The Top Habits of Successful People

Are you a start-up? A sole trader or a Franchise? Loyalty Brands is a company that helps a franchise buyer prosper quickly and also in the long term. With help from five other companies within our group, success is something we strive for. So, with that in mind, how can someone gain or aim for success? Something you may look out for is the traits of people who are successful in your field. There can be many different reasons for this, why are they successful? What makes them successful? You may think these things a lot, or perhaps they do not really come into your mind at all. Either way, this article is here to help show you the top habits of successful people, and things you can possibly do to achieve your success in your chosen industry!

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

Many of the top entrepreneurs, regardless of the field that they operate within, say waking early is best. Steve Jobs often quoted that he would wake at 6 am to start emails. Then take time to meditate and keep active, then go into the office. Tim Cook and Bill Gates have also quoted similar working hours, along with Mark Zuckerberg. The thought of waking early can terrify some, but it does make some practical sense on a day to day life. It has been shown that waking early gives a big boost to productivity. You can start earlier in the day, and get more done before lunchtime. Then, after lunch, you will be refreshed and because you were so successful in the morning. This will resonate as motivation to do more in the afternoon.

Being an early starter helps to relieve stress and leave you feeling more relaxed in the longer term. When you rise early, it eliminates the need to rush in the morning. You can then start your day on an optimistic note and such positivity often stays with you throughout the day. Alongside the benefits of relieving stress, early risers often go to bed early. Getting up early is not something that should be followed irregularly but it needs to be established as a routine in your life. This translates into better sleep quality as your body’s internal clock adapts to your new sleep routine. A common trait when you research and look into the lives of people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Zuckerberg and others are routines. They make this a way of life for them. Waking early a couple of days a week, then you will need really see the benefits. It can actually be detrimental to your mental health, as you will feel more lethargic and tired, rather than being active and productive.

Eat Healthy and Exercise Regularly

Calories and Minerals and more can often be seen as boring. However, it has been found that many of the world’s rich and successful often count calories before they buy or consume meals. Corley found that 57% of wealthy people count calories every day, as opposed to 5% of poor people. He also found that 70% of successful people eat fewer than 300 calories of junk food per day, but 97% of poor people eat above that mark. This is a huge difference and a possible trait that you should adapt to your daily life. This is also a great piece of advice for anyone, not just Entrepreneurs wanting to be the next Warren Buffet. Healthy eating and having a nice healthy and balanced diet can benefit every facet of life. From feeling more productive in making you healthier and less prone to disease and illness.

There are many reasons wealthy and successful people watch everything they eat, but the most significant could be to ensure a longer life – and therefore an extended opportunity to earn more. You know the saying, time is money!

Write Down Goals, and Do Not Forget Them!

Have you got any goals that you are trying to achieve? Have you ever written down your goals? Did you stick to the goals that you set? If the answer is no, don’t be alarmed, as many do not. One of the key traits of many successful people around the world is keeping to their goals and working on themselves all the time. Once again, Corley states that 62% of the wealthy focus on their goals every day, as opposed to 6% of less wealthy people – and 67% of the wealthy put those goals in writing.

Just like the health and diet, it is a stark difference and shows once more that this can be a trait you can add to your day today. Goals are super important in helping to focus your mind. Every action you make helps to determine the future and the fate in which you are headed. If you want to become a millionaire by the time you are 25, but do not have a job and will not go out and look for one, you are resting on guaranteed failure. There have been many people out there who have become millionaires by 25, but only due to major work and effort on their part, and stringent goals for daily, monthly, yearly. Of course, broad objectives, such as simply wishing to be rich are not goals. Specific goal-setting involves planning something tangible, such as earning X amount by Y time through Z activities.

Then, once they have their goals, they stand by them like a religion, working every day to achieve the goals and then once they have reached those desired goals, make some new ones to fill their place.

Don’t Spend what you Make

Look at the previous examples of successful people. Steve Jobs, only wore a black turtleneck, blue denim jeans and white Adidas shoes everywhere he went in public. It was a simple image. He could afford the most expensive Versace looks and Balmain Couture, but instead to opt for minimalism. Bill Gates, wears rather normal clothes for the second richest man in the world. Mark Zuckerberg, has the same t-shirt and jean combination everywhere he goes. There’s a popular saying that you have to spend money to make money. While this is true, most non-wealthy people don’t take into account the fact that the more money you spend, the less you have – and spending more than you earn does not result in wealth nor success.

Successful people avoid overspending. Just because they could throw down half a million pounds for a brand new car doesn’t mean they do. The wealthy invest their time in comparison shopping and negotiation, getting the best deals for their dollars and saving more money than they spend. They develop reasonable budgets and stick to them.

Read, Read, Read!

Books are a great source of information. They offer relief from the ultra digital world that we live in today. Whereas many would find pleasure in escaping into a new world through fiction books, successful and wealthy people tend to read far more than the average person and read more self-development books. Why? Because they always want to better themselves. Linking back to the goals, they always want to achieve their goals and better themselves on a day to day basis.

The wealthy tend to believe in the importance of self-improvement and continuing education, and they typically turn to reading to fulfill these needs. Corley states that 86% of wealthy people love reading, as opposed to 26% of the less wealthy.

What they read is just as important as how much: Their choice of reading material is less nonfiction, and usually self-improvement. 88% of wealthy people spend at least 30 minutes each day reading on that subject. With this in mind, this links to the next habit.

Take Longer Lunch Breaks

This may sound counterproductive, as to how could longer lunch breaks help you become more successful? Well, that links back to the importance of less is more. When you learn how to work smarter rather than work harder, then taking breaks is an important part of that. A long, relaxing midday lunch allows you to refresh yourself, and return to work ready to put in more productive time. Then, if you woke up early in the day, by lunchtime you would have already done a lot of work, so you have earned that lunch, and getting yourself ready to work through the afternoon!

Network!

Networking is one of the best ways to gain leads for your business and eventually gain success. Firstly, it’s personal. You can go directly and talk to people, often from the same area of expertise or people who are going to network primarily to find someone to help them. For example, you could be selling your business. Our brand First Choice Business Brokers is a company that helps you find the best buyers for your business and franchise opportunities. By going to a networking event you can talk face to face with these potential buyers and really make a mark.

Another benefit of networking is that you are surrounded by other successful people. The wealthy and successful understand that in order to be successful, you must surround yourself with successful people. Networking with other rich people, or people with the drive and potential to become rich, is crucial for your own success.

Corley finds that 79% of wealthy people spend at least five hours a month networking – whether it’s at a conference, client event, online webinar, or just over coffee – while only 16% of less wealthy people network consistently. This allows the wealthy to align their mindsets with others who have achieved success. Whether it is a fancy dinner, or drinks at a bar, or after conference networking. All of these moments are key to how these people become successful.

You also do not need to focus on going to hundreds of events in the city to successfully network. Loyalty Network is another of our subsidiaries that help meaningfully connect members of The Loyalty Networking system to their communities through a multi-faceted referral program that encourages inclusion and generates increased opportunities for members to grow their businesses

Lastly, networking events are also good to get your name out there, and then this leads to word of mouth, which is great free marketing for the company you own or manage.

Knowing your Work Limits

Working hard is always a great way to become successful in the long term, however knowing the limits of your work is also just as key. Working yourself into the ground consistently is detrimental to your mental wellbeing, and physical health in the long term. Hard work is critical for successful people, but they also understand the importance of personal time for relaxation and self-improvement. For this reason, they rarely burn the midnight oil. Remember their reading habits earlier in the article? They focus so much on self-improvement, and being able to work but work healthily and within their means is a key way of being able to keep building yourself.

Knowing that if you push yourself to continue working every waking moment, you’re only going to end up exhausted, inefficient, and unable to produce worthwhile results is essential to success. The wealthy typically walk away from work by 5 pm or 6 pm and don’t return to it until the next morning, according to Inc.

Focus on Philanthropy

A big example of this is Bill Gates. He is the second richest man in the world, and now focusses many of his efforts on the Bill and Malinda Foundation. He has helped many charities and many philanthropic causes since stepping down as CEO of Microsoft. He stayed on the board and still influences many decisions at his former company, but recently he has stepped down completely to focus on his foundation and the work it does.

One main question that may swirl in your mind is why? Some find it as their way of giving back. Balancing the books between the top 1% and the bottom 1%. Some see it as a great image booster for them, and most if not all just really want to help people. If they have the means to help, then why not act and help those who are in need of that money? Charity and philanthropy are hallmarks of the wealthy. Those who are rich and successful tend to be generous with their wealth. Examples throughout history support this – from Nelson Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie to Carlos Slim and Bill Gates. Giving back to the community and improving the world is an important characteristic for the wealthy.

Never Retire!

This another point where your brain may be wondering, why!? The wealthy and successful may have huge savings that would mean they wouldn’t need to work a day in their lives and will still be able to live a comfortable life, many do not retire because they simply want to keep working, and they enjoy it. According to a Gallup poll, the average retirement age for Americans is 61, but the majority of wealthy people don’t plan to retire until at least 70 – not because they have to keep working, but because they want to.

The longer you continue to work, the more money you can make. The drive to stay healthy is connected to this goal. Successful people often choose not to retire, and since the majority enjoy what they do, the idea of continuing to work is both welcome and comforting.

Avoid things Like too Much TV and more

Television is a staple in many lives, however, when it comes to the rich and successful, the TV doesn’t play as big of a role than it does with others. It can be seen as time-wasting, brain-draining, or just not a productive use of their time. According to Corley, 67% of successful people watch television for one hour or less per day, while only 23% of less wealthy people limit their TV intake. They also generally avoid reality shows – only 6% of the wealthy watch them, compared to 78% of the non-wealthy. Rich folks simply choose more productive ways to spend their time.

Control your Emotions

Lastly, emotions and being able to control them is a key trait in being successful. Some get the moniker of being rude and Callas. Showing no emotion and being punished for doing so. Steve Jobs often was regarded as rude, and horrible by the employees at Apple, but the main team and employees stayed for one main reason, the reason behind his behavior. He acted out and was blasé to prove a point, push others to try harder and push the boundaries of what could be done. Of course, sometimes he would lose it, because after all despite success everyone is human. But by having a certain level of emotional intelligence can really benefit you in the long run.

There’s a general assumption that wealthy people can afford to be honest and blunt, but the rich understand that not every thought or emotion should be aired. Good relationships are a crucial foundation for financial success – and speaking your mind can damage those relationships. Only 6% of the wealthy say what they’re thinking regularly, compared to 69% of poor people.

So, what traits can you see in you? Remember to always keep working on yourself, set goals, reach them then set new ones. Use your time efficiently and really work hard. Success comes to those who earn it! Good luck!