Regardless of industry
There are certain things that highly successful people do that work across the board. Working on yourself as a person is the key to becoming a successful businessperson. Emulating these steps will help you begin a new way of life – the life that you want for yourself.
Use a Notepad
A notebook or legal pad that you carry with you at all times should become your new best friend. When you have a new business idea, you’re working a problem out, or you’re just making a list of what you need to do for the day, you should write it down. It’s tough to flesh out an idea if you’re typing it on your phone, and writing by hand allows better recall and more creative juices to flow.
Read on a Regular Basis
Highly successful business owners have a lot to manage throughout their day, but at some point, they carve out a small portion of time to read. Reading improves brain function and allows your mind to focus on something that has nothing to do with work, which is important for your mental health.
Know That You Don’t Know It All
The strongest entrepreneurs are aware that they don’t know everything, and that there’s always room to learn and grow. You’ll never hear a successful person say “we don’t need to do anything better.” There is always room for improvement because no person or business is perfect.
Keeping up with your industry is a must, and the way to do that is to read relevant articles, attend industry conferences, and improve on areas of your business that your clients and/or your employees give you feedback about. In short – learn what you can, and apply that knowledge.
Exercise Daily
Prioritizing health is a requirement for the highly successful. When you’re working in a high-stress environment, it’s a necessity to keep your blood pressure low and your heart in good condition. Not only does exercise help your body, but your brain experiences heightened cognitive function when you work out on a regular basis. Spending that time away from your business and taking the time to think while you work out will allow you the problem-solving ability you need once your mind is clear and you can focus.
The old adage is true; your body is a temple, and it’s the only one you get. Treat it well, and it will treat you well.
Cherry Pick Your Projects
When you first start out, you learn that there are jobs or clients that you love – they stimulate you; they challenge you, but in a good way; they remind you why you got into the industry in the first place. Then there are the problem jobs that suck your time and your energy. The worst jobs usually aren’t worth the money, and they’re definitely not worth the stress.
The most successful people don’t take on jobs that aren’t worth their time. If you know someone who will take any client, refer your lesser desired jobs to them. If not, remember that you always have the power to just say no.
Practice Mindfulness
You’d be hard-pressed to find a major business leader who doesn’t utilize meditation and mindfulness in their workday and beyond. It’s an effective tool to handle stress, but it also allows you to be more aware of your surroundings and respond in a more effective manner to your stressors. Once you become a disciplined student of mindfulness, you’ll be better able to identify what a problem is and how to solve it without an overly emotional response.
Constantly Keep In Touch
If you want to become a leader in your industry, you must keep in regular contact with everyone – with friends, with relatives, and with business associates. Disallow them to forget you. A kind text or handwritten card once in a while will work wonders on top of regular contact through social media and newsletters. Take time every week to reach out to people. Putting events of importance to others in your own calendar so that you can follow up will help you maintain the relationship and show that you really care what’s happening in their lives.
Give Back
Keeping yourself grounded and understanding all of the gifts you have to be thankful for in your life is important for continued success. Highly successful people are known for their millions in charitable donations, but this doesn’t have to be a monetary gesture – your time is just as meaningful and helpful as your money.
There is scientific evidence that people who volunteer and/or give regularly are happier, and the person you’re helping will experience an improvement in their quality of life; it’s win-win. Share what you have, and you’ll feel even better than the person receiving the donation.
With these tips, you’re beginning a clearer path to success. Incorporating these new tasks will help you to form healthy habits and will make you a more well-rounded, and more successful, individual. What you put in to yourself, you are sure to get back, ten-fold.
