21 Habits That Successful People Have / The Key to Achieving Success is in These Few Steps

Being close to powerful and influential individuals can provide us with valuable information, such as what habits and ethics they have that have led them to success. This can be fascinating for everyone who dreams of success.

Researchers, through interviews with 200 successful individuals, have gathered interesting insights on this topic. During this research, seven billionaires, 13 Olympic medalists, and many successful entrepreneurs were asked, "What is the key to your success?"

Interestingly, these 200 successful individuals gave remarkable answers to this question.

Daily Habits of Successful People

Here are the 20 daily habits of successful people:

1. They wake up early
   Successful people are usually early risers. Apple CEO Tim Cook starts his day at 4:30 AM. Former General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt says he wakes up at 5:30 AM for his daily workout. Sergio Marchionne, the late CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, typically woke up at 3:30 AM.

2. They make the most of every minute
   Many people have a plan for each hour of the day. The difference between successful entrepreneurs and regular people is that they have a plan for every minute of their day. For them, time is the only investment that cannot be recovered once wasted.

3. They know their most important tasks
   Successful people know exactly what their most important tasks are and focus on them. They remain dedicated and prioritize tasks without interruption.

4. They focus on being productive, not busy
   Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, says that being busy often leads to mental laziness. Successful people focus on essential tasks and strive to be productive, not just busy.

5. They think ahead
   Sometimes, situations arise from the decisions and actions of the present and past. Successful people anticipate future situations, make the right choices today, and take the proper steps to avoid problems later.

6. They maintain balance between work, life, and leisure
   Even after work hours, tasks are never completely finished, and there is always something left to do. However, successful individuals know the importance of balancing work and rest. They maintain priorities and set aside time for rest, family, and exercise.

7. They write down their thoughts
   Successful people write down their ideas and believe in written thinking. Whenever an idea comes to them, they note it down on their phone or in a notebook, so they can revisit it later and fully appreciate their thoughts and inspirations.

8. They manage their time on social media
   Successful individuals do not waste excessive time checking emails or social media. They turn off social media notifications during meetings or when doing deep work so that they are not distracted by every new alert. This helps them use their time efficiently.

9. They avoid unnecessary meetings
   Successful people only schedule meetings when necessary. They believe meetings are time-consuming, make people impatient, and often stray from the main topic. It’s better to skip meetings or make them short and focused.

10. They don't say yes to everything
    Successful managers are different from ordinary ones. They say "no" unless the idea or proposal is truly exceptional. Remember, there are only 1,440 minutes in a day, and successful people don’t waste any of them on average ideas.

11. They apply the 80/20 rule
    Based on the Pareto Principle, which is a common rule of thumb, 80% of results come from 20% of activities. Successful managers find that crucial 20% and focus on them to ensure successful outcomes.

12. They delegate tasks effectively
    Successful entrepreneurs focus on finding solutions to problems, regardless of who solves them. They don't have an overly controlling attitude and are willing to delegate tasks flexibly within their team.

13. They don’t leave tasks unfinished
    Have you ever started a task and left it half-done to move on to something else? Successful people don't have this habit. They follow the "one-touch" rule: once they start a task, they finish it before moving on to the next.

14. They stick to their daily routine
    All of the 200 successful individuals had their own daily routines. They start their day by drinking water, exercising, and having a healthy breakfast. Many of them also use time on their way to work for prayer, meditation, or reading.

15. They focus on healthy eating and sufficient rest
    While you can't add extra minutes to the day, you can increase your energy and focus within the limited time you have. Successful people understand this and make sure to eat their meals on time, providing the energy needed to keep going. They also prioritize rest to maintain their productivity throughout the day.

16. They understand the importance of teamwork and build strong teams
    Famous basketball coach Phil Jackson says that the power of any team comes from its members and their strengths. Successful people understand that they must surround themselves with individuals who complement them. Ken Blanchard says, "None of us is as smart as all of us," and successful individuals understand the power of teamwork.

17. They focus on small but consistent progress
    No one can eat a whole elephant at once, but you can eat it piece by piece until it's finished. Henry Ford advises to break large tasks into smaller pieces. This way, no task seems too difficult.

18. They focus on the positive
    Shawn Achor explains in his book The Happiness Advantage that doctors who maintain a positive mindset before making a diagnosis perform significantly better mentally than those who don’t. Successful individuals are always optimistic about situations.

19. They assess their progress towards goals
    Successful people typically have clear goals and regularly assess their progress towards achieving them. They learn from their mistakes and stay focused on their objectives.

20. They surround themselves with successful friends
    Jim Rohn says, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." Successful people understand this and surround themselves with other successful individuals. Changing the mindset of your friends and companions towards positivity can change your life.

21. They inspire others to succeed
    Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, provided strategies to help others nurture creativity. Encouraging others to improve and succeed is one of the traits of successful people. They often serve as role models for others.