Wake Up Half an Hour Earlier<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Is half an hour really enough to make that much of a difference? The answer is a resounding \u201cyes!\u201d Most successful people swear that waking up early pushes them to be more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you don\u2019t have to rise at dawn like Apple CEO Tim Cook, getting up half an hour early will make a difference. You can use this extra time to do whatever you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you put in some exercise, make a healthy breakfast, read, meditate, spend time with your family, or work on something you are passionate about, you can accomplish something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If nothing else, those extra 30 minutes will save you from rushing every morning, forgetting your keys, and foregoing breakfast to get to work on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean Up Immediately<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These are just baby steps, remember? Feeling overwhelmed by chores can weigh you down more than anything else. How long does it really take to wash your dishes immediately? Make your bed? It won\u2019t be over five minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you ignore these chores, these seemingly small tasks turn into a mountain. Before you know it, you\u2019ll have a messy house and a sink full of smelly dishes that are going to take way longer. Save yourself the headache and make more time for more productive tasks by immediately acting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who make their beds every morning and clean up after themselves tend to be not only happier but also more successful since the immediate act makes them feel accomplished. Without all that clutter, both in their home and mind, they gain a sense of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forget About Being a Perfectionist<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wasn\u2019t it Tolstoy who said, \u201cIf you look for perfection, you\u2019ll never be content\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guarantee your own happiness by forgetting about perfection. Once you realize that there is no such thing as perfect, life suddenly becomes more manageable. When you understand that making mistakes is a part of life, you\u2019ll feel at peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Challenging your perfectionist mindset may be the action you need to take to be more successful because you stop fearing failure and start taking chances. Then, you learn from your mistakes after acknowledging them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Overcommit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The opposite of making drastic changes is committing less <\/em>to things. The next step on your road to being content is to avoid overcommitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to self-help advice, most people recommend setting plenty of goals. At first, the excitement drives you, but to avoid giving up on these goals, it\u2019s easier to commit to a limited amount. Once you follow through successfully, then you can move on to more ambitious goals. For now, start small and work your way up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it this way! Should you commit to running a marathon if you haven\u2019t exercised first? If you have to start with five to ten pushups a day or even just taking a calm walk down your street after dinner, then so be it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acknowledge Your Losses and Move On<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is more of a mental hurdle that you must climb over to reach success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one reaches the astronomical heights of success without failure. It might appear to be the opposite, but that\u2019s because these failures aren\u2019t very public. Therefore, we believe successful people woke up one day, chose success, and went and got it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes the difference between successful people and others is that they are people who never gave up. They do two very important things, and that is to never let failure get to their hearts and never let success get to their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acknowledging your losses and failures allows you to gain the wisdom to act better when presented with new opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let Go of Old Grudges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your life and that burden you carry around every day can be drastically lessened by the mere act of letting go of old grudges and forgiving those who have hurt you in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accept that these people, the ones who have brought negativity into your life, cannot undo their actions. They can only be forgiven, not forgotten. Turn that grudge into a lesson and then move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, take that lesson and make sure that the people who surround you support you and encourage you become the best version of yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The key to achieving happiness and success? Stop comparing your life and accomplishments to others. There is this idea that other people have better and easier lives than yours, and thinking this way is a quick route to being unhappy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you think is their reality are just surface-level observations. And you\u2019re comparing your <\/em>reality to what their surface looks like. The next time you envy someone\u2019s success, remember that this person has likely struggled with more hardships than you can imagine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Losing sleep over what other people have and you don\u2019t is pointless. You can find relief by accepting that there is always going to be someone who seemingly has things better with a higher-paying job, a faster car, a bigger house, et cetera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should you do? Start defining success on your own terms. That person who has a higher paying job may be wasting away their lives in the office, while you have a flexible schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reprogram Your Mindset<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your success is linked to your mindset, and your happiness is directly related to your thoughts. A lot of negativity surrounds us. We can overcome these grim feelings that often overtake us. You can reprogram your mind to stay positive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean living in denial or ignoring every negative thought, but empowering yourself and taking charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take charge by surrounding yourself with people who constantly lift your spirits. Take charge by creating positive affirmations for yourself and applauding the progress you make. Take charge by being grateful and writing everything you\u2019re thankful for instead of stressing over what you don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, keeping a gratitude journal is incredibly empowering. When you often speak about what you\u2019re grateful for, your energy increases, and so does your enthusiasm, alertness, determination, and even quality and duration of sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tackle That One Thing You\u2019ve Been Ignoring<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just one <\/em>thing that you need to do. That\u2019s all. The next step towards achieving that dream life is tackling what you have been putting off forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether it\u2019s a report you\u2019ve been delaying for a week, a phone call to your insurance company, cleaning up your office\u2014just like the dishes we mentioned earlier\u2014you\u2019re lifting a heavy weight that\u2019s keeping you from being productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll be surprised at how much more productive you are and how better you feel once that looming weight is off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the Edge of Your Comfort Zone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

People advise you to take an ambitious leap out of your comfort zone, when the key is finding success at the edge of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without a doubt, we need change to be happy. That\u2019s just human nature. While there is no need to skydive or do anything drastic, do something new\u2014even if it\u2019s just once a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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