FIVE things successful people do that you’re probably not doing

Richard Branson. Bill Gates. Warren Buffett. Oprah Winfrey. Beyonce.

These are just some of the names of the world’s most successful businessmen and women.

They didn’t get there on blind luck.

Their success is down to daily, actionable steps.

If you want to become successful in any field and get the most out of your life, try copying what the world’s most successful people do.

Here is a list of five things successful people do that you probably currently are not doing doing.

(And if you are, kudos to you, you are on your way!)

1. Read.

The American businessman, investor and philanthropist, Warren Buffett reads for five or six hours a day. When you decide become a learner, you become an earner. Becoming a sponge for new information is a key to being successful. Suppose you want to become a journalist – read ALL the books you can find about journalism. If it’s investing you want to master, read every book about money you can find.

The Greek philosopher Socrates once said, “ all I know is that I know nothing,” reminding us that if one of the founders of Western culture says he knows nothing, the rest of us have a great deal to learn.

2. Manage your expectations.

Don’t try and hit a homerun on your first try. First base is great! Good enough is perfect. Getting your first piece picked up, or seeing your first sale come in is an amazing feeling. If you expect to make a million dollars in your first week, you will most likely be sorely disappointed. Set realistic goals that are scalable. If you want to become a journalist, don’t plan to be published in Esquire in two weeks; set a goal like getting published by a large market publication in the next 3 months, or making $5,000 this month.

3. Commit to your goals and hold yourself accountable.

Making a list of goals is a great start. However the difference between people that succeed and people that fail, is that people who succeed hold themselves accountable. This could be something as simple as setting a date of completion on a project, and asking a business partner to check in with them to make sure they reached their goals. Or it could be making a bet with a friend, like I encourage people to do. My friend Maneesh and I created a program that does just that called Get it Done in 30. Do you want to be the best? Decide that you are going to be the best. Display ingenuity on your way, and work backwards.

4. Focus on completion, not activity

Most people think things like “it’s the thought that counts” apply to success. Well really, that’s not true. Generating activity in the process of achieving your goal is great, but if you only generate activity in that direction, and never actually get there, it would be the same as if you are trying to get ahold of someone so you call them 100 times, but you never talk to them. “But I tried calling them,” you say! You can’t equate activity with completion. Get to the finish line, don’t stop midway.

5. Plan your days carefully

Success can be defined as many things, but as a basic rule, a successful person has found fulfillment in their career, their family life, or their higher purpose. Most successful people spend their weekends similarly. Allotting time for family, friends, everyday errands AND creative activities with productivity are all important parts of the day. They also manage to get in 10,000 hours in their field of expertise, as mentioned by author Malcolm Gladwell in his book, Outliers: The Story of Success, a great recommended read. They put in LOTS of time, and then they put in LOTS more time.

Now I want to hear from YOU.

Let me ask you two questions:

1. What do you think of this list?

2. What are you going to do NOW to become more successful?

Leave a comment in the comments section below. I read every comment and will respond.

James