Have you ever wondered about the habits of history’s most successful people? What is it they do that helps them earn money, respect and a good reputation? Becoming more successful with the help of simple daily habits is easier than you think when you have focus and are committed to reaching your goals.
Read on to learn about 11 successful people and the unique habits that helped them succeed.
1. Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most successful and well-known men in history, being not only known as a politician but also as a printer, inventor, scientist, and much more. One notable habit of his was to rise very early each day before he started work. He would wake up at 5 a.m., bathe, review his business for the day, and have breakfast. This way he would be fully focused by 8 a.m. and would be able to work without getting distracted.
2. Evan Williams
Evan Williams, founder of Blogger and Twitter, keeps his mind sharp by making sure his body gets a workout. Every day he takes some time off in the middle of the day to go work out at the gym, and when he returns, his energy level is higher and he is able to focus more easily on his work.
3. Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post, practices yoga and meditation each day to help her keep stress levels down and increase mindfulness in her life. When people don’t have as much stress in their life and they are more aware of their own feelings and needs, they are happier and healthier. Happy, healthy people can provide their best work to the companies that employ them or to the companies they own.
4. Randy Garutti
Randy Garutti, CEO of the Shake Shack franchise, attributes his success to the habit of focusing on one thing at a time and “being present.” No one can do everything at once, so it is better to give your whole focus to one task at a time. Otherwise you’ll spread yourself out over numerous tasks and not be able to give as much time and energy to any of them as you could if you gave yourself more room to focus.
5. Barack Obama
Among the many successful habits that Obama practices, one of the most significant is making it a point to have breakfast with his daughters and the first lady, help his daughters get ready for school, and have dinner with his family again in the evening. Like Obama, successful people are careful to strike a good work-life balance, working hard but also making sure to prioritize spending time with family.
6. Stephen King
The famous fiction writer Stephen King makes a habit of keeping his work space arranged the same way every day. He sits down to work at around the same time every day and in the same chair, has a glass of water, keeps his papers arranged in the same way each day, and listens to the same music. This is his way of getting himself ready to focus on working, and when you are focused on your work, you are bound to succeed.
7. Franz Kafka
Another famous fiction writer, Franz Kafka spent his days as an insurance agent but always made time to feed his creative urge. He would start writing at 10:30 p.m. and keep going into the early hours of the morning. His day job was very stressful and busy, but creative writing was his release. No matter how busy your day job, everyone should nurture their passions when they have time in order to stay motivated. And who knows … perhaps your passion will be your calling.
8. David Zinczenko
David Zinczenko, Editor-in-Chief of Men’s Health magazine, practices the habit of keeping healthy snacks and drinks around his office. This way he stays energized and won’t experience a sugar crash later in the day from eating unhealthy foods. Plus, when he already has snacks stocked, he doesn’t have to leave the office while he is working just to waste time buying food.
9. Cindy Ratzlaff
Cindy Ratzlaff, a consultant, speaker and author, comes up with a “success goal” each day and writes it on her white board in her office. It’s then in front of her all day to remind her to ask herself before each action if the action will serve her chosen goal. Keeping focused on a goal brings purpose to each choice she makes, eliminating time-wasters and distractions.
10. Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, philosopher and author, enjoyed taking the time to go for long walks on the beach or gazing at the ceiling during the workweek so that he could listen to what was going on in his mind. By spending some time in solitude, you can reach deep within yourself and focus on the thoughts in your head.
11. Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett, the oracle of Omaha, likes to play online bridge with three other partners almost every Monday because of the emphasis it places on “playing a hand right rather than on playing it successfully.” Successful people know that luck comes from working hard over time and positioning themselves for success rather than hoping to just get lucky.
These successful individuals have great habits that work to help them stay successful. Develop some unique habits for yourself and soon you will be on your way to success and time well spent.
Featured photo credit: Silhouette of successful business man /KieferPix via shutterstock.com
