What sets successful people apart from the rest? Take a glimpse into these insights…
Be An Early-Riser
There’s no getting away from it – the early bird really does catch the worm. Bob Iger, chief executive of Disney, gets up at 4:30 am, seven days a week; Yahoo! boss Marissa Mayer at 4:45 am; followed by Richard Branson at 5:00 am.
It’s not a myth, either. According to Harvard sleep experts, the brain is sharpest two-and-a-half to four hours after waking up.
Go Deep
Multitasking may look effective, but in reality, it can reduce efficiency. Reserve time for ‘deep work’, a method that Bill Gates credits with fueling his success.
Block out an hour or two to get in the zone of the task at hand rather than attempting to half-complete a to-do list.
Move
Don’t have time to exercise? Barack Obama exercises for 45-minutes a day and Mark Zuckerberg slots in three high-intensity sessions a week.
Studies have shown that getting the heart pumping boosts creativity, brain function and can hold off mental deterioration. If these guys can run businesses (and countries) and still pump iron, there’s no excuse.
Take Time to Not Work
Steve Jobs’ motto was: “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.” Meaning, making money doesn’t have to impact your work/life balance.
Henry Cavill built his computer. Will Smith fences and Leonardo DiCaprio is an expert video gamer. Feeling stressed and inefficient? Take time to do something fun. It’ll clear your mind, and you’ll return feeling much more prepared.
Accept Failure
Walt Disney was fired for a ‘lack of imagination’ and Stephen Spielberg was rejected from film school three times. There’s no shame in not succeeding the first-time round.
Share The Wealth
As author of Rich Habits – The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, author Thomas C. Corley spent five years studying the ultra-rich. He found that 73 percent of wealthy people volunteer for five or more hours per month.
Weekend Reflections
Time is the most important resource for successful people, so opt for high-quality family and friends time over hours scrolling through Instagram.
Try planning the week ahead on Sundays. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey splits his weekend accordingly: “Saturday I take off. I hike. Then Sunday is reflections, feedback, strategy and getting ready for the rest of the week.”
No Thank You
Drowning in commitments and saying ‘yes’ to things you should be turning down? Warren Buffett suggests writing a list of 25 major things you want to do and accomplish then picking five of those items to devote your attention to. If the things you’re saying yes to doesn’t push you towards these treasured five items, then feel no guilt in turning them down.
