VITAL HABITS OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE: 4 THINGS THEY DO DIFFERENTLY

Success. It’s something we all view differently, and yet we all want it.

The good news? Success is totally attainable if you start practicing the habits of successful people.

Let’s dive in and look at the four things that successful people do differently and how to start incorporating these habits into your own life.

Let’s Define Success

Success means so many different things to different people, but the general idea is that success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, or the attainment of popularity or profit.

Honestly, success is different for everyone.

While some deem success as rolling in money, another may find success in a potty trained toddler and two nights in a row of actual sleep.

Regardless of your take on success, one thing is true… the people that find their version of success have a few things in common.

What Do Successful People Do Differently?

Simply put, successful people have four habits that they make a priority.

These four habits hold true regardless of your measure of success, and are entirely doable for any of us.

Your position in life will determine the extent that you take these habits, but if you’re looking to reach your version of success, it’s vital you start making these habits a priority.

They are Goal-Oriented

This requires thought and effort about what you want to accomplish today, this week, this year… whatever your timeframe is.

Successful people have thought about what they want, they have a goal in mind, and they have a plan to make it there.

They are proactive each and every day, and take steps to get closer to their goals. When they lose focus or miss a few days, they get back on track as quickly as possible.

They live by the 80/20 Rule, which is that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results.

Simply put, if you have a to-do list with 10 tasks, only 2 of those tasks will make the biggest impact on your day. The other 8 tasks combined will only make a small impact on your day.

This time management technique helps you super-focus your goals and skyrocket your productivity and chances of attaining those goals.

They use SMART goals paired with a plan.

Successful people never haphazardly go about goal setting and pursuit. Without SMART goals, you have nothing substantial to work toward.

They set up their SMART goals to work in a positive direction. For example, “I want to make my body stronger by working out 3 days a week,” versus “I want to stop watching so much TV.” By phrasing their goals in this way, they focus on what they want to bring more of into their lives instead of focusing on what they want to move out of their lives.

What are SMART goals?

• S – Specific
• M – Measurable
• A – Attainable
• R – Relevant
• T- Timely

S – Specific: Goals need to be specific – you need to know exactly what you are working toward.

“Be a better person,” “live a more exciting life,” or “do more good” are NOT specific goals. “I want to earn $10K a month from blogging” is a specific goal.

M – Measurable: Once you have a specific goal in mind, break down the process to achieve that goal into measurable steps, such as “Work out 3 days a week and eat vegetables twice a day.”

A – Attainable: Consider whether your goal is attainable for you. This doesn’t mean you should only shoot for the things you know you can accomplish. It means shooting for something out of reach, but not absolutely impossible.

R – Relevant: Is your goal truly relevant to you and the life you want to create for yourself? Or is it simply a pipe-dream or mid-life crisis? Evaluate your goal to ensure that you’re really working toward something you honestly want for yourself and your family.

T – Timely: Set a deadline or a specific time frame for yourself. This will keep you on track and motivated, as well as keeping you from feeling like you’re drifting with no end in sight.

They prioritize, plan, and execute.

Once successful people have their goals defined, they prioritize the steps needed to achieve those goals every day.

They create a plan to reach their goals.

But most importantly, they follow through.

They take action.

They execute their plan.

One simple way to prioritize what needs to be done is by utilizing a brain dump.

A brain dump helps you clear your mind, focus on your priorities, and formulate a game plan