The most important question you need to ask to find success is not ‘What do I have to do?’
It’s ‘Who do I have to be?’
Success is not a single event. Even the stories that talk about ‘overnight success’ are based on years of consistent discipline and small actions that lead to positive outcomes.
Your personal and professional growth rests on the habits you build. It’s the things you do every day that start compounding and creating massive results with what seems like minimal effort.
Whether you’re a business owner, student, content writer, or something else, building the right habits is the foundation for a transformed life.
Looking for habit-building tips that you haven’t heard before? I’ve got you covered. Check out my best practical tips to create the habits of success.
9 Best Habits of Successful Business Professionals
Explore these habits and think of ways you can incorporate them into your life. Even a small change consistently applied can snowball into big results.
1. Successful professionals have big goals but tiny objectives
You’ve read it in every self-help book and motivation YouTube video: you need to set a big goal.
And while this is true, you should be aware of the pitfalls of grandiose goals:
- You feel demotivated because a huge goal seems too big to accomplish
- You become a perfectionist because you want everything to be done “right”
- You feel isolated from friends and family because your goals seem unattainable
But here’s the secret that successful professionals know: setting big goals is only step one. The second step is creating tiny objectives that will get you closer to your goal.
And these tiny objectives need to be practical, simple, and even boring. So simple that you might think that they don’t have any real effect.
However, these objectives are the key to your success. Because when you have a tangible, practical objective to focus on, you make progress.
Even if your goal is to write a book, your objective could be as simple as writing 500 words a day.
The key is to take consistent small steps. And when you do, you’ll find that you reach your goals much faster than you ever thought possible.
2. They get rid of small tasks first
The most successful business professionals seem to do more than anyone else. It almost looks like they have organizational superpowers or an inexhaustible supply of energy. But not so.
Highly-productive professionals just follow a simple strategy: they get rid of small jobs and tasks first.
Think about the list of things you have today. Maybe you have to respond to an RSVP or negotiate the finer details of a contract, among other things.
You may think that handling the contract should be your first task. It’s clearly more important and needs more of your time and energy.
However, you should do the RSVP first. Why? Because it takes a minute. And by finishing this small task, you get a sense of accomplishment and motivation to tackle the bigger jobs. You won’t feel like you have a list of things waiting to get done on the other side of your large project.
So, draw up a list of things to do today. And identify the ones that take a minute or two to finish. Knock them off your list right away. And you’ll feel way more productive for the rest of the day and week.
3. Successful people delegate
One thing successful business professionals do is delegate. They understand that they can’t do everything themselves and that they need help to get things done.
And not only that, they value their time and energy too much to spend it on non-critical work. They reserve their strength for interactions and work that needs their full attention and problem-solving capacity.
To be more effective, consider using automation tools like an email marketing service to lessen your workload.
You can also freelancers and people from Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn, and other platforms to handle tasks like creating social media posts, deleting old emails, canceling subscriptions, and more.
4. They know the importance of good sleep
You know how it is. You have a lot of things to do, so you think you can just get by on a few hours of sleep. After all, there are only so many hours in the day.
But successful business professionals know that this is a recipe for disaster.
They know that when they don’t get enough sleep, their judgment suffers, they’re more likely to make mistakes, and they lack the focus and energy they need to get things done.
So, if you want to be more productive, make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Most adults need around 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
Here are some tips on getting better sleep:
- Stop using digital devices an hour before bedtime. The blue light from screens can keep you awake.
- Create a cool, dark, and quiet environment in your bedroom
- Sleep at the same time every night to train your body
- Use white noise machines or listen to meditative tracks if you have trouble sleeping
Try to sleep on time for a few weeks, you’ll feel so much more energized and focused that you’ll make it a consistent habit.
5. They read and learn obsessively
From Bill Gates to Oprah, many of the world’s most successful people have one habit in common: they read a lot.
In fact, Bill Gates reads around 50 books every year, and he even has a blog where he talks about the ones he loved the most.
Successful business professionals know that they can’t rest on their laurels. They must continuously read, learn and grow to stay ahead of the curve.
Reading helps you learn about new things, gain different perspectives, and think creatively. It also keeps you updated on the latest trends in your industry.
If you want to be more productive, make sure you carve out time for reading every day. You can start with just 30 minutes.
And I recommend that you read a variety of content. Don’t stick to business content or self-help material alone. You can get inspiration and interesting ideas from books on history, autobiographies, anthropological and cultural content, and other genres.
6. They gather feedback and act on it
Successful business professionals know that they need to listen to feedback to improve their products, services, and processes.
They also know that they need to take action on this feedback to make meaningful changes.
Feedback helps you understand what’s working and what’s not. It also gives you insights into what your customers or clients want and need.
So, if you want to be more productive, make sure you’re gathering feedback and acting on it.
You can use surveys, polls, customer interviews, and analytics to gather feedback. And then use this feedback to improve your processes, products, or services.
7. They network with like-minded people
You are who you hang out with.
If you want to be successful, you need to surround yourself with other successful people. This could mean joining a mastermind group for your niche – like entrepreneurship, marketing, blogging, or coaching.
Or it could mean joining a gated online community or investing in a course. You’ll get in touch with members who are striving toward making more money, building their brand image, or finding solutions to problems.
The point is that successful business professionals know that they need to network with like-minded people. This helps them learn new things and get different perspectives.
It’s also motivating to hang around people who aren’t afraid to say, ‘I want to make 6-figures in commissions this year’ and not feel awkward.
Start looking for associations, groups, online communities, forums, and similar platforms to find like-minded individuals. As you make it a habit to spend more time with people who want to grow, you’ll find yourself naturally moving towards your goals.
8. They share content and put themselves out there
Successful professionals are aware that their personal brand needs to shine. So they make sure to update their LinkedIn, invest in good-looking business cards, answer expert panel questions, and do other things that contribute to creating a strong brand image.
One important habit to build is sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world. This can mean creating a meaningful post on LinkedIn or Twitter or even starting your own blog.
When you share your ideas, you give people a glimpse into how you think. This helps build trust and credibility.
It also gives you a chance to show off your expertise. When you consistently share valuable content, people will start to see you as an authority figure in your industry.
And as you build your personal brand, you’ll find it easier to attract new clients and customers.
9. They focus on their health
Last but not least, successful business professionals know that they need to take care of their health. They know that they can’t be productive if they’re not feeling well.
So, they make sure to exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, and get enough sleep.
They also know that they need to take breaks and relax from time to time. This could mean taking a walk in nature, listening to music, or spending time with family and friends.
By focusing on their health, successful professionals can maintain a high level of productivity.
The Takeaway
So, there you have it – 9 habits of successful business professionals. If you want to be more productive, make sure you’re incorporating these habits into your own life.
Remember, it’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter. And these 9 habits will help you do just that.
One final piece of advice: don’t try to implement all of these habits overnight. Just focus on one or two at a time. And as you start to see results, you’ll be motivated to keep going. Good luck!
