Ever wondered why some people seem to have it all - success, happiness, money, love - and other people seem to lean into the struggle every single day? It's not just luck. They have habits that are different from everyone else, and they put those habits into regular practice.
The best part is, these 10 shockingly simple habits of successful entrepreneurs are free! That means you can borrow them and make them part of your daily practice right away if you so choose.
Habit #1 - Successful People Begin With A Goal In Mind
They don't just accept whatever is headed their way - they actively set and pursue specific goals. Successful entrepreneurs know where they want to go in life and they align their actions with their goals in order to get there. Goals are constantly being set in all areas of their life - both personally and professionally. And, most importantly, they keep track of the progress they make toward achieving those goals.
Habit #2 - An Attitude of Gratitude
I write in a gratitude journal every single morning; but I didn't always. Discovering that many successful people do this, and implementing this habit in my own life, has changed my whole world! Now, I go looking for the good that has taken place the day before and practice kindness as a business strategy. If you put your attention on everything that went wrong during your day you're going to get more of that, so focus on what goes right and what you're grateful for.
Habit #3 - Know Your Numbers
When you understand how to manage money and cash flow in your business you gain control over money. It's the key to being able to make strong decisions in your business. Once you have control of your numbers you know what actions you need to take in order to reach your goals. Successful entrepreneurs who know their numbers are planning what to do with their money instead of trying to figure out where it comes from.
Habit #4 - Hire Wisely
You cannot possibly do everything in your business. Hire the right people to do the right things, so you have more time to do the things only you can do in your business. Successful entrepreneurs understand that the only way to gain extra time (which ultimately becomes more important to them than money) is to be able to get things done through other people, and choosing those people wisely.
Habit #5 - Celebrate Your Victories
Successful people have no shame about saying, "I did this! I accomplished this! I achieved this!" They celebrate their wins every single day.
Sheryl Sandberg, author and Facebook COO, wrote a post leading into the 2016 New Year, which talked about a habit that she put in place after her husband passed away. On the advise of a friend, every night, she would write down 3 things that she did well in her journal. Not 3 things she was grateful for, or 3 thing that others did well, but 3 things that she did well each and every day. She attributes that practice to getting her through a very difficult time in her life. Some days the things she did well were as simple as, "Made a cup of tea."
We all have at least 3 things that we did well every single day - some days those 3 things might bigger or smaller than other days, but they'll still matter.
Habit #6 - Put Your Fear To Work
Successful entrepreneurs have fear just like anyone else but they act in spite of their fear. They've faced their fear and will tell you stories about when that has worked, when it hasn't, and about learning from both of those outcomes! A successful entrepreneur knows that failure is an incident; it is not their final destination.
Habit #7 - Have The Uncomfortable Conversations
Brené Brown says she'd rather chose discomfort over resentment. Get comfortable with having the uncomfortable conversations with people because communication is a vital part of success in any organization. The reality is, stuff happens in every business and the real truth of a successful entrepreneur is how you step up and handle the situation.
Habit #8 - Embrace Self-Confidence
Make time to invest in yourself and build your self-confidence. The reason they're confident in themselves is because they're clear on their goals, desired outcomes, and comfortable communicating and saying no. Self-confidence is the non-negotiable feeling of trust in one's own abilities, qualities, and judgment.
Habit #9 - Read, A Lot
A common theme among successful people is that they read - a lot. Successful entrepreneurs read books, they read blogs, they read articles, and they read magazines. Reading doesn't have to cost money, you can get books for free at the library. You can read blogs and magazine articles online for free. If you type the name of a book and the word PDF into Google you'd be amazed at how many authors have made free copies of their books available on the Internet. Reading puts more tools in your toolbox and putting that information to work for you can make you more successful.
Habit #10 - Get Moving
Many successful people exercise. That doesn't necessarily mean a fancy gym membership or a personal trainer. You can just get out and walk for 30 minutes every day. Can't find a 30-minute block of time to walk every day? Split it up into three 10-minute power walks.
Try These 10 Shockingly Simple Habits
I encourage you to try these habits of successful entrepreneurs in your own life for the next 90 days. Habit formation is not easy but the only way to do it is to simply start.
Leave a comment and let me know if you've observed any other habits of highly successful people - or if you've tried any of the 10 habits above, tell us how they've worked out for you.