than usual. If you get caught up in the next talk show or TV series and go to bed after midnight, getting up early is out of the question.
Make new friends
Useful connections and acquaintances in our time are the most valuable capital. A person who has learned to make these acquaintances receives a serious advantage in life. Remember - the wider your circle of contacts, the more opportunities you have.
Like any skill, communication is improved through training. Make it a habit to engage in conversations with strangers as often as possible - in public transport, in line, at a bus stop, in the gym. Over time, quantity will turn into quality, and you will easily be able to win over new colleagues and business partners.
According to research from the University of California, 68% of rich people and only 11% of poor people say they love meeting new people.
Play sports
Let’s get ahead of those who will now say, they say, I don’t have enough time for work, I’m spinning like a squirrel in a wheel, what kind of sport is that? Do you know what requirement often flashes through the riders of pop stars when organizing concerts? Gym rental and personal trainer. That is, imagine: a singer goes on tour, lives in a completely crazy schedule, but still finds time for sports.
For example, trip-hop artist Trickey asks for a personal kickboxing trainer, and Madonna generally takes a personal yoga instructor with her. I had a free minute before the performance - pumped my fists or plunged into nirvana. When else if not now?
By playing sports, you get:
- good health. Comments are unnecessary here;
- outburst of negative emotions. Just kidding, but if you imagine the image of a competitor instead of a punching bag, you can let off some steam;
- the habit of fighting and winning. Those who play sports are more purposeful and do not give in to difficulties. In sports, as in business, there is a spirit of competition;
- a way to abstract from problems and failures. Many entrepreneurs note that as soon as they cross the threshold of the gym, all problems recede into the background.
Why do people who accidentally get rich inevitably go broke?
The lucky ones who suddenly inherited a fortune or won a lottery jackpot, in most cases, spent all the money within a few years.
For example, Vivian Nicholson from the USA won $3 million in 1961. In comments to reporters, she said she would “spend, spend, spend.” It took her only five years - nothing was left of her rich life. She was widowed, remarried (five more times), became a drunk, tried to commit suicide several times and ended up in a mental hospital. Having spent all her funds, she remained single and lived the rest of her life on a pension of $300.
They say that money can change your life: unfortunately, both for good and for bad.
What habits of rich, strong and successful people helped them achieve and maintain prosperity?
Read books and improve your knowledge in every possible way
Only 2 percent of poor people read self-help books, says Thomas Corley. But among successful people there are much more of them. 88% of rich people devote at least 30 minutes a day to reading specialized literature.
In addition, successful businessmen love to attend endless seminars, conferences and master classes. And they are ready to pay well for it. They know very well: the best investment is investing in yourself . Money spent on books and training will definitely bring profit. Especially now, when business trends change almost every month. You must always be aware of new trends and keep your nose to the wind.
Spending time alone
Successful people are self-sufficient and value time spent alone. They avoid idle meetings and small talk about nothing; it is much more pleasant for them to devote these hours to mental work. Follow their example - think about serious topics in silence and solitude. Do this for at least half an hour every day, and soon new facets of being will open up to you.
“Communication is overrated. An hour of solitude is more productive than a week of conversations” (Pavel Durov).
Plan your time
All successful people live according to a predetermined schedule. They know what they will be doing in 2 hours, next week or next year. Time management is one of the main habits of such characters. It is impossible to work differently in a busy rhythm: all tasks must be scheduled by the hour . Otherwise, it won’t be long before you forget about important business negotiations, miss a conference or be late for a plane.
Some people use classic diaries for this, others download newfangled mobile applications. Actually the method doesn't matter. The main thing is to control your time. Once they start planning, many entrepreneurs are surprised to find that they have more time. All kinds of planners clearly show where there are free windows in the schedule. They can be devoted to sports, recreation and entertainment.
There is a metaphor: “The more time, the less time.” She says that too much free time relaxes you and makes you procrastinate. On the contrary, a busy schedule forces you to be responsible with your time . Once you start planning, you will use it much more effectively.
Meditate
15 minutes of deep meditation can replace two hours of sleep. This is a very profitable arithmetic, especially when time is short. Therefore, many successful people actively use this secret, which is what they advise you to do.
Start practicing meditation today, and within a month you will notice a positive effect - your thoughts will become clearer, your concentration will increase, and your well-being will improve.
“By getting rid of anxious thoughts, you will become more sensitive. Your intuition will speak louder, you will begin to see more clearly and immerse yourself in the present moment - the very “here and now”. Your consciousness will slow down and you will see much more than you saw before” (Steve Jobs).
Set goals and try to achieve them
When starting your own business, ask yourself the question: “What do I want to get in the end?” . The answer to it will be the goal of the entire enterprise. It can be anything: earn a million dollars, buy a house on the beach, make the world a little better. This is a global goal. But there are also secondary ones - they must be subordinated to the main one. Secondary goals can be long-term or short-term. Doubling revenue next year is a long-term goal. Read 5 books on marketing this month - short term.
Everything seems simple and clear, but there are several nuances regarding how to set goals . They should be:
- measurable. Not just “get rich”, but “earn a billion rubles”;
- achievable. Set results that can actually be achieved. The principle “demand the impossible from yourself and you will get the maximum” is not always appropriate. It is better to set a modest goal, but achieve results, than to raise the bar and experience disappointment;
- limited in time. A specific time should be allocated for each task;
- static. The conditions of the task should not change after it is posed;
- distributed. There is no need to lump all goals into one pile. Distribute them over time and complete them one by one.
Set priorities correctly
To become a successful and effective person, you need to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. This ability allows you to save a lot of time and confidently move towards your goal, avoiding obstacles.
Successful people not only know how to set goals correctly, but also build their hierarchy. What is more important today – to maximize sales volumes or to create an attractive company image? Where to invest money - in developing a new product or improving an old one? You too will learn to set priorities for yourself in work and in life and distribute your attention in accordance with them.
“All the sorrows of this world come from incorrect prioritization and, as a consequence, from incorrect distribution of resources” (Socrates).
Leave bad habits behind
“I doubt I would be standing here if I hadn’t stopped drinking whiskey, beer, wine and all that.” Do you know who this phrase belongs to? It was, neither more nor less, George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States. He stated this in an interview with the American ABC channel after being elected to the post of head of the oval office.
Giving up bad habits is also typical for the powerful. Many of them do not drink, smoke or eat meat. This allows you to always be in great shape and keep you healthy. Many celebrities and businessmen adhere to a vegetarian diet: Madonna, Brad Pitt, Henry Ford and Bill Clinton.
Make decision making easier
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, tries to live a simple life. This is reflected in his clothing preferences - for example, he always wears the same blue jeans, gray T-shirt and hoodie.
In 2014, during a public Q&A session on Facebook, Zuckerberg was asked by Here's The Real Reason Mark Zuckerberg Wears The Same T‑Shirt Every Day about this approach to his own wardrobe. And this is what he replied:
I want to clear my life of unnecessary things so that I have to make as few extraneous decisions as possible that are not related to work. I feel like I can put the saved energy to better use.
This is how Mark copes with decision fatigue. And he is not alone. Steve Jobs always wore the same black turtleneck, blue jeans and New Balance sneakers. Tucker Hughes, managing director of Hughes Marino, plans what he will wear and what he will eat for the week ahead.
Former US President Barack Obama once told Vanity Fair's Obama's Way that he only wears gray or blue matching suits because he wants to pare down his options and focus on other, more important decisions.
Make yourself a wardrobe, menu, exercise list, daily plan, schedule, and then just follow the regime. This will save you time and effort.
Delegate authority
Multitasking is good, but in moderation. It will be much better if you focus on one or two important goals and leave the rest to your employees. One Russian entrepreneur from the 90s said that he would never do anything that could be entrusted to others.
Don’t burden yourself with current tasks—better focus on planning and strategy for business development. This is your direct task as a leader. But you need to delegate authority wisely. We wrote about how to do this correctly in this article.
Wealthy people have “effective” thinking
It is unlikely that you will meet a successful person in line for the lottery (even before he gets rich). The simplest person usually waits for someone else to lend a helping hand and help him achieve prosperity (this could be the lottery, the government, a good friend or family member), and as a result remains poor. Rich people do not expect handouts; they act, purposefully, and spend their time solving complex tasks necessary to achieve their goals. Wealthy people prefer specific knowledge to the detriment of formal education. The average person is sure that the only way to achieve wealth is by getting a diploma or writing a dissertation. Wealthy people earn their capital by selling their own specific knowledge acquired in the process of doing their business.
Maintain financial discipline
If you read books by American writers from the beginning of the last century, you will get a very interesting impression. Every second hero necessarily puts aside a small part of his income into a bank account in order to open his own business in the future. This even applies to laundresses and loaders, not to mention successful businessmen. It was not for nothing that America experienced an industrial and economic boom at that time.
Here are some simple tips that will allow you to save:
- don't risk your money. Pragmatic people rarely go all-in and try not to take risks;
- Keep records of all income and expenses, even personal ones. There are plenty of applications for home accounting - download and use;
- save part of your income for the future. It's not about money, but about the habit of saving money;
- Don't make rash purchases. More than 30% of purchases are made spontaneously. This is evidenced by research from Visa. A gigantic amount, you will agree. Therefore, learning to control expenses and not buy too much is the basis of financial literacy.
Develop professional skills
All successful businessmen are well aware of the rule expressed by the Red Queen in the fairy tale “Alice Through the Looking Glass” - “you need to run as fast as you can to stay in place.” If you relax and begin to rest on your laurels, soon the backs of your competitors will loom before you. One eye should always be turned to the future.
That's why successful people constantly improve at what they are already good at. Language courses, advanced training courses, various seminars and trainings are part of their way of life. Without this, they would hardly have succeeded.
“Anyone who stops learning grows old. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re 20 or 80” (Henry Ford).
Set aside separate days for different tasks
When CEO Jack Dorsey worked simultaneously on Square and Twitter, he stayed productive through something he called "theme days." He set aside Mondays for management, Tuesdays for working on products, Wednesdays for meetings, and so on. Here's how the billionaire explained it:
It is impossible to work without distractions. But I can quickly figure out the reason for the distraction, and then remember: well, today is Tuesday, which means I’m doing groceries, I need to focus on them. And this way I'm less confused.
In addition, some managers, on the contrary, prefer on certain days not to engage in this or that activity under any pretext. For example, Dustin Moskowitz, co-founder of Facebook and CEO of Asana, established How does Asana approach No Meeting Wednesday? I have a taboo on meeting on Wednesdays.
It has been said many times that multitasking is bad for productivity. This division of your tasks into thematic days allows you to better focus on the highest priority for today.
Love your job
All top businessmen are driven by love. Love for your business, colleagues, clients, family, friends, soulmate. Love of life. It can safely be called “fuel” for success. It is she who helps preserve the present and build a better future. It makes it much easier to overcome difficulties and move up. According to Thomas Corley, 86% of entrepreneurs who truly loved their business were able to earn at least $3.6 million.
The only rule: you cannot love money more than anything else. The line between serious ambition and outright greed is very thin. Don’t cross it and don’t take the slippery path of a miser who is shaking for every penny. Yes, it’s possible that your fortune will quickly increase, but you won’t become happier. Big money can destroy a person. Entrepreneur Jim Rohn said, “When a person understands economics but doesn’t understand happiness, it’s sad.”
Form the right social circle
Avoiding loneliness, people often move around in unsuitable surroundings. However, this is the wrong approach. By putting forward certain demands on yourself, you must be no less demanding of the people around you. You should communicate only with those who contribute to your development. Surround yourself with smart, successful, accomplished individuals. Look for those from whom you can learn something, adopt something. If there are optimistic people around, you yourself will begin to believe more in the result. You will be inspired and generate good ideas. And you will stop complaining, learning to rely on your own strength. Having worthy teachers and true friends is very important for achieving success. This is confirmed by 68% of the rich. And 93% are sure: it would not have been possible to get rich if it weren’t for their mentors and partners.
Have multiple sources of income
“Self-made millionaires don’t rely on one source of income. They develop multiple cash flows,” the writer notes.
He added that "three seemed to be the magic number in my research," pointing out that 65% of those surveyed "had at least three streams of income that they created before making their first million."
Examples of these additional cash flows include renting out real estate, investing in the stock market, and part-ownership of a side business.
The right questions
You cannot start a new project without defining goals and objectives and preparing a plan, otherwise you risk getting the output that is not at all what you wanted. First, ask yourself: “Do I really need this? Do I want this? Does this lead to MY goal? This way you will eliminate unnecessary actions and work that does not make you happy at all.
Instead of asking “Why?” ask the question “Why?” This will replace whining, pessimism, frustration and hopelessness with optimism, perspective, and will launch creativity into the mainstream of creation.
Instead of the question: “How did this happen to me?”, ask the question: “How did I organize this for myself?”, and then a lot will become clear. Be the author of your life, not a victim of circumstances. When you focus the question on yourself, constructive reflection starts, but only if you answer honestly.
For example, a month ago I didn’t find time to participate in a specialized conference (where a client was), three weeks ago I didn’t finish reading an important article (about the CEO of the company I’m interested in), I spent not a week, but two days preparing the meeting, and I didn’t get enough sleep before the meeting . You created this chain of events yourself, so there is no point in being surprised that the negotiations failed or blaming anyone. The author is famous. It is important to draw conclusions.
Say no firmly
It is very important to learn how to refuse correctly. Unfavorable offers come in all the time. They only take away valuable time, nerves and, of course, money. You need to firmly refuse unplanned parties, uninteresting events and obviously failed business proposals. Say “no” confidently and clearly. People who value and respect you will not be offended by a refusal. They will support your choice if you explain your position to them. This skill will change your life. Will save money. It will free your conscience from unnecessary obligations and time for truly important activities: necessary rest, self-development, conquering new career heights.
Do not make excuses
A financially dependent person is inclined to blame anyone for failures, but not himself. He is constantly looking for excuses. We need to get rid of this manner. Successful people know that they themselves are responsible for everything that happens in their personal and professional lives. They do not believe in fate and predestination. They do not make excuses and do not look for reasons around them, do not complain, do not blame others. Businessmen from the top hundred of Forbes rely only on themselves and control their own destiny. Believing in your own strengths and the ability to take responsibility for your decisions, victories and defeats help you achieve success.
Stop toxic thoughts
It is necessary to learn to control and dissolve harmful, toxic thoughts. These include:
- fear,
- resentment,
- sadness,
- self-pity.
Advice: at the first appearance of such sensations, concentrate on this emotion, realize that these are just games of the imagination and non-existent constructions, switch to positive thoughts, and then return to reality: career, personal life, everyday life.
Anchors for switching can be warm memories, tender moments from the past, beautiful dreams or pleasant physical sensations.
Previously, like many parents, I was sometimes seized by an unreasonable panic fear for the life of a child. With your brains you understand that everything is fine, but your imagination is already enveloping you with terrible pictures. Simply pushing these thoughts away doesn't help.
I realize that these are just thoughts, I move away from them, breathe regularly, turn my attention to my favorite beach in Greece, remember the feeling of white sand under my feet... A minute later I am back in reality, but without fear.
Daily Reading
Reading can perform several functions at once: professional books to gain new knowledge and apply them in work, educational literature to broaden one’s horizons, and fiction as a source of new emotions, relaxation and inspiration.
I think that you should definitely add two books to your list that have become reference books for many business people: “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand and “Stop Thinking! Take action!” Roberta Anthony.
Also important to me are books that contain specific tools, for example, “Code of Extraordinariness,” “Never Ever,” “The Sovereign,” “Black Swan.” Such books lie in different places in my home; they quite often help answer internal questions or guide me to reflection.
