Richard Branson was a school dropout. He went on to start an airlines company and turned it into a success story.
How did he do it? He didn't procrastinate.
Habits either hurt us or lead us to success.
They either grow into a lifestyle that takes you away from the things you want to do or they help you create a life that's full of action and accomplishment.
Good, productive habits are what distinguish successful people from the rest of the crowd.
Here are five such good habits you should consider cultivating:
1. Start early
Richard Branson was a school dropout in his 20s when he entered the world of business.
What makes him stand out from other entrepreneurs?
He didn't procrastinate. Instead, he went out and pulled off everything he could.
He didn't know anything about planes or how they are flown, yet he started Virgin Airlines.
It is almost impossible to believe that Branson was prepared to diversify his business this far.
Most of us are usually ready to take the plunge, but our insecurities and fear overpower our will.
If you feel ready, go numb to confusion and take the dive.
2. Be proactive
The ability to respond to a situation from within is a gift only given to humans, yet we are lazy to use it.
Proactive people are driven to respond to situations naturally, irrespective of how people treat them.
A proactive person uses their own resources or the ones available to them to find a solution rather than just complaining about problems and waiting for others to provide them with a solution.
Looking for an example? Mahatma Gandhi was a one-man army and he united an entire nation to fight the British with non-violence.
3. Put first things first
Be skilled in the art of triage. Successful people can prioritise tasks and spend their limited time effectively on the more important aspects of their business.
Crisis situations are not new to us. They can happen both in our personal and professional lives.
How do you make your way through all this and ensure that your work gets done?
Give yourself a few minutes, analyse the situation and then prioritise your tasks.
The tasks that consume a lot of resources, time and energy will be the ones that affect your business the most, too.
4. Sharpen the blade right
Successful people go through the same churn every day, but they take time out to indulge in recreational activities as well.
This can be anything from mental refreshment to meditation to reading books for leisure and business.
We all work hard throughout our lives to build our career.
Little do we know that we are also burning out at the same time. Take some me-time from your personal schedule to relax.
This will increase your productivity and contribute to success in both your professional and personal lives.
5. Be humble
Tony Heish, founder of Zappos, is so humble that he has included 'be humble' as a core value of his company.
Ego is a lesser-known evil that eats into our minds as we grow in our careers.
This slowly comes into our behaviour and starts affecting our personal relationships -- be it with our family, friends or even our colleagues.
At such a stage, it is very tricky to achieve the balance between being grounded and being an influencer. How do you go about doing this?
Be open and respect other's opinions.
Understand the situation and only then react.
Accept mistakes, not just of your own, but of your team, too.
Trust your people and let them do their job. Micro-management is a big no-no.
Lead image used for representational purposes only. Credit: Hardo Müller creative commons
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