What is the difference between ordinary and successful people

Updated on August 17, 2022 10:26 AM by admin

We all know success when it comes, but what happens behind the scenes? We have no idea. In their personal lives, competent businessman, A-list celebrities, and savvy investors we've come to admire over time have their regimes and routines.

Some are weird! Ludwig van Beethoven began his day counting 60 coffee beans to make perfect cuppa joe, writer Leo Tolstoy renounced his money and made his shoes; that's not a hidden fact that it will not work for everyone. No two people are alike, and finding a balance between everyday routine and reward can be quite tough.

Yes, successful people's habits are a mixed bag, but still, there are some constituencies throughout the league, and there is where the foundation of a fulfilled life is built.

You are what you do every day, and if you incorporate these habits into your daily life, you'll see the change in no time. It takes somewhere between 21 to 66 days to make an activity a literal part of your life literally. So, let us see what the difference between ordinary and successful people is

Get up early in the morning

No day has ever begun asleep. That's true. But, plenty of days have been wasted sleeping. When you control your body clock and daily hit at that 5 a.m. start, trust us, you'll own each day of your life. Contrary to that, snoozing your alarms will make you unmotivated and groggy in the morning.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon and former richest of the world, is said to deny setting the alarm as he wants to get his 8 hours of sleep every day. In the same way, Arianna Huffington, a media mogul, doesn't believe in the alarm clock concept. During an interview, he shared what he feels about alarm clocks; just think about the definition of 'alarm' – distressing suspense or fear due to a threat of danger.

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Even historically, getting up early has always been a favorite habit of people who want to be successful or even after achieving success. Eric Satie, a French composer, woke up at 7.18 a.m. every day, had lunch at 12.11 p.m., and had dinner at exactly 7.16 p.m., ensuring his body clock was firing all day.

This may sound ridiculous, but there is some merit in it. Starting your day without the sound of an alarm and creating a daily routine lets you ease into your day without the tsunami of stress hormones you have always been feeling. Find out what works for you. Sleep early and wake up early. Maybe, you should say goodbye to your evening coffee.

Books are their friends

Your brain is nothing but a muscle; if you don't use it, you'll lose it. Being sunk in a good book is a good idea to spend any part of your day, and non-fiction, improvement guides, and self-help books are the type that'll help you have massive brain gains.

Investor Warren Buffet once, in an interview, revealed that his mornings are spent pouring over newspapers. He spends almost 80% of his day reading. According to Buffet, everyone should read 500 pages every day. That's the way knowledge works. It slowly builds up, just like compound interest does. Anyone can do this, but he is so sure that no one will do this.

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A simple step for beginners is to stop at your local library at least a few times a day. Find the books most suitable for you. You should know that your brain is so hungry for information; it doesn't want anything but to learn, which is a better place to feed your brain with more and more information.

Exercise is important

Skipping exercises is the easiest task on your daily to-do list. I'll do it tomorrow, or I will start from tomorrow are the thoughts majority of you have come across. However, the bitter truth you need to know is that if you don't take out the time for your body every day, there will come a time it will surely fail you. Successful people carve this time for themselves, no matter how busy they are.

Also, Read 7 Fat-Burning Exercises You Can Do All Day

Let's take the example of Microsoft founder Bill Gates. This tech-wizard and philanthropist like to multitask while he performs his morning treadmill routine as he watches DVDs at that time.

15 to 20 minutes of introspection

Create a space where you can sit for yourself and do some introspection which is of utmost importance to make a big change in your life. Taking an off from the over-sensory we all live is a mandatory habit in most of the success guides you'll ever come across. And trust us, this habit will be extremely fruitful in the long run.

Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn CEO, tweets about his love for meditation regularly. During an interview, Weiner said that the major part of time management is creating time to think rather than just react. As per him, meditation helps him make strategies and work effectively.

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Though ignoring yourself and spending time with others may sometimes make you feel more useful in the short run, it is a shortcut to burnout. Just like in airplanes, in life as well, you have to help yourself first before you can help anybody else. Don't ever forget that you can't pour from an empty cup.

Analytical actions

Critical analysis is your real best friend. That's what differentiates between a man and the beast. You'll find solutions to all your problems if you apply critical thinking to your everyday issues.

Planning is the key and the common factor in the lives of all successful people. When you face a hurdle, you don't just run to it with closed eyes and open arms. Relax and take some time to analyze the height of the problem at hand and know exactly which foot you need to jump off. Making it a habit in your life takes you one step closer to success.

Be with inspiring people

We all have heard the quote that 'our income is likely the average of the five closest friends we have.' We associate ourselves with the people of our kind. If you go contrary to that notion and surround yourself with idols, inspirational figures, and mentors, you'll learn all the things you ever needed in your life. The habit of being with such people will result in ways you would have never thought.

Also Read: 15 Differences Between Ordinary People And Successful People

The Roman philosopher Seneca said that luck is what you get when your preparation meets the right opportunity. Being with inspirational figures can act as the doorway to that right opportunity.

Set goals

One of the staple traits of all the successful people worldwide is the guts to dream and the passion for chasing them to make them a reality. Taking an idea, then fixing it in your head, and cutting at it until you finally get a feasible object – is an unparalleled joy.

The key in this process is setting clear goals. Use a notebook, a whiteboard, or a planner, whatever you like and works for you. You need to use any of these to write them down and see them daily. Seeing them every day will act as a reminder to work toward them. When you write down an idea, you realize you have already made them a reality.

Also Read: An organized way to achieve your goals

Multiple sources of income

Don't ever make the mistake of keeping all your eggs in a single basket. This may be an old one, yet it is a golden rule. As every second person talks about the gig-based economy, having multiple sources of income has become an essential step in being successful. The most fundamental aspect of this is building a new skill set, working on it, and taking advantage of your new and improved skills.

Be prudent but not tight-fisted

There is more difference between being prudent and stingy than an average human being understands. Prudence is a habit of not spending your money on unnecessary stuff over time. On the other hand, being tight-fisted is a trait to have sufficient coins to swim in them, just like Disney's cartoon character Uncle Scrooge.

Also Read: 10 Major Differences Between Ordinary And Extraordinary People

Prudent people are successful people. They are smart regarding their money; they know how to budget, negotiate and save. Planning a budget is the first step towards your financial freedom. However, don't be afraid of spending money as it is one of the most important aspects of the world we live in today. In a nutshell, just don't ever spend the money you don't have in the present moment.

Clear your mind

Does it sound unproductive? Yes! Clearing your mind while you have plenty of things to remember looks like you are craving to forget something. Rather, it will give you a clean slate so that you aren’t now not thinking about the tasks you couldn’t do last week.

Clear your mind and focus on what needs to be done immediately and then what needs to be done today. What you need to do later in the week can be paused.

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Priorities

Don't make the mistake of thinking that all your works are equally important. This is a fact which successful people very well understand. Sort your to-do list for a day and prioritize your work based on importance. Once you finish the most important tasks, you'll have more time and energy to focus on other things.

Don’t do too much

Since our first point, we are telling you to work, and here we are telling you not to do too much. It's weird, no? it looks like contradictory advice, right? Don't do too much just means don't bite what you can't chew.

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Stop saying yes to every work, project, or social activity. You need to learn to say whatever is unnecessary so that you don't consume your valuable time and energy on petty things.

The most difficult task first

When you finish your most difficult task first thing in the day, you'll have the rest of your day to do anything and everything. This also means you'll not keep delaying your most dreaded task until the last minute. Trust us, at that time, the chances are that it might be a nightmare for you.

The golden hour

You don't have to follow a 9 to 5 schedule or any other type. Novelist Anne Rice wrote at night and slept during the day hours. Writer Jerzy Kosinski slept eight hours a day but never at a stretch. The golden hour is the time of the day when you feel most productive. It is different for everyone. Just find your golden hour and see the difference in your life.

Also Read: 5 Key Reasons Why Some Ordinary People Do Extraordinary Things and Others Don’t

Whatever your idea of success, don't ever hesitate to share it with the world. Your work will inspire others, and you'll open new gates for motivation and inspiration. Don't forget God as well; the world likes to help only those who help themselves.