Things Successful People Do

So... New year... If you didn't set resolutions, it's probably because you already have goals in the works, right?

And you really want to achieve your goals so you can feel like this guy. Like you're standing at the top of a mountain, cheering because you made it.

But really, those goals are hard! And they're making you feel more like this guy. Like they're so tough, you're barely hanging on.

I recently came across an article that told about the nine things successful people do, and it was so fabulous, I wanted to share! (You can find the full article here.) I was surprised at how many great things it suggested that will help you meet all those New Year's Resolutions / Non-New Years GOALS you made. :)

If you want to read the article in the words of the professional, definitely click on the link. It's worth it. If you are looking for the short summary from a less-than professional, read on.

1. Get specific. We all know this, right? "Write ___ words a day / week" is a billion times better than just "write more," right?

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. This one basically means to figure out WHEN you are going to accomplish your goals. The article says that when you plan the when, it helps your brain to "detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%." Three hundred percent! Pretty darn impressive if you ask me.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. "If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly." 'Nuff said.

4. Be a realistic optimist. Think positive, but don't assume it's going to be easy! Goals take time, planning, effort, and persistence. Plan, lest ye likely fail.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. I'm going to quote directly from the article here, because it's so good. "Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed — that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills."

It says if you accept that you can change and make better choices, then you can reach your fullest potential. And you can enjoy the journey of getting there better! I really love this one. And I totally agree with it. We can GET those abilities we need! All it takes is... you know... a lot of work.
 
6. Have grit. This one makes me giggle, because people just don't use the word grit anymore. Basically, grit is the willingness to persist. Even when things get really, really hard. Which, come on! This is definitely a profession where you need a lot of grit!

"The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking .... well, there's no way to put this nicely: you are wrong."

So there you go. We can ALL get more grit. We can have a grit-a-thon.

7. Build your willpower muscle. This is another one I LOVE. You exercise your muscles, they get stronger. You exercise your willpower muscle, it gets stronger. Stronger willpower muscle = better chance at reaching goals.

So how do you make it stronger? Whenever there's something in your goal you'd rather not do... do it anyway! Even if it's just for a teeny little while. It'll make that muscle stronger. It will be hard when you first start, of course, but every little thing that you do to make that willpower muscle stronger will pay off. It'll make it all that much easier. Then you can take on the next part of your goal, and with the increased strength in your willpower muscle, it'll be easier.

8. Don't tempt fate. The article said that many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation. So don't go there! Don't make it harder than it already is! Plus, if you can help it, don't take on two really challenging tasks at one time. Get strong in one first, then take on the second.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do. Basically, if you have a bad habit you're trying to get rid of, focus on what you're replacing it with, instead of the bad habit itself. In other words, thinking, "How should this scene play out that I'm writing?" works a ton better than "I'm not going to click on twitter. I'm not going to click on twitter. I'm not going to click on twitter."

So there you go. Nine things successful people do that I totally needed to hear.