Redefining Success: 20 Habits That Could Change Your Life

When we talk about success, it’s easy to simply think of succeeding in one area of your life. Maybe success to you is achieving financial stability, becoming the best in your field, or living in a certain area. But maybe it’s time to start taking a wider view of success.

James Altucher has put together an infographic (designed by Pamela Sisson), entitled The 20 Habits of Eventual Millionaires. Here, he details a number of habits and skills you should develop to be successful. Unlike the usual advice in this field that generally focuses on improving your business acumen and financial planning, Altucher focuses on habits that can improve all areas of your life.

Altucher’s advice on how to be successful.
Image Source.

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So how can we utilise this advice in practical terms? Here’s a breakdown of a few of his tips, so you can see how they’d work in your life.

Tip number 1: Say “No”

We’ve been told time and time again that success is all about saying yes to opportunities, putting yourself out there, or actively pursuing your passion without rest.  While this sort of attitude can be really helpful in a number of ways, it’s important to be discerning in how you use your time. As Altucher points out: ‘When you say “NO” you have more time to read, learn, sleep, ask questions, contact friends, love life.’

While it’s important to stay open and aware of opportunities around you, don’t be afraid of saying ‘no’. When one presents itself, think beyond the immediate gain and ask yourself whether saying ‘yes’ will be more beneficial to your happiness in the long run, than saying ‘no’ now.

Tip number 7: No Excuses

If you hit a wall, are facing a setback, or have made a mistake then blaming others is the least productive thing you can do. This links in a little to tip number 3: Make Mistakes – making mistakes and owning up to them is one of the most beneficial and growth-inspiring you can do. Blaming other people lets you ignore what areas you need to work on, stagnates your problem solving skills, and keeps you stuck in an unproductive mindset. Not only that, constantly blaming other people, complaining, or making excuses is any easy was to sour relationships and ruin your reputation.

So! Next time something goes wrong, take a deep breath and think about how you can do better next time. We all makes mistakes; part of being successful means owning them and seeing how they can lead to new opportunities.

Tip number 14: 1% a Day

When you decide you want to improve at something, it’s easy to throw yourself into it headfirst. But this sort of enthusiasm is hard to maintain, and it’s easy to burn out quickly. Becoming successful at something doesn’t mean ignoring everything else in your life to only focus on that one goal. Practice makes perfect – trying to do just a tiny bit of that one thing each day can have an amazing cumulative effect and you’d be surprised by how quickly you can start seeing real improvements. Like Altucher notes: ‘Whatever you want to get better at: do 1% more each day. 1% a day, compounded is 3800% a year. You win.’

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So this year, as you’re planning out your goals and aspirations, don’t limit yourself to succeeding in just one area of your life. Success is about taking care of yourself, setting yourself up for growth, and not letting your aspirations in one area of your life get in the way of your happiness in others.–

Featured image courtesy of Pexels.