After settling back into college life after a very adventurous and motivating summer in Manhattan, my inspiration has only continued. I've taken an interest in young, successful CEO's, and I've been curious as to how they've achieved their success. Are there daily habits that these ultra successful moguls follow? I was interested to find out. Post researching some common habits, I have narrowed it down to four that seem to have the most impact. Read, enjoy and follow!
1. Morning Ritual
Many say that waking up early every day can change your life and increase your motivation. Take if from the admirable Serena Williams herself. Williams wakes up at 6am every morning to practice tennis, and she has done so since she was a kid. Author Thomas Corley spent five years studying the habits of the rich and poor. Through his research, he found that "44 percent of wealthy people wake up three hours before work starts, compared to just 3 percent of poor people." That's worth getting up for, right?
2. Create a To-Do List
What's better than knowing your requirements for the day ahead of time? A to-do list allows you to organize and prioritize. These lists help you to remain focused on your overarching goals and complete smaller tasks efficiently. Corley decided that "for this reason, the majority of wealthy people create daily to-do lists—81 percent of them, in fact, compared to 19 percent of poor people. What’s more, Corley finds that 67 percentof wealthy folks actually complete 70 percent or more of their to-do lists every day."
3. Read. A lot.
Reading can help you expand your knowledge on anything and everything. For ultra successful billionaires, reading has helped them learn from the mistakes and successes of others. Want proof? "Mark Cuban insists on reading three hours a day, while Bill Gates reads for one hour past his bedtime routine". Corley also found "88 percent of wealthy people spend at least 30 minutes each day reading on the subject of self improvement."
4. Consistent and smart networking
It's no secret that to be successful you must surround yourself with successful people. Networking with motivated and influential people can only help you in the long term. Not surprisingly, Corley found "that 79 percent of wealthy people spend at least five hours a month networking—whether it’s at a conference, client event, online webinar, or just over coffee—while only 16 percent of poor people network consistently. This allows the wealthy to align their mindsets with others who have achieved success." That finding might make you want to take a second look at your LinkedIn.
I've found that these daily rituals are not hard to implement in your daily routine. I think it's finally time for us to get motivated and make these changes. After all, these habits are taken from the best, and we can only hope to achieve the same results.