Did you know…
that successful people are quite alike? Most of them have similar traits that make them unique in the society. Of course, in addition to being successful in what they do, these gurus, experts or geniuses have learned, maybe the hard way, that starting each day with the right mindset is the single most important catalyst that drives them through the day and pushes them forward to reach new financial or intellectual heights.
Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Donald Fisher, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Zuckerberg, Henry Ford, Jack Weil, Colonel Sanders, and of course Donald Trump, together with thousands of other successful entrepreneurs, marketers, actors, and business people have managed to get into the right mindset by leveraging the power of certain morning rituals.
Here are some of the TOP 5 Morning Rituals used by highly successful people over the decades. You can use them too to ensure you start each day with the right mindset, preparing yourself to reap the benefits of being successful in what you do.
1. Smile
No one could have said it better than Charlie Chaplin: “A day without laughter is definitely one wasted day”. Jay Danzie, a high caliber entrepreneur, networker and thinker, said that a smile is “like a logo for you, your personality is your unique business card. How you manage to use these two to make others think about you after meeting you is your trademark.”
Another great quote about smile used by countless successful people is: “True strength is when you have quite a lot to cry about, but instead of doing that you choose to start your day with a smile and take a step forward.”
As you will notice in life, if you have not noticed yet, smiling is an increasingly difficult task. Life gets increasingly complicated, and problems keep coming out of the blue. Don’t be shocked – highly successful people have to deal with many more problems regular people have dealing with. The difference is that they have all understood the power of a smile.
Dina Kaplan, the world-renowned founder of ThePath.com, suggests that people should do something that makes them smile every single morning. Some activities include meditation, exercising, sipping a cup of coffee, reading the news or taking a long, refreshing shower. Annie Lawless, the founder of Blawnde.com, encourages all her fans to smile. As she says, “people have no idea what a positive impact waking up with a smile can have on their day.”
Instead of reading the news or worrying about the day that lies ahead, browse through some funny images or read a funny article/joke. Then notice the difference in your behavior over the course of the day.
2. Get Motivated
Motivation is paramount for success. How you do it is less important. Steve Jobs, unquestionably one of the most successful businessmen of our times, did not leave his bedroom before motivating himself with the quote: “if today is the last day of my life, what are those things I would love to?”. Barack Obama also stresses the importance of self-motivation. Paraphrase: “Change will only come through us. Change will not come by waiting for other person or for a better time. We are the change we should seek.”
Like so many successful people, you can listen to motivational music, speeches or audiobooks. Use meditation if necessary. It might help you calm down and get rid of all those negative thoughts dragging you back and stopping you dead in your tracks. Once you are motivated, you will automatically get busy living your life at its fullest and you will begin to do things – successful things.
3. Focus
John Maxwell once said that “Successful people will always focus on the rewards of achieving success.” Successful people will not focus on their mistakes, but on the positive outcome, on the opportunities and on their accomplishments.
One of the best tools highly effective people use in order to focus is the Pareto Principle. Also known as the 80/20 rule, this principle proves that 20% of your actions will produce an average of 80% results. In other words, it is futile to focus on all your actions and waste your energy. Pinpoint hose 20% that really matter and focus on those tasks. This way you will save precious time, eliminate stress factors and maximize your efforts throughout the day.
4. Persevere
Perseverance is one of the most rewarding habits of successful people. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and many others have proved that perseverance pays off.
Benjamin Disraell said that “through perseverance most people are able to reach success out of those situations that might have seemed destined to become failures.” Steve Jobs, a great example of perseverance, especially for Apple fans, said that he was convinced that pure perseverance represents more than 50% of what separates successful from non-successful entrepreneurs.
Do you want to be successful in life? Persevere. Learn more. Better yourself. In addition to gaining a good measure of self-esteem, you will become better at what you do and will be able to outstrip your “competitors”.
5. Take it Easy
Ultimately, you want to enjoy your day and make the most out of each opportunity. For that, you just have to take it easy. As Oscar Wilde said, “Life is too important to be taken seriously”. David Fitzgerald also advises us to “take it easy and “remain patient on your road”. Stay positive and enjoy your moment at your workplace, in your company, in your family and around friends.
Of course, I’m not talking here about being careless and being light. Instead, you should strive for the better, but at the same time remember that not everything is in your power to change. Highly successful people have managed to strike a balance between their responsibilities and their hobbies. As you well know, work hard, play hard.
