If you are like most people, you probably have big goals and dreams that you would like to succeed in — you want to be at the top of your career, live a healthy lifestyle, or flourish in your relationships.
Everyone dreams of a positive future, but most people don’t realize the secret to a truly successful life:
You determine your future in the way you spend your everyday moments. If you want to be a successful person, you must consistently develop good daily habits. As Aristotle pointed out:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”.
Building positive daily habits is a huge challenge, but can you imagine the amazing things you could accomplish with just a little commitment and determination?
Creating lasting, healthy habits is the real key difference between people who are successful in life and those who are unsuccessful.
You might be wondering which specific habits make the biggest difference. Not to worry, I’ve compiled a comparison list to help you get a jump start on a successful future.
1. Successful people embrace change. Unsuccessful people fear change.
Change is a constant for all of humanity, and you must develop a positive relationship with it.
When unexpected or unwelcome changes arise, ask yourself how you can embrace them instead of running away. A few practical ways to reverse a change-fearing mindset include:
- Take a moment to recognize and address any fears associated with the upcoming change.
- Communicate with a person you trust about your negative feelings toward change.
- Practice positive thinking, which you can read about in the next section.
2. Successful people exude joy. Unsuccessful people think, say, and do negative things.
A joyful, positive disposition can seem like a distant reality in today’s cynical world, but it may be easier to achieve than you think. All you have to do is notice the good things around you and practice being thankful.
Mindfulness and gratitude are not just buzz words – choosing a positive attitude can honestly change your life. Many studies have found that thankfulness leads to greater happiness. Furthermore, research indicates that gratitude may even have a lasting positive impact on the brain and overall mental health.[1]
3. Successful people forgive others. Unsuccessful people hold grudges.
As a human being, you have likely been offended or hurt by others plenty of times. Don’t give in to the temptation to hold a grudge. Let it go.
Note that forgiving someone does not equate to giving up your boundaries (which are very important) or even admitting that the offending party is right. You should choose to let go for your peace of mind.
4. Successful people track progress. Unsuccessful people just criticize.
Some kinds of criticism, such as constructive criticism, are good for personal and professional development. The kind of criticism I’m talking about is the pessimistic, nagging, unhelpful variety. This is the kind of criticism in play when you are unfairly harsh to yourself or others.
Toss unfounded criticisms aside and consider tracking your “wins” or your progress, no matter how small. Take mental notes or keep a progress journal.
If you have a solid sense of what you have achieved, you will be less tempted to be hard on yourself.
5. Successful people share information, data, and ideas. Unsuccessful people hoard.
If you have useful information or generate brilliant ideas on the regular, your first instinct may be to keep it all to yourself for personal gain and solo recognition.
Instead of hoarding bright ideas, share them with your team. Your talents will be on display for the team, and the team will be able to support you and make your ideas a reality.
6. Successful people are humble. Unsuccessful people talk more than they listen.
Humility is key. The ability to listen to other people, really listen and understand, is essential to success in both work and relationships — and to listen you have to be humble.
Everyone has experienced the frustration of being in a one-sided conversation. When someone approaches you with a question or concern, put your world aside for just a moment and give them the kindness of your full attention.
7. Successful people take risks. Unsuccessful people take the easy way out.
The next time your heart is racing and you want to walk away, consider embracing the risk. You never know what might happen if you take a chance.
Embracing risks looks like accepting the speaking engagement even though it seems a little scary. Success takes the courageous route, not the easy route.
8. Successful people learn, improve and read every day. Unsuccessful people stop learning.
Instead of binge-watching a show tonight, save an hour before bed to read a book and expand your mind.
Unsuccessful people are afraid to be flexible – they don’t challenge themselves to learn new things. Avoid this pitfall by exposing yourself to new thoughts and ideas every day.
9. Successful people handle problems well. Unsuccessful people act before they think.
The next time you run into a problem or even an emergency, try to work through your initial panic reaction with a few deep breaths.
Instead of acting rashly, think through your next actions as quickly but as logically as you can.
Learning to handle problems thoughtfully is an essential tool in the successful person’s toolbox (that’s you!).
10. Successful people accept responsibility for their failures. Unsuccessful people blame others.
Along with a previous tip about humility, this is one of the hardest things you’ll ever learn to do – but also the most rewarding. When you’ve failed, you must fight the urge to pass the blame. Successful people can fail honestly and gracefully.
And, hey, don’t feel bad about failing. Some of the most successful people in the world have failed too many times to count. It’s all a part of the process.
11. Successful people work with passion and commitment. Unsuccessful people have a sense of entitlement.
A short and sweet lesson for you:
You should never expect to achieve the things you want without working hard.
Follow your passion and stay committed to pursuing it. Work hard and stick to your habits every day. You’ll earn your reward.
12. Successful people spend time with the right people. Unsuccessful people think they already know it all.
A lot of people miss out on useful relationships and information sharing because they think they can do it all alone.
Spend time with people who inspire you, spur you to be a better person, and remind you that you can’t go it alone.
13. Successful people make to-do lists and maintain proper life balance. Unsuccessful people waste their time.
Ah, time management. Unsuccessful people never master the art of organization and planning.
Here are a few tips for you when it comes to time management:
- Make to-do lists. Seriously, this will help you. Make time to do it every morning, evening, or whenever you are able.
- Keep track of your time. Are you happy with the way you are currently balancing things? What changes can you make?
- Keep a calendar full of your long-term goals (see next tip).
14. Successful people write down goals and think long-term about their burning desires. Unsuccessful people get distracted every day.
Why is it so important to keep a long-term goal calendar? Here’s the deal:
The things you are passionate about today need a backbone.
Give your passionate ideas sustainability by writing down goals and staying on task instead of succumbing to distraction.
15. Successful people compliment others. Unsuccessful people try to bring others down to their level.
There is no greater confidence than saying “no” to sudden jealous feelings and choosing to sincerely admire someone’s talents instead.
Unsuccessful people live in a world driven by competition, but successful people know that building people up is far more rewarding than bringing them down.
16. Successful people want others to succeed. Unsuccessful people secretly hope they fail.
In the same vein as the point above, this tip is all about good intentions.
Care for the people around you. Encourage them toward their successes. Hoping that others fail will not help you at all.
17. Successful people know their purpose and mission. Unsuccessful people don’t know what they want to be.
The last thing that differentiates successful people from unsuccessful people is one of the most important:
Keep your mission in mind.
Don’t be swayed to and fro by passing emotions and events. Know who you are and pursue your dreams wholeheartedly.
Final thoughts
Above all, stay confident. Truly believe that you can be and are successful. Strive to prove it in your day-to-day habits and activities!
