When the topic of being an entrepreneur comes up, the majority of people think all it takes is passion and motivation. However, the reality is far different.
When it comes to being a successful entrepreneur, everything matters, down to the tiniest habits one can pick up through this difficult yet rewarding journey.
Today, we are going to look at 9 simple daily habits of super-successful entrepreneurs and inventors.
The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
⏱ 13 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
They Wake Up Early
We’ve all heard about the popular saying, the early bird gets the worm, and how waking up in the wee hours of the morning is the key to success.
So, the question presents itself, why is there a correlation between waking up early and being successful? What exactly are the so-called incredible benefits that make waking up early part of the daily routine of the world’s most successful people?
Well, for starters, one of the main benefits is the clarity they have first thing in the morning. They credit the early morning hours for their increased creativity and inspiration, which they generally wouldn’t have if they got a later start.
When you wake up at 5 am to exercise, have a nice breakfast, and catch up on everything, you’re already ahead of everyone. In addition, we often find ourselves distracted by texts, phone calls, and emails when we first wake up. But, if you wake up much earlier than everyone, you’ll have little to no distraction.
They Stay Well Hydrated
Drinking a hot cup of coffee in the morning is something that many people do in order to stay focused and on top of their game. While there’s no denying that caffeine can and will help you stay focused and alert throughout the day, water is just as important–if not more so–when it comes to productivity and efficiency.
Successful entrepreneurs usually start their day by having their daily dose of caffeine, whether it’s a cup of coffee or tea, then they make sure to drink enough water throughout the day.
The effectiveness of this habit has been scientifically proven by neurological studies. It was discovered that not only will drinking more water increase your productivity by a shocking 10%, but it also can increase reaction time by 50%, drain toxins from the body, reduces acidity, and will make you feel better altogether.
On the other side of the spectrum, when you’re dehydrated–even the slightest bit–you will find yourself drained and out of energy no matter how many cups of coffee you consume.
They Start Their Day By Reading
When you ask a successful entrepreneur or inventor about things they incorporate into their daily routine, it’s almost guaranteed that they will mention reading.
Take the insanely successful American investor, Warren Buffett, as an example; when asked about the key to his success, he pointed towards a stack of books and explained that when he was just setting foot into the world of investing, he read anywhere between 600 and 1000 pages per day, dedicating around 80% of his daily time for reading.
Warren Buffett isn’t the only successful person that credits reading to their success, others include Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg.
It’s been proven that reading can minimize stress, depression, and dementia, while improving your confidence, decision-making abilities, and your overall mental health. It doesn’t matter what type or genre you read; some people enjoy reading science fiction novels while others prefer biographies and classic books.
What’s important is to grab your book, newspaper, or magazine and incorporate that habit into your daily routine.
They Set Up a Daily Schedule
It’s fair to say that setting up a daily schedule is a pathway that directly leads to success. Many people go about their day haphazardly as a result of not having a set schedule.
Due to the distractions that surround them, coupled with procrastination, they end up doing far less than they initially planned. So, a simple yet effective solution to this problem is to set up a daily schedule.
The schedule that successful people set up doesn’t just involve work–they plan every part of their day ahead of time. Their schedule covers everything from the moment they wake up early in the morning to the minute they fall asleep.
They tackle important and difficult work early in the day, when the brain is in its sharpest state, before they move on to simpler tasks. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of setting a schedule is that when they work during the allocated time for working, they use every minute of their work time and avoid distractions.
They Take Breaks
There’s a common misconception that successful people work all the time and almost never take a break. What people might not realize is that taking breaks throughout the day is almost as important–if not more important–as working.
And when we say breaks, we mean micro-breaks, lunchtime breaks where you can socialize, and longer breaks. All kinds of breaks have been associated with an increase in productivity and an improved performance.
Taking a break is like rebooting your mind and body. When you’re sitting in front of a computer screen for hours on end, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way as the risks of diseases, such as heart diseases, obesity, and diabetes increase drastically. This can be countered by a 5 to 10 minute walk or stretching routine to help maintain your performance throughout the day.
They Stick to a Sleeping Schedule
Now that we’re on the topic of breaks, sticking to a sleeping schedule is also another habit successful people have. You will often encounter people who seem to have their lives figured out; they successfully manage their work and personal life and yet, they never seem stressed.
Their secret is having a sleeping schedule that allows them to get the proper amount sleep everyday. When you don’t get enough sleep, it impacts every aspect of your life, not just work.
It’s easy to become irritable and moody when you’re running low on sleep, and it’s not uncommon to experience hallucinations and anxiety as a result. It’s true that some entrepreneurs pull all-nighters left and right at the beginning of their journey, such as Bill Gates, who explained that he operated on caffeine and adrenaline at the beginning of his career.
But, he admits that it wasn’t the best of ideas as his mind wasn’t as sharp as he wished it to be, and that he now sleeps at least 7 hours a night. So, it’s guaranteed that getting those extra few hours of sleep will give you an edge over others.
They Motivate Themselves
Every single entrepreneur in the world can attest to the fact that this journey is full of challenges and obstacles. And, if you don’t have things that keep you motivated along the way, it’s easy to lose the fire that once fueled you to succeed.
So, how do successful people manage to stay motivated?
Well, the secret lies in what motivates you. As mentioned above, entrepreneurs read a lot. Things like books of success stories about people that were once in their position. Also, their social media will be filled with accounts of motivational quotes that inspire them, not to mention, they listen to audiobooks and podcasts frequently.
They Exercise
It’s a known fact that exercising does wonders for the body. But, you don’t have to exercise like an athlete or a bodybuilder in order to get your daily dose of exercise. All you have to do is work out as hard as you can. It’s important to push your limits, and at the same time, it’s also important to respect your body.
They Don’t Multitask
There’s a popular misconception that multitasking is great when you want to get things done. But, as behavioral psychologist Dr. Susan Weinschenk puts it, multitasking is basically task switching, which takes more time than focusing on a single task. Studies have proven that multitasking can reduce productivity by 40%.
What successful people do is give 100% on a single task; they’re not checking their phones nor letting their minds wander. They give their full attention to the task at hand.
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