What does "success" mean to you?
It’s kind of conditioned in our culture to picture climbing the corporate ladder, a big bank account or a shiny car.
But that’s not what success really is. Success isn’t a single thing or set of items.
I believe success is a feeling.
The feeling is the same for everyone but getting there is unique to each one of us. It might be to achieve a level of credentials, gain love or respect, influence people, or have the confidence to wear whatever you want.
Whatever success means to you, getting there takes focus, determination, and passion.
So whether you’re learning a new language, building a business, or perfecting your yoga skills, I have six habits that will help you get there faster.
1. Be Productive, Not Busy
There’s a huge difference between being productive and being busy. Being productive means you are prioritizing and using good time management skills to accomplish tasks.
To be busy is to be doing things to fill your time without really accomplishing much.
If you’re new to the concept, it might be hard to tell the difference, but once you see it, it’s impossible to miss.
Some things people do to stay “busy” instead of being productive are
– Checking and replying to emails
– Cleaning up their inbox and sorting messages
– Checking social media
– Organizing their space or rearranging things
– Planning – this can be a huge time-waster and used when people are procrastinating starting a task
The list is endless.
The best way to avoid being “busy” is to make a list of priorities in order of importance. Make your way down the list doing the most important things first. And if you notice you’ve gotten distracted by something that isn’t essential, like checking your emails, catch yourself and get back on track.
A huge tip I have for you is to turn off notifications or even leave your phone in a different room entirely if you have stuff that needs done. Our phones are such huge distractions and massive time-wasters.
2. Visualize Your Goals Every Day
If you want success, and are hell-bent on achieving it then take a few minutes every day and visualize what success means to you.
Maybe it’s having that dream body, or having a business of your own, or maybe just having the time freedom to do things you love.
I suggest visualizing your goals every day. You can do this in the form of a vision board, journaling or writing down what your dream life looks like, or simply closing your eyes and visualizing it.
You need to get crystal clear on what it is you want. Make an image in your head and think about it every day.
Meditation can help you to clearly see what you want. Just spending some time alone with your thoughts will help clarify what it is you truly want out of life.
Make it a habit to think about this every day and it will help you manifest these goals.
3. Read and Learn Continually
If you want to be successful in anything, you need to be constantly learning more about it. You need to become a sponge of knowledge.
Reading (or listening) to books is an amazing way to learn about any subject. And there are so many ways now a day to consume this kind of knowledge.
I love using the Audible app to listen to books, this is a great way to get through books if reading makes you tired. I also feel like having someone (often the author) read you the book can help you get more out of it. It’s almost like you hear things differently when someone else says it.
Another great option is using the Kindle app. I love the Kindle app because once I’ve downloaded a book, I can read it anywhere, anytime. My phone is something I always have with me, so if I have to wait in a line or just have a few minutes to waste, instead of scrolling Instagram I could be learning something helpful.
You could also get information from videos, like YouTube or documentaries on Nexflix, etc. However you find you learn the best, that should be your medium of choice.
4. Wake Up Early
Sleeping in not only wastes your day, it also starts your day off wrong. Mornings are the most productive time of day, and getting up early will extend that time so that you can get even more done.
Having a productive morning is, in my opinion, the single best thing you can do all day. Because no matter how the rest of your day goes, you’ve already gotten stuff done, you’ve already been productive, and you’ve already taken a step in the direction of your goals.
Whether you work from home, leave for work, or stay home with the kids, you can still use mornings to your advantage.
Create a morning routine that allows time to wake up, get motivated and get stuff done.
You might think that you don’t have time, but you make time for what’s important to you. If you scroll social media while sipping your morning coffee, you are choosing social media over something more productive.
If you actually pay attention to what you do with your time, you will notice that you sit idle (or on your phone/in front of the television or computer) for a lot of your day. Make time for the things that are important to you.
The simple fact of the matter is that you may have to get up earlier to work towards your goals. And that brings me to my next point.
5. Go to Bed on Time
To make the most of your mornings, you absolutely have to get enough sleep at night. There’s just no negotiating that.
You should be getting at least 7 hours of sleep, but personally, I function best on 8-9. Staying up till the wee hours of the morning may seem like a good idea at the time, you get to watch one more episode of your favorite show, you might get some work done in the evening. But what are you giving up.
Your health should be your first priority because if you’re not well, you can’t do anything.
Getting less than the recommended hours of rest means you’re more susceptible to colds and flus, your patience will be affected, your overall mood will be lower, and your productivity takes a major hit.
This is completely non-negotiable; you need to get to bed on time.
If you think you have to stay up late to get everything done, you need to take a better look at how you spend your time and figure out how you can maximize the time you have.
6. Work at it Every Day
If you want one piece of advice that will make or break your success: work at it every day.
If you truly want to succeed at something, you need to be doing something towards it every single day.
If you really want to get better at yoga, stretching and practicing yoga poses once or twice a week is not going to cut it. You need to get on that mat every day and make it a priority.
If you want to learn a new language, get your dream body or get a promotion, you need get down to business and work on it every day.
It’s the only way you’re actually going to see results and accomplish your goals.
Success comes to those who work hard and keep their eye on the prize. The only thing all successful people have in common is their belief that they can achieve it, and their drive to never give up.
What kind of habits do you have to achieve success in your life? How do you make time for them?