Six Fundamental Daily Routines That Will Help You Become Successful

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Any successful entrepreneur has been asked the following question probably more times than they can count: “How did you become successful?” Sometimes the answer is as simple as luck, other times it was the birth of a great idea. What I have found, however, is that the foundation of success starts with having a strong, positive mindset and the will to work. I’ve gone from modest beginnings to running one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies, and I can attribute this success to exercising the following seven routines on a daily basis.

Reframe your mindset daily — keyword, daily.

What you believe becomes reality. We may hear this all the time, but it’s actually true. Do not complain. Complaints are not productive — they leave us dwelling on what is wrong. If you find yourself habitually complaining, reframe and train your mind to work towards possible solutions to those complaints. Then, implement them. Do not wallow. Avoid others that complain or suck you into their pessimism — it is contagious, infectious and will only drag you down.

Create a small list of attainable goals every morning.

If you’ve heard this before, it’s because it works. Write small tasks down on paper, and physically cross them off as you complete each task. This gives you both a feeling of satisfaction and tracks your progress, which is very helpful in keeping yourself mentally engaged.

Allow yourself the luxury of rescheduling.

While this may seem easy, we all do it far too often. In fact, I find myself doing it almost every day. If you can’t get to a certain task or simply don’t have the mental stamina for it, accomplish a smaller or easier item on your list so you can keep your momentum moving forward. Allow yourself to reschedule bigger action items if necessary.

Assign priorities.

I often feel mentally overwhelmed by my tasks and get stuck dwelling on how much I have to do. I’ve learned it’s critical to take time to organize my list of work, daily and assign priorities. Also, realize that it’s OK to delegate or skip low-priority tasks if you are too pressed for time. After I’ve taken the time to actually organize my to-do list, it is typically smaller than I was initially making it out to be, enabling me to feel much more focused and capable of creating a plan of attack.

Don’t skip your workouts.

This is one that after 20 years I continue to struggle with. A good workout always gives me more energy and a refreshed mind, ultimately encouraging me to dive into tasks I’ve been procrastinating on. It also gives me a renewed amount of self-confidence and strength — a strong body equals a strong mind.

Trust yourself. 

Have an idea that is risky? Find yourself consistently contemplating doing something? Are others warning you of potential negative outcomes? Remember this: only you can make a choice for yourself. I can live with any mistake that I make. What I can’t live with, however, is the mistake of taking the advice of someone else that ends up being wrong. I’ve found that every time I’ve followed someone else’s advice against my own gut, I’ve ended up regretting it. Thus, before making daily decisions, check in with your gut and follow it.

Finally, even if you follow these fundamental daily routines, know this: You will have setbacks. You will have failures. In fact, you will have more of both than you ever anticipated. Successful individuals often lose more than they win — the difference is they keep getting up and trying again. While this seems so simple, so many people succumb to defeat. Take your losses as lessons and learn from them. They are great teachers and character builders. After a defeat, you grow stronger, and it will take much more to knock you down again.