Most leaders desire success. Success comes from a process. That process is the sum of your habits. Therefore, set habits for success. Habits for success will change your way of living. You can introduce habits for success into every aspect of life. Michael Hyatt said in his post 7 Ways Successful Creatives Think Differently than Unsuccessful Ones, “Develop a winning mindset and cultivate the habits of successful thinking. This is what separates the best creatives from all others.”
Over the past several years, many habits for success were built into my life by circumstance. Recently, however, I intentionally created habits for success. I started getting up at 5:15 AM everyday to study in the morning. I started reading books other than textbooks regularly to activate my mind. In addition, I started going to bed by 10:30 PM every night. Each of these habits for success has improved my mental clarity and increased my knowledge.
Five Steps to Create Habits for Success
By implementing the following five steps, you can create your own habits for success.
1. Understand your level of control.
Everyone has control over their choices. If you want to read a book, you can sit down and read it. If you want to work out, then go work out. People say, “I can’t be successful because my parents weren’t successful…” “Its not my fault, I was just along for the ride…” “He is successful because he was lucky…” I cringe when I hear these statements because they mean that people have relinquished control to someone or something else. It’s not your parents fault that you made your own choices. You control your choices.
2. Identify your plan.
Identify your desired outcome from the very beginning. Determine your definition of success. Then identify the habits for success you need to implement. From there, determine what you will give up in your life to make it happen. Decide on a specific time daily you will implement your habits for success.
3. Implement your plan.
Plans are great, but they mean nothing if not put into action. Enact your plan exactly as outlined for a predetermined test period. Do your habits for success. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. However, many plans are abandoned because of impatience. Follow through for the predetermined test period before making any major adjustments.
4. Review/revise your progress.
At the end of the test period, review what is and is not working. Look at why it is and is not working. Many times the “what” is a symptom of the “why”, so look deeply for the why. Once you hypothesize why the plan is and is not working, make changes that will test the hypothesis.
5. Continue doing what works.
With the revised plan, implement your habits for success. Follow the plan for a test period and see wait for the results. After the test period, go back to step 4. Repeat the process as often as necessary, but continue to keep doing what works and improving what doesn’t.
These steps will help you implement your habits for success. I have used them to implement a workout routine. I changed my sleeping pattern using the steps. I also added an extensive study routine to my life by following the habits for success implementation plan.
How you used this plan/approach in your life? What were the results? How did it positively or negatively effect you? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Just make sure you remind your parents, the next time they congratulate you on your success, that they had nothing to do with it. I’m sure they’ll understand. Lol!
The Good Force be with you!
Thank you, Brandon, for a successful article! You are a success!
Live forever & prosper!