Do you want to be successful? I know the answer is yes because nobody wants to live a mediocre life.

Let me ask you this – do you ever look at ultra-successful people and wish you could be like them or have what they do?

Well, you can! There isn’t some secret sauce they have that you don’t.

So, what is it? Are you ready for the big “secret”?

IT’S HABITS.

Successful people are disciplined in consistently practicing high-quality habits. These habits add up over time and have a HUGE positive impact on their life.

Here you will find 26 habits that will make a giant impact on your life too if you practice them daily. Yes, I said DAILY.

It’s like going to the gym. If you go once you won’t see results. You must go consistently. There’s no way around it.

Starting any habit can feel totally annoying at first but I promise they will become second nature in no time.

Here you go, 26 small habits to improve your life in BIG ways…

1. Make your bed every day

Some of you might think this sounds silly. You might even be saying “why make the bed if you’re going to mess it up at night” or “nobody sees it anyway”.

The reason for making your bed is so important is because it has a big impact on your mind. It gives you a sense of mastery and sets a positive tone for the rest of the day.

It doesn’t need to be some big Martha Stuart production – unless that’s your thing! Just pull up the covers, smooth them out, and go.

2. Wake up early

What could you do with an extra hour or two a day?

Wake up early and set yourself up for success by practicing some self-care.

It could be writing in a journal, meditating, listening to a podcast, relaxing with a cup of coffee, or reading.

Choose something you look forward to so it’s easier to pull those warm blankets off and get up.

Waking up early also means that you won’t have to rush around. Nothing is worse than an alarm going off and having fly out the door.

3. Drink more water

Drinking plenty of water is important for every aspect of your body and keeps your mind sharp.

If beauty hacks are your thing then water should be your best friend!

Water prevents wrinkles, keeps acne at bay, gives you smaller pores, makes your complexion glow, plumps your skin, (ok, your get the point – there’s a lot of beauty benefits!).

4. Get your workout on

The benefits of physical activity are MIGHTY! Nobody ever said they regret their workout and nobody ever will.

If you want to take your life to the next level there is no getting around this one. You MUST move your body!

Even a 10-minute walk positively impacts your body and mind. There are plenty of physical ways you can get your endorphins flowing so experiment and find what works for you.

5. Maintain a positive attitude

Having a positive attitude feels good and makes others want to be around you. Nobody likes to be around someone who is a downer and complains.

Being negative is like a virus. It’s contagious and can infect those around you who then go on the spread it to others! Think about that.

We’ve all had someone upset us and later we take it out on someone else. That’s the virus!

Take responsibility for your attitude and spread positive, loving vibes!

6. View setbacks as opportunities

Life will not always give you what you want but it will give you what you need. I wholeheartedly believe that!

If you view closed doors as a new one opening, you WILL find success. What you get might not come in the package you envisioned but it’s likely a blessing.

How many times have you looked back and were grateful something didn’t turn out how you wanted it to? I bet the answer is many times.

Next time you experience a setback remind yourself of that.

7. Catch your z’s

Take your sleep seriously! It’s crucial to catch an adequate amount of z’s.

Lack of sleep negatively impacts every area of your life. Your brain can’t function at it’s optimum and your mood will suffer if you don’t make sleep a priority.

I don’t know why lack of sleep is worn as a badge of honor. Ever hear someone brag about their all-nighter? It doesn’t make sense.

Getting little rest is not sustainable and eventually, you WILL crash.

If you haven’t heard Arianna Huffington talk about the importance of sleep check out her TED talk. It’s insightful, hilarious, and will motivate you to get adequate shut-eye!

8. Eat well

Think of your body as a premium car you own. Would you put regular unleaded gas in it? I’m guessing the answer is no.

That sweet ride wouldn’t function at it’s best and eventually, you’d ruin it altogether.

Well, the same thing happens to our body when we deny it of nutritious food. I’m not saying that you should give up guilty pleasure food altogether. I’m certainly not doing that!

What I am suggesting is to eat mindfully. Make sure you’re putting a good amount of healthy food into your body to help it function well.

Your body will thank you for it!

9. Read

Reading is hands down one the best ways to keep our minds sharp and get inspired.

Ultra-successful people read daily. It’s been reported that Bill Gates reads 50 books a year!

Choose books that motivate you and encourage self-improvement.

If you don’t like reading or have little time try audible books that inspire you.

10. Spend time alone

Spending time alone gives us room to reflect, decompress, and regroup. This is important for extroverts too. Having a healthy balance of social time and solitude is needed for everyone.

Learning to enjoy our own company also builds mental strength and emotional well-being.

11. Challenge yourself

If you never step outside your comfort zone you will stay exactly where you are right now. How boring is that?

To create a meaningful life, it’s necessary to challenge yourself. It’s the only way to achieve your goals.

If your goals don’t challenge you then you need some new ones. We are meant to stretch ourselves!

12. Protect your time

We’re given a finite amount of time on this earth. Why would you want to waste it? Use your time like it’s running out because it is!

Time is one of the most valuable things we have so treat it that way. Be choosy about what you’re saying yes to, who your spending your time with, and what you are spending your time doing.

13. Stop waiting for the “right time”

There is no better time than RIGHT NOW. Stop waiting for things to be perfect before acting. There is no such thing as perfect.

Ultra-successful people always start before they feel ready. In fact, there is no such thing as “ready” because there is always something to learn and progress to be made toward goals.

This doesn’t mean jumping in totally unprepared but understand that there is only so much preparation you can do. Eventually, you need to start!

Preparation can also be fear seeping in. We are afraid to launch so we keep “preparing”.

Start NOW!

14. Forgive

Forgiving ourselves and others is crucial to our overall well-being. Holding onto guilt and resentments weighs us down, takes up valuable energy, and clutters our mind.

How many times have you wasted the present mulling over situations and thinking about what you coulda, woulda, shoulda said or done? It’s such a huge life waster.

You don’t even need to apologize. Forgiving doesn’t need to be for the other person. It can be to set yourself free.

As for not forgiving yourself – what’s the point in that? Stop punishing yourself because it won’t change what happened. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

15. Work for what you want

Rarely is someone an overnight success. Even when it seems that someone achieved success overnight, I can guarantee you that 99.9% of the time it’s not the case.

What we don’t see is the hard work, time, and dedication it took to get where they are.

Work hard for what you want. Put the time in! It’s not always easy and sometimes it may feel as if it’s totally pointless but small actions lead to big results.

You absolutely won’t regret the work you put in when you reach your goal!

16. Shake off bad days

Become resilient and future-focused by leaving bad days in the past. You can’t change what happened so shake it off and move forward.

Make it a habit to use the mentality that there are lessons to be learned from our struggles.

17. Meditate

I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but the benefits of meditation are MIGHTY!

There are many misconceptions about meditating and one of them is that it takes a long time. FALSE!

Even a few minutes of meditation makes a big difference in overall well-being.

Make meditation a habit and your life will change!

18. Have a daily routine

Having a routine is good for our mental health. When our days are chaotic and unpredictable, we feel mentally unorganized.

Sure, there is a time and place for spontaneity BUT primarily sticking to a routine promotes a sense of calm and sets us up for success.

Following a routine allows you to structure your days around your goals and other things that are important to you.

19. Do things even when you don’t feel like it

This habit will 100% change your life!

Do you think ultra-successful people got where they are by doing things only when they felt like it? Absolutely not.

This is what separates the winners and those that settle for a mediocre life. There is no way around this habit.

20. Hang out with winners

Make it a habit to place yourself in the company of people who are going after their goals and getting s*** done!

Hanging out with people who consistently make happy hour an all-night affair won’t motivate you to work on your goals.

Surround yourself with those who are killing it and talk about their dreams and goals.

21. Set the bar high

Don’t accept mediocre for yourself. You only get one shot at this life. Make it a habit to only accept excellence from yourself and you will soar!

Don’t get to the end of your life having played small. You will regret it. Dream big and always do your best!

22. Unplug

Social media is a huge waste of time so make it a habit to unplug.

Looking at the lives of others instead of using your time to create the life you want is a dream killer. Nobody on their death bed ever said they wished they scrolled and ‘crept’ more!

23. Learn from failure

Make a habit of viewing so-called failures as learning opportunities. If you’re not failing, you’re not playing full out with your life! Period.

24. Self-Reflect

Make it a habit to do self-reflection. Take the time to do an honest inventory of your life and yourself.

• Ask yourself questions such as:
• Where can I improve in my life?
• What am I doing well?
• Is there anything holding me back from my goals?
• What do I need to move forward with my goals?

You MUST be 100% real with yourself when doing this! It can be hard to critique ourselves but this is a very powerful exercise when done from a place of truth.

If you’re struggling to do this you can ask for feedback from someone you trust.

25. Kick fear to the curb

Make it a habit of doing things even when you’re scared. If you’re not regularly scared, your dreams aren’t big enough! Period.

26. Consistently pursue your goals

It’s not enough to think about what you want. You MUST act! This is what separates those who live the life they want with those who live a mediocre life.

Make it a habit to take small steps every day toward your goals and you will succeed!

If you enjoyed this post you might also like my post, Ways to Set Powerful Goals and Reach Them!

Jen Ryan (me) is a Certified Life Coach with a Masters in Social Work. If you want to take your life to the next level sign up for your totally FREE 30-Minute Discovery Call HERE