The difference between the greatest leaders, first-class scholars, high achievers, productive employees, and the average individual is clear. They exhibit high-performance habits consistently no matter what they do or where they find themselves. So what’s high performance? High performance is being exceptional, going beyond the limit and succeeding above established norms over a long time. If you want to exhibit the attributes of highly focused people, you must develop the following 10 high-performance habits!
10 Habits That Will Make You Successful
Have you ever wondered how they do it? The entrepreneurs, the CEOs, the athletes and the rockstars. How do they turn up to work every day with boundless energy, infectious enthusiasm and a burning desire to succeed? It is worth identifying the high-performance traits and practices that will help you to achieve your goals. Consider the following habits to be successful.
1. Challenge Yourself And Do Hard Things
You cannot succeed in life without first achieving personal growth, which demands a willingness to accept and overcome difficult challenges. It is only through overcoming obstacles that you can learn and develop critical life skills, and it is these attributes that will equip you to obtain success. By challenging yourself and confronting difficult tasks, you can also change your mindset with regard to the endless possibilities that life holds.
Take the example of Jheal Shah, founder of The Stylease. She started her first company when I was 18. She says, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” Read more about how Entrepreneur Jheal Shah brought the concept of renting high fashion in India with The Stylease here.
2. Listen To Constructive Criticism And The Opinion Of Others
While positive feedback can improve your morale and motivate you to achieve success, you can respond to constructive criticism that will ultimately empower you to reach your goals. After all, this type of feedback highlights areas in which you need to improve, rather than simply reaffirming your strengths as an individual. There are times when other people’s opinions can help you do better. Your weaknesses can then be targeted through training and development, which in turn will empower you as a stronger and more rounded individual.
Pastry Chef and Entrepreneur Pooja Dhingra says, “Learn from rejections and be open to feedback and criticism – this is crucial in your journey. But ensure you trust the right sources.” Learn more about Pooja Dhingra on heading Mumbai’s finest patisserie and India’s first macaron store here.
3. Learn From Failure
While failure is considered to be a teacher of valuable life lessons, drawing from painful and disappointing experiences is far easier said than done. It requires an ability to decipher the exact lessons that we can learn from each failure so that we can apply these in the quest for future success. By confronting the issue head-on and identifying exactly where things went wrong, you can take actionable steps towards ensuring that the same mistakes are not made again.
Take the example of Gitanjali Banerjee, blogger and founder of Fertility Dost. She shares, “We had planned a big event in March last year when Covid-19 hit. We had to cancel the event, return tickets, and bear losses. However, we pivoted and moved to a digital medium for fertility awareness sessions and it saw more than 200% growth in terms of traffic and revenue and we found an improved revenue channel.” Learn more about blogger & entrepreneur Gitanjali Banerjee’s journey here.
4. Develop An Early And Consistent Wake-Up Routine
Early risers are often thought of as energetic problem-solvers leading businesses, organizations, or sometimes even nations. Waking up early gives you a head start on your day. You must develop a consistent cycle of sleep. This enables you to become an early riser who wakes up at the same time each day, which makes it far easier for you to optimize your time and develop a productive schedule. Your early morning hours tend to be the most productive time of day because you get uninterrupted time to yourself. You can accomplish any task faster when you don’t face distractions. So while the rest of the world is still snoozing in bed, you can be taking decisive actions towards empowering your body and mind for the day ahead.
5. Make Complacency Your Enemy
You’ve worked hard to achieve success. You’ve struggled through hard times, you’ve met challenges head-on, and you’ve fought the hard battles. You’ve finally reached the pinnacle of success. But you’re about to face your toughest challenge yet –– complacency. Achieving success is hard; staying successful is even harder. One of the biggest obstacles to long-term success is complacency, which can easily set in after positive feedback or the attainment of short-term goals. Complacency finds a vulnerability in the comfort of past success and plants itself in the crevices. It waits for you to develop overconfidence, to lose sight of the dangers around you, to become blissfully unaware of the deficiencies you have developed. And then it strikes. You must strive to use these achievements as a springboard and rededicate yourself to the cause with renewed vigour.
Complacency is the enemy of progress. — Dave Stutman
6. Commit Your Goals To Paper
Believe it or not, the power of the to-do list lies in subtle psychology. Often applied to short-term goals or daily tasks that require completion, this type of list provides an actionable schedule for individuals which enables them to mark their progress as they proceed. This can reassure you that you are achieving your goals and being productive within a given time frame, and committing your long-term goals to paper may help you remain focused and motivated during more difficult times.
Learn from the example of Akshita Gupta, Founder of The Channel 46 and Red Dot Shop. She says, “The goal I envision for 2021 is expanding and accelerating towards the growth of the company. It is building the company as one that creates digital-first products for Indian women. Right now, we have two entities, The Channel 46 and Red Dot Shop. I want to expand depending on where we see the need and business opportunity.” Read more about how TC46 founder Akshita Gupta is building a growth and learning destination for women here.
7. Maintain A Fit And Healthy Body
Many daily lifestyle choices can help to create the perfect balance between physical fitness and mental agility. Numerous studies have proven a link between the two, and it is increasingly clear that regular exercise is a key driver of enhanced mental performance. So if you wish to develop the necessary stamina to achieve personal and professional success, a physically fit body is pivotal.
Take the example of Pallavi Nopany, founder of Pallavi Nopany Studio. Infusing art with design is what Pallavi Nopany Studio is all about. She shares, “I was constantly ill in my early 30s, with sinus issues, aches and pains, thyroid issues. I exercised my way through all of it and built up both physical and mental strength.” Read here about insights on what it means to build a design agency that brands want to work with by Pallavi Nopany, founder of Pallavi Nopany Studio.
8. Make A Commitment To Achieve Every Single Day
Although waking up one morning with a proactive and positive outlook is to be encouraged, it means little if you are unable to commit to this every single day. Recommitting to your routine and the pursuit of your goals is crucial to achieving success; otherwise, the pressures of everyday life can divert your focus. While this requires tremendous drive and strength of character, it will ultimately empower you to be successful over a prolonged time.
For example, providing cruelty-free, vegan and natural makeup products is Sabrina Suhail with her brand Tinge. She shares the quote she lives by, “I would say live and let live and take one day at a time. There’s no point in planning for the future in advance because you never know what’s going to happen.” Read here how Sabrina Suhail built her vegan beauty brand, Tinge!
9. Choose A Positive Attitude
While some consider the fear of failure to be a key motivator, it is more likely to create inhibitions that prevent you from achieving success. Instead, it is far better to be proactive and adopt a positive attitude in everything that you do. Given the variables that can influence your chances of achieving success, it is crucial that you take control of your outlook and use positivity as a way of identifying opportunities.
Take the example of Avantika Kukreti, a talented Kathak dancer with her own community called ‘Fit Moms Tribe’. She says, “In the last two years, I have worked extensively towards having a positive attitude and growth mindset. It was not easy to get rid of procrastination, negative thinking and the inability to change as per the changing circumstances, but hell yeah I tried, and here I am today.” Read more about Avantika Bahuguna Kukreti and her leadership role at Momspresso, co-hosting a digital parenting show, becoming a certified Zumba trainer, and lessons for moms with entrepreneurial dreams here.
10. Measure Success In Happiness Rather Than Wealth
Unlike before, the modern generation of employees is increasingly motivated by factors other than wealth. People now take factors like job satisfaction, benefits, creative liberty, and empowerment into consideration. This also represents a shift in the way that people measure their success, as defining it in rupees only leads you to consistently chase a higher amount never achieving true satisfaction. This can be counter-productive, so be sure to create a clearly defined vision of success and understand precisely what it means to you.
Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. – Maya Angelou
The definition of success is a diverse concept and one that remains unique to each individual. Determining what it means to you and developing long-term goals are therefore important steps towards achieving happiness, while you must also be willing to make lifestyle changes and re-evaluate your entire outlook in life.
