04 May How to get rich: Nine surprising habits of wealthy and successful people
Could these habits be the key to your success?
Talent, charisma and intelligence can all help on the road to success, but everyday habits can also play a powerful role.
Having motivation and persistence helps a lot, but subconscious “habitual” activities actually take up around 40% of our waking hours.
This means we are on autopilot for nearly half of our lives. This is why carving good habits is key if you want to make a success of yourself.
As Aristotle said: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Here we reveal nine common habits of highly successful people:
1. They wake up early
The saying goes “the early bird catches the worm” and it really does rings true.
President Obama, Richard Branson, Jack Dorsey, Larry Schultz, Tim Cook and Xerox CEO Ursula Burns are all known for being early risers.
Rising early is a powerful path to success, because people who get up earlier can achieve things before others have even started their day.
Author Thomas Corley, who spent five years studying the different habits of rich and poor people, found 44% of wealthy people wake up three hours before work starts, compared to just 3% of poor people.
2. They meditate
Taking care of your body and mind are key if you want to become successful.
Oprah, Rupert Murdoch, Russell Simmons, Arianna Huffington, Bill Ford and Padmasree Warrior have all attributed mediation as a huge component to their success.
3. They read instead of watching TV
Wealthy people tend to believe in the importance of knowledge and education and reading goes hand-in-hand with this.
A whopping 67% of rich people only watch TV for one hour or less per day, while 88% say they read every day, according to the author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits Of Wealthy Individuals.
4. They take long lunches
This might seem counterproductive, but the very rich know how to work smart, not long.
It’s important to look after yourself on the ladder to success and taking refreshing breaks it part of this.
5. They know when to say “no.”
Some think saying yes to every opportunity is the way to get ahead, but the hugely successful realise saying no is the key.
Successful people say no to the right things, giving them more time to focus on increasing their productivity and living their best life.
If you say yes to everything, you’ll be distracted and won’t be able to focus on the task at hand.
6. They network successfully
Networking can lead to people performing better at work and increases the chance of landing a job, research revealed.
Successful people know the importance of human interaction and will constantly socialise to conect with people.
Dale Carnegie, author of How To Win Friends & influence People, says successful people rarely complain or criticise. They are sincere and try to be empathetic.
7. They exercise and eat well
If you’re not fit and well, you can’t work as hard, so it makes sense that a healthy body means a healthy mind.
During his research, Corley discovered 57% of of wealthy people count calories every day.
He also found 76% of rich folk make time to exercise four times a week – despite their hefty work commitments.
8. They write to-do lists the night before
Writing a to-do list can be therapeutic and helps focus the mind.
Setting goals in crucial if you want to achieve them and writing them down can help specify them.
The more specific the better. For example just writing “I want to be rich” is too vague. It’s better to break your goal down into smaller, manageable tasks and don’t overwhelm yourself by piling too much on your plate.
Write a to-do list every night before you go to bed, to ensure you achieve your goals for the following day.
9. They manage their money
It’s all well and good if you’re earning a hefty pay packet, but if you can’t manage your money you could still end up scraping by.
Research shows that successful people are better at managing their finances and invest their money wisely.
However, they are also generous and willing to donate to those who need help.
~ credit Daily Star