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9 Habits of the World's Most Successful People That You Can Steal Today

Updated 6/19/2020
9 Habits of the World's Most Successful People That You Can Steal Today
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so copy what these smart people are doing.

Ever wondered why some people become so successful—achieving everything they set out to do and more?

From afar, they may seem like superheroes whose accomplishments cannot be replicated. But upon closer observation, you may notice that the same couple of good habits pop up among every single one of these people.

The good news about that? You can totally steal these practices and add them to your own routine.

  1. Steve Jobs is known for his many principles for a successful career and life, but most of them revolve around positivity, looking toward the future, and not being afraid to fail forward. (Lifehack)
  2. Whether you’re leaving your job to start your own business or working up the courage to ask your boss for a raise, successful people always start before they’re ready, and you should, too. (James Clear)
  3. What do Kobe Bryant and Arianna Huffington have in common? They both preach the importance of sleep as a key ingredient for success and productivity. (The New York Times)
  4. Want to make sure you’re the one people are calling on with new opportunities? Make yourself totally irreplaceable. (Fast Company)
  5. When asked in a Reddit AMA what daily habit has had the biggest impact on his life, billionaire Elon Musk answered simply: “Showering.” What’s Musk getting at here? Self-care is important; the better you feel, the more you’ll be able to do. (The New Statesmen)
  6. If you become successful and want to stay successful, you’ll want to take a serious look at your finances. (Money)
  7. Successful people love reading, and if you’re not a fan of turning pages, there are some easy steps to get going in a jiffy. (Write Hacked)
  8. To get some perspective, think about the habits of highly effective mediocre people, and don’t copy them. (James Altucher)
  9. It might seem counterintuitive, but you’ll get ahead by saying no more than you say yes. (The Daily Muse)


Photo of Arianna Huffington courtesy of drserg / Shutterstock.

Photo of Lily Herman
Lily Herman is a New York-based writer and editor. In recent months, her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Glamour, Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, TIME, Newsweek, Fast Company, and Mashable. You can check out her website, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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