10 Common Habits Of All Highly Successful People

Success is a relative term – it means different things to different people. To a schoolkid, it might mean a star on top of his latest test. To a home-maker, it probably means that she has a well-run household and a wonderful family. To an outside professional, it’s most likely the thrill of closing a major contract or the pride in accepting a performance bonus or being named the top-producing salesperson.

For some, being successful might simply mean achieving a state of wellness, health or happiness. For others, success might be financial achievements: becoming a millionaire for example. For sportsmen, it may mean trophies or results. For some, it might mean accolades. Whatever it means to you, take note of these 10 Common Habits Of All Highly Successful People. They apply to any area and any meaning of success.

1. They set goals and make organized plans to achieve them

Successful people know what they want out of their life and they don’t just wish it or leave to CHANCE, NO! They write down what they want to achieve daily, in 1 year, in 2 years, in 5 years. They make short-term and long-term goals. They write down what they want their life to be like – MAJOR GOALS. They write down what they want their relationships, marriage, careers, physique….everything to be like! And they work towards achieving that.

They clearly describe their end results. They don’t say I want to be rich, No! they can say for example I want to make at least 50 million dollars of savings or investment. They are precise in details. Not just a car but this type of car, this model, and this colour. How will you know when it’s enough or if you have attained it if you don’t clearly describe it or put it in figures?

Successful people design their lives by making plans to achieve their goals and working hard toward that. They understand the value and meaning of life- they know that if you don’t design your life someone else will. That’s how people end up wearing clothes they don’t like, having a body they don’t like, being in a marriage they don’t like, living in a house they don’t like and even living in a town they don’t like. Simply because they didn’t take time to sit down and design their careers, marriages, relationships, nutrition, and exercise, basically their entire future and work hard towards it.

You got to first sit down know what you really want first, don’t go into life hastily! Sit down and make goals concerning every aspect of your life, make organized plans keeping into account the cost (cost may be in time, energy, money, letting go of toxic relationships and bad habits) then work hard towards your plan!

Also Read: How to plan the change you want to see in your life

2. They take responsibility for their lives and learn from their failures

Successful people do not go around complaining, grumping or murmuring. They do not blame nature – the poor family they were born in, the unfair blow they have had in life, or the struggles they have faced. They do not blame the economy – the corrupt leaders, the lack of job opportunities, or the foreigners. They do not let struggle and failure get to their hearts.

Successful people take responsibility for their life. They say the reality of my life is what I make it! It doesn’t matter that I am living in the street, that I am bankrupt, that I am in debt, that I was abused in my childhood, or that no one believes in me….NO! My life is what I make it. The life of a person is measured by the quality of their thoughts and attitude. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.

Successful people view things differently. Instead of complaining about what they do not have they are thankful for what they have and by doing that they are able to see an opportunity which would have otherwise just passed by. They won’t allow their present conditions, mistakes or failures to deter their future. They are stronger because of what they have gone through, what they have endured. They look at life with a different perspective; they look at their failures from a vantage point and learn from them.

If you research about successful people you will realize that some of them came from broken families, were abused, were born in poor families, some did not complete their education…but they have risen to the top of their fields. They all have one thing in common and that is that they are hungry to make their dreams come true. This hunger and thirst for success make them overcome the disappointments, rejections, challenges, and heartbreaks that life throws at them. Their hunger for success drives them to achieve their wildest and craziest dreams!

Proverbs 16:26 NIV says The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.

The story of Oprah Winfrey is a story of struggle. She was born of a single mother and got pregnant at the age of 14 after going through continuous sexual torture. When she was only 9 she got raped. She is the richest African American of the 20th century. Her endorsement to Barrack Obama earned him millions of votes in the close 2008.

Lisa Nichols had only 12$ in her bank account 20 years ago. She was a single mum raising her son all by herself. She had hit rock bottom and she made a conscious decision to turn around her story around. She worked hard and saved up with a dream of wanting the best future for her son and herself. She is a millionaire entrepreneur, a humanitarian, a best-selling author and a motivational speaker. She says that the advice her grandmother gave her encourages her to fight on. Her grandmother told her that “quitters never win and winners never quit”. Her favorite quote is “Success is my birthright.”

These are just a few people who have had it rough but they did not let their circumstances, shortcomings, adversities weigh them down and give up on their dream. There are more of such success stories from Les Brown, Jim Rohn; Les Brown was an orphan and faced a lot of struggle while Jim Rohn was broke until he met his mentor Earl Shoaff who revolutionized his life with the advice he gave him- They are all millionaires and they encourage people by sharing their story, journey and encouraging them that they too can do the same. Howard Schultz, Ralph Lauren, Larry Ellison, Kenneth Langone, Sheldon Adelson, Alan Gerry, John Paul DeJoria, Harold Hamm, J.K. Rowling are all billionaires who grew poor like Oprah Winfrey.

Why am I sharing all these stories about these people? To let you know that if there is something that has ever been achieved you too can also do it!

There are no excuses for you, if they can do it so can you! Believe that it can also happen for you too, expect it to happen and GO FOR IT! Believe you can and you are halfway there!

Are you hungry enough to go after what you want? You should because you are worth it and you love you enough not to give up on yourself!

3. They Have Great Self Discipline

Discipline is one of the greatest ingredients of being successful in life. Self-discipline is a common trait among successful people. Discipline is not usually fun and adventures but I will tell you what is, the result of discipline!

Hebrews 12:11 NIV says No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

It is not usually fun waking up early in the morning most people would prefer sleeping in. It is also not fun saving money and most people would prefer spending it by gratifying their desires. Successful people practice delayed gratification. Most people look for an excuse to get out of work, exercise or goals but not successful people. A successful person will go to work even if they do not feel like it, they will exercise even when the weather is not conducive, they will make it happen because they know it will bring them closer to the future and life they desire!

Successful people discipline themselves to form good habits such as reading books, getting up early, eating healthy foods, exercise and so on. This is because they are optimistic about their future. They invest more in themselves than anything else. They make sure they are of more value at the workplace by learning new skills and getting more knowledge.

The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that their discipline is reversed. Successful people discipline themselves into forming good habits which make their futures brighter whereas unsuccessful people discipline themselves into forming bad habits such as binge-watching their favorite shows all day, spending most of their time on social media and watching unhelpful videos on Youtube such as cat videos, overeating, waking up late, complaining about their jobs…literally everything opposite to what a successful person does. Unsuccessful people basically spend most of their time indulging in things that are not beneficial for their future.

Also read: 12 Shocking Habits of Successful People

4. They Are Obsessed With improving themselves

Successful people do not busk at their achievements and get comfortable. NO! They are obsessed with self-development. Successful people push themselves outside their comfort zones. They are always striving and working to become better versions of themselves. They are constantly looking for new knowledge and skills to improve themselves.

It’s not a wonder that most millionaires and billionaires are avid readers. This is because they want to be at the top of their field. They are constantly learning new things that will keep them ahead. They know that the world is quickly changing and they are changing with it trying to make new innovations that will be a game-changer. They offer the best services and products to their customers. They are more concerned about fully meeting the customer’s needs and satisfaction.

Successful people not only demand more from themselves they also expect more from themselves. They are full of energy and cause others to follow them because people want to be around energetic, creative and passionate people.

5. Are avid readers

Most millionaires and billionaires read a lot. They have disciplined themselves to read. Successful people read books that will improve them – in their career field, goals and ambitions, health and relationships. They want to grow and are intentional about it by reading enriching books.

Most successful people read books on how to create wealth and multiply it. They know knowledge is just “potential power” and the application of this new-found knowledge is what is important. I mean no wonder they are rich. They have read about the principles of creating wealth and applied them.

Successful people invest in themselves by reading enriching books. It is wise to learn from your own mistakes but it is even wiser to learn from other people’s mistakes. Books are ingredients of what you will become. Successful people do not consume junk but read helpful materials to better themselves.

Do you know that there is a book that has advice and information on how to overcome any struggle you have in your life? There are so many books on self-development, financial freedom, and peace, health, and nutrition, entrepreneurship, technology, breaking addictions and self-destructive behaviors and so on.

Do you know that the problem you are facing is recorded in a book and the solution is plainly outlined? Picking a book and reading it can save you a lot of energy and time in achieving your goals by learning from the author’s experience.

6. Successful people use their time wisely and productively

Time is the most precious commodity in life. Time wasted can never be recovered. A day has 24 hours. Everybody on the face of the planet has 24 hours. No one is richer or poorer in time. The difference is how you use your time. Successful people plan the use of their time. They do not leave it to chance or other people. They understand that if you don’t plan for your time other people and things will do it for you.

Time will pass with or without us. Successful people give time meaning by telling it what it will do. They manage their time by accounting for it. Successful people have daily objectives – they know when to wake up, when to work, they have assigned tasks and activities to their 24 hours in a day. If you don’t have daily objectives you qualify as a dreamer.

What are you going to do with the next 24 hours that start at 12:01 AM tonight? You’ve got to plan it. Plan your tomorrow today. Give time meaning by telling it what it is going to do. Assign tasks and activities for you to do in the next 24 hours. Live your best today and give your all. Today well lived makes yesterday a memory of joy and happiness and tomorrow a vision of hope. Don’t let life live you, LIVE LIFE!

Also read: 10 Things Poor People Do That Rich People Don’t

7. They are risk-takers

Successful people understand that life is all about taking risks. Do you want to know how risky life is? You won’t come out of it alive. You do not want the risk of investment? Wait until they give you the bill of not investing. You do not want the risk of trying? Wait until they give you the bill for not trying.

A time comes in everyone’s life where they need to take a risk. Successful people embrace such moments without fear and take risks. Life is meant to be adventurous, to live with faith and not caution! It is pitiful to live a safe and comfortable life that has no risks, it is not worth living! You need to face your fears- feel the fear and do it anyway! make decisions head-on even though you are uncertain.

8. They don’t give up When They Suffer Failure & Setbacks

Successful people push on even after experiencing failures and setbacks. I would like to tell you that you will never experience setbacks and failures in your life but I would just be lying to you. You cannot control what happens to you but you can control how you react. Instead of giving up after trying once, twice or thrice, continue pushing if it is really what you want. Learn from your mistakes but most especially learn from other people who have done what you are doing. Where there are many advisors plans prosper.

Most people throw in the towel when the breakthrough is near; when they are almost hitting the goldmine they give up! All that wasted sweat, energy, time and resources amount to nothing! Your character is formed in adversity when you experience disappointments, heartbreaks, challenges, and setbacks. That is when your character is formed! Not, when everything is going your way! Faith is only as good as it is tested. Endurance and perseverance are formed in the midst of challenges.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff. Walt Disney filed for bankruptcy in 1920 after one of his main client’s filed bankruptcy.

In 1937, close to bankruptcy for a second time in his short career, Disney approached the bank for a loan to complete his film- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This loan was agreed and Disney was able to fund his staff and studio through to full completion of one of the most notable film releases of all time. Walt Disney has made numerous classic cartoons and movies and continues to do so. He also created Disneyland which is a joy for kids.

Thomas Edison‘s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was “sub-normal,” and one of his teachers described him as “mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams.” He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He did eventually learn to speak and read. Even to do a little math.

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterward, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success.

He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for Congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858.

At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth.”Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he succeeded.

Read about heroes who failed miserably, faced opposition and disappointments but did not give up and went to make an impact on the earth and become some of the world’s greatest!

Also read: 8 Principles To Live By For Success and Happiness

9. They Find A Way To Win

Whatever life throws at successful people they find a way to win! It’s in their mentality and attitude. They have programmed their minds that way. Whatever blows life throws at them, successful people always find a way to emerge victorious! You know the famous saying When life gives you lemons, make lemonade – that’s exactly how successful people think.

Some people have been beaten by life into submission that they won’t take a chance on themselves, they cannot bet on themselves, they do not believe in themselves, they believe that it can happen for anyone but not them. Such a mentality only leads to an average, sorrowful, regretful and bitter life.

Take life head-on and have confidence in yourself. You have one life to live – give it your all, give it your best shot and find a way to WIN!

10. They Do What They Love

For you to be successful you must love what you do or love the impact that you do has on other people. If what you do brings joy to other people and warms their hearts, you can be most sure that some of that joy will also rub off on you.

You need to have solid reasons for doing what you do. The reasons will be like your rod and staff to comfort you when you feel like giving up and they will also cheer you on. By loving what you do you have the motivation to do it! When you love what you do, you are able to commit and put everything on the line because you believe in yourself and because you believe that what you are doing is beneficial for mankind and it is changing people’s lives.

Success is a pleasure. If what you are doing today isn’t satisfying and gratifying then you are really not successful. If you are not fulfilled with what you are doing today, you cannot possibly be successful. It doesn’t matter how many worldly possessions you may have – how many cars, how many toys or how much money. If you are not happy with your life as it is, you cannot be successful.

I know that Success is a relative term– it means different things to different people. To a schoolkid, it might mean a star on top of his latest test. To a home-maker, it probably means that she has a well-run household and a wonderful family. To an outside professional, it’s most likely the thrill of closing a major contract or the pride in accepting a performance bonus or being named the top-producing salesperson. You need to define what success means for you.

But the one thing you will hear from everyone who is successful is that they are happy with who they are and what they are doing. They are happy, content, satisfied – success is a pleasure.

What have you done today that makes this day successful? Think about it and write it down. If at the end of the day you can jot down the things that have made it a good day, you will soon see patterns forming. This really is a good habit to get into. When you can see a pattern of pleasure, you will know that you are on the road to success.

If you are stuck doing something you don’t love just to earn a living make a plan on how you will turn your career around. It might mean patience and perseverance, switching to another career path or employer, going back to school and advancing in knowledge, upgrading your resume, learning new skills and knowledge but just remember that nothing good comes easy and you are worth it and you love you enough to want the best for yourself!

Also read: 3 Shocking Habits of BILLIONAIRES