If you’re a tenacious, career-driven Millennial like me, chances are you can’t resist the urge to click on those articles that pop up in your newsfeed with titles like, “11 productivity tips from people way more successful than you” or “7 habits executives do every day.” I recently came across an article in my LinkedIn feed discussing the “15 Habits of self-made millionaires” and it got me wondering… Was the difference between my wannabe-million-dollar-having, non-executive-living life a mere matter of stellar habits – or lack thereof – that I somehow managed to not develop over my 30 years of life on this planet? I mean, I know a good habit can’t change my socio-economic status overnight but if these articles are true, is the one thing standing between me and my own private island in the Caribbean… my bad habits?
I decided I wanted to find out. I'm putting myself to the challenge to better understand how adopting and developing a good habit can actually impact my success, productivity and overall, happiness. And, while there were, literally, hundreds of tips and habits to choose from, I decided to focus in on the top 6 reoccurring habits:
The Early Bird Catches the Worm – Apparently really, really, ridiculously successful people just love getting up before dawn. In almost every tip sheet out there, CEOs, celebs and even world-class athletes that had major career success said that getting up early gave them time to get ahead of the ball before the rest of the world emerged. They’d email, exercise, meditate or just take a little “me time” before embarking on their days.
Setting & Prioritizing Daily Goals – Setting a goal and focusing on that task until it’s done allows you to get the big stuff out of the way and feel a sense of accomplishment as you check things off your list.
Stay Positive – Nobody wants a “Negative Nancy” hanging around – especially successful people. Save the drama and keep it positive and light.
Exercise – Working out is a great stress reducer and another moment for me time. You can rejuvenate your body and get prepared for the day ahead by thinking through priorities during your morning jog.
Read – Whether you’re catching up on news, sports and politics or barreling through a good biography (probably about another successful person) or history book, reading is key to expanding your horizons, continuing education and breaking away from the daily grind.
Success Likes, Well… Success – What’s better than one, successful millionaire? Two successful millionaires! Having a network of like-minded individuals is critical and can help set you up for success by networking with those around you.
I’m putting these 6 habits to the test for the next 30 days. Stay tuned to see what happens, and I hope you join me!
With Love, From Kay