Digest: What Is A Habit That Many Successful People Have?

Andrew Ferebee answered on Quora:

I’ve interviewed more than 400 highly successful and influential people.

From the billionaire Jeff Hoffman to guys like Gary Vaynerchuk, Grant Cardone, and Robert Greene, I’ve had the unique opportunity to talk with some of the world’s leading thinkers, authors, scientists, and entrepreneurs.

And you know what’s funny…

Almost ALL of them say the same things over and over again (albeit in slightly different ways).

Success leaves clues.

And the best place to find those clues is to go directly to the source.

So, without any further ado, here are the most common habits that all high performers share.

Before We Start: The Most Important Success Habit

The single most important habit that all highly successful people share isn’t what you might think.

The SINGLE most important high performance habit is to do what works for you.

Just because Richard Branson gets up and exercises at 5 a.m. doesn’t mean that you should.

I personally can’t have a productive day if I wake up before 8 a.m. I need more sleep than most people and I’ve accepted this about myself.

When I tried waking up early, it was a disaster.

So realize that even though there are themes you can pick out, high performers don’t all follow the same habits in the same way.

Some of them wake up early and lift weights. Others sleep until noon, work until 4 a.m., and run ultra marathons.

Some read books, others watch YouTube videos. Some meditate, some don’t.

The specific habits aren’t what’s really important, but the THEMES behind those habits are.

With that out of the way, here are the 5 most important habits or “themes” that all high performers follow.


1. They Prioritize Health

Whether they do yoga, cross fit, ultra marathons, or an old school bodybuilding routine, I have yet to meet a high performer who doesn’t actively exercise and prioritize their health.

How they do this differs, but every single person I know making a great impact and income takes exceptional care of their health.

Figure out what works for you and stick to it.

Find a form of exercise that you enjoy and do it everyday.

Eat a whole foods diet (whether it’s paleo, keto, or simply JERF) and eliminate junk food from your pantry.

Get enough sleep that you feel well rested and ready to take on the day (no less than 7 hours but potentially up to 10).

Take care of your health and your life will change forever.

2. They Say “No” More than They Say “Yes”

High performers and successful individuals value their time and they say “no” to almost everything so that they can say “Yes” to the most important things.

If you want to join the ranks of the 1%, then you must commit to saying “no” more often.

Say no to ANYTHING that does not directly correlate with your mission or that you don’t enjoy.

Sure, you should probably help your grandmother move across town, but you have no obligation to constantly go to social “obligations”, help friends with their crappy business ideas, or waste your time working on low priority projects.

3. They Act Based on a Plan and Strategy, Not Emotion

Every high performer has a plan.

Whether it’s written out in their journal, planned on a mind map, or scribbled on a napkin, they know what needs to be done and why.

Before you act, always take the time to develop a strategy for your goal.

Don’t spend too much time planning, but never take action without a clear plan of action and specific plan to achieve your vision.

4. They Commit to Mastery and Self Education

Whether they read books, listen to audios, watch YouTube videos, or sit down with a mentor or coach once a week, every high performer is committed to self education.

Figure out what format works for you and commit to pursuing new knowledge DAILY.

Learn as much as you can and then immediately apply it.

Knowledge is power… When it’s applied.

5. They Constantly Seek to Deepen their Self Knowledge

High performers know themselves. They know what works for them and what doesn’t. They know their weaknesses and strengths. They know which cognitive biases they’re prone to and they know how their subconscious mind distorts reality.

They are incredibly self aware and, because of this, they’re able to take objective(ish) and evidence based action towards achieving their goals.

If you take nothing else from this response, TAKE THIS.

When you know yourself, you have greater control over yourself.

And when you can control yourself, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.

Take some time to objectively think about your strengths, weaknesses, and predispositions.

Talk to mentors, friends, family, and employers and ask them for their feedback.

Identify and work on your weak spots.

Do everything you can to deepen your self knowledge.

Because it’s the key to all success.

Hope this helps

Stay Grounded.




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