15 Habits That Wealthy, Successful People Practice
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You might think you need to be wealthy to live a happy life, but living your best life typically starts with practicing habits that improve your time management skills and promote overall well-being. While it’s important to have business goals and make smart financial decisions, these are not the only habits you’ll need to develop if you’re looking to become successful.
If you want to become an entrepreneur or self-made success one day, now is the perfect time to find out what you should start practicing today to manifest the life you want tomorrow.
You don’t need to be rich to practice living like successful people
Unless born into wealth, most successful people remain wealthy by practicing habits designed to keep them focused and at the top of their game. The good news is that you can begin incorporating these daily habits into your life, no matter how much money you make.
Committing to these practices can help you shift into a positive mindset and improve your decision-making skills, setting you up for a more organized, profitable life.
Here are 15 habits of highly successful people that you can adopt into your daily routine right now.
In this article
1. Create a morning routine
Most successful people will tell you they wake up early, but you don’t have to adopt an exact wake-up time to reap the benefits of this habit. Instead, create a morning routine that fits your lifestyle and schedule. This means waking up at a set time every workday and devising a routine that sets you up for success each day.
You might find this means doing some prep at night — planning out your next day’s calendar, cleaning up any messes from the day, and preparing your coffee ahead of time — to maximize the most of your morning routine.
Creating a set morning routine can boost your mental health, increase your productivity and focus, and even help you get better sleep at night. It doesn’t have to be long, either— just 15 minutes is enough!
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2. Get regular exercise
Staying in shape can help you live a longer and healthier life, but it’s also a habit that successful entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg and Richard Branson swear by. In Tom Corley’s book, “Change Your Habits, Change Your Life,” he reported that 76% of wealthy individuals exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes per day.
Getting regular exercise can also help you improve your focus and boost a positive attitude. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine can also help if you struggle with getting regular sleep.
3. Eat healthily, most of the time
Another habit that successful people practice is eating healthy, the majority of the time. While wealthy people can afford to eat out at restaurants every night, most successful individuals opt for healthy foods. Not only is eating healthy linked to longer lifespans and overall health and wellness, but it can also help you feel fueled and energized for the day.
Wealthy individuals are focused on the big picture, and most know that eating a balanced diet will help them achieve their goals. While the definition of healthy foods might vary from person to person, staying away from processed foods most of the time is usually enough to keep your body thriving.
4. Read regularly
Reading is another habit that successful people often practice to keep their minds sharp and stay aware of changes and innovations within their industry or area of interest. Most wealthy individuals read for about 30 minutes daily to stay informed and educated. Most of this reading is done for self-improvement rather than pleasure.
This can take many forms — physical books or ebooks, listening to audiobooks, or reading daily blogs, articles, or news reports. Even if you already read for pleasure, reading to educate and inform can keep you sharp and in tune with the latest news in your field.
5. Don’t spend money needlessly
One of the reasons many successful individuals remain wealthy is that they do not spend their money just because they can. Some of the wealthiest individuals can be extremely frugal to reserve their finances. Even when you’re rich, it’s important to have a budget to avoid overspending so you can fund short-term and long-term goals.
You can practice this habit by developing your budget and understanding how much you can realistically spend in different categories. First, figure out how much income you have coming in, calculate your essential expenses, set savings goals, and then decide how much of the rest should be used for non-essential spending. If you have leftover money, don’t spend it — save or invest it instead.
Be sure to also review your credit card receipts when cultivating this habit so you can curb any excessive spending habits simultaneously.
6. Create a network of positive influences
Successful people remain competitive and thriving by surrounding themselves with other successful individuals and removing negative people from their social circles. Staying positive can help you remain goal-oriented and motivated, so it’s important to surround yourself with individuals who share your ideals and goals.
If you’re currently contemplating a new business idea or simply want to begin manifesting your success, try reaching out to successful entrepreneurs near you who might be interested in mentoring you. You may also want to look at those you surround yourself with most often and make sure you’re investing your time with people who are encouraging and uplifting, not negative and critical.
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7. Set goals and dreams
Working towards a successful future can be hard if you don’t set goals. If you want to become successful and practice the habits of wealthy individuals, it’s important to let yourself dream and decide on tangible steps for achieving these goals.
For instance, maybe you want to be the CEO of your own company one day. You might start by setting a goal to lock down a business idea and found your company. From there, you might set a small revenue goal, then set a goal to hire employees, and so on. Setting goals allows you to work towards and note accomplishments while keeping you looking towards the future.
8. Practice self-care
Taking time out of your busy schedule for yourself is extremely important — and it’s a habit successful people know is key to keeping them focused and healthy. Ignoring your needs and mental health can cause you to experience burnout, which may drain the excitement and purpose you once experienced from your work.
Practicing self-care, however, allows you time to relax and unwind. The type of self-care you enjoy might vary. Perhaps meditation helps you destress and disconnect, while others might enjoy walking or taking a long bath. Try to spend 30 minutes each day (or a few times a week) caring for yourself.
9. Plan for 7 hours of sleep, minimum
Most adults struggle to get enough sleep each night, but successful individuals are mindful of their sleep schedules. Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos both ensure they receive 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to perform their best every day.
Sleep is essential to your body’s overall health. Those who get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night are more likely to retain information, focus on tasks, and work more efficiently. When you don’t get enough sleep, you tend to be groggy and slower to react, but not getting enough sleep consistently can lead to serious health issues.
10. Value your time
You may have heard “time is money” and wondered what it meant. Successful people understand that every minute they waste is money they aren’t making. While this doesn’t mean you should work constantly, you should value your time and decide what is and isn’t worthwhile for your life and goals. Watching an extra hour of television when you could be setting yourself to earn more money, for example, might no longer serve your life or goals.
You can begin practicing this habit by figuring out how much you earn or could be earning each hour. Once you know this, you’ll be able to consciously avoid time-wasting activities that are dragging down your productivity.
11. Take breaks
We just talked about how valuable time is, but constantly working isn’t healthy or smart. Taking breaks during the day can boost your productivity and help you stay focused, motivated, and engaged.
Moving around during these breaks is also important and can help counteract the negative effects of sitting all day. You don’t have to move too far to reap these benefits either. Try scheduling a 5-minute walking break into each hour (if possible), and consider walking outside during your lunch break.
12. Create multiple sources of income
If you lost your job today, what would happen? Even though wealthy people have money in savings, having multiple sources of income ensures they can continue thriving even if a business endeavor fails or loses money. No matter how much you make, you can adopt this process too.
An easy way to make money through different revenue streams is by freelancing online or through gig work like Uber. If you have a knack for writing, consider freelance copywriting for extra cash when you have the time. You might also consider selling or renting real estate to earn additional income if you have money saved.
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13. Encourage feedback
Actively seeking feedback from others may seem daunting at first, but if you hope to grow and become even more successful, it’s a habit you’ll want to embrace. Wealthy, self-made individuals often welcome feedback to determine what’s working well and what needs to be tweaked.
Feedback, whether good or bad, offers insight into your performance. It allows you to understand whether your actions are succeeding so you can learn and grow from your mistakes in the future.
14. Reduce screen time
Right now, you might spend all day glued to a computer, only to spend your time “off” binge-watching Netflix or surfing the web. While taking time off from work is important to your overall health, unplugging from screens is also essential. Successful people know that limiting TV and screen time, in general, is better for your overall health.
When you actively reduce your screen time, you can focus on more productive activities that will keep your mind active and engaged and prevent you from feeling sluggish and run down.
15. Help others
Many successful individuals also mentor others or help those in need. Giving back to the community, paying it forward, or simply working one-on-one with someone looking for professional growth can be extremely rewarding — and you may learn a thing or two in the process.
Even if you feel like you aren’t as successful as you want to be, chances are you have a few skills others could benefit from. If nothing else, donating your time can go a long way in positively impacting someone else’s life. Volunteering or helping others can also boost your mood and enhance positive thinking.
The bottom line
To succeed, you’ll need to work hard, find the right opportunities, and be willing to fail. However, setting your set up with a successful mindset by learning tips that wealthy individuals practice daily is also essential. Healthy routines can help you learn dedication and commitment, two skills you’ll need in business.
New habits don’t form overnight—in fact, they take an average of 66 days to become more routine and automatic. The most important tip is to continue practicing these tips, even if you have a few rough days until they become ingrained in your everyday routines.
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Writer
Courtney Johnston is a freelance writer, specializing in finance, travel, and health. She has written for The Chicago Tribune, Benzinga, BestReviews, Mashvisor, Fundera, MoneyGeek, and The Culture Trip. She also teaches writing instruction at the University of Indianapolis. Courtney currently resides in Indianapolis.
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