We tend to look at world-famous entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos and just assume they have something that we don’t that has made them as successful as they are. While that might be true, it’s not because they were born with that special something; they have cultivated it within themselves through the way in which they live. Successful businessmen approach each and every moment of their time on Earth much differently than most people do. In doing so, they set themselves apart from the common man in many ways.
They eat well
How many of you grab a banana or granola bar while running out your front door on your way to work? Successful entrepreneurs don’t do this; they wake up early enough each and every day so they can start their day off on the right foot with a healthy breakfast. Eating a breakfast full of fruits, grains, and proteins can benefit your body and lifestyle in many ways, and busy businessmen know this. By eating well first thing in the morning, they fuel their bodies in preparation for the hectic day to come.
They plan
Successful entrepreneurs know exactly what they’re going to be doing each and every day of their lives. They take time the night before to plan out the following day; some plan right down to the very minute. Many entrepreneurs plan too much to accomplish in one day. However, they do so as a contingency plan in case they happen to finish a project early, or a meeting gets canceled. That way, they always have some other activity to fall back on if they suddenly have a free block of time. They also schedule breaks throughout their day in order to recharge before hitting the ground running once more.
They set a purpose
Since they have a plan for every day, successful entrepreneurs know exactly what they intend to accomplish at any given time throughout their day. They stay focused on their goals, and keep the end in mind while working on specific projects. They also set aside distractions, such as emails and text messages, until they complete their current task. As previously mentioned, they’ll have scheduled time to check these nuisances, but they never let a buzzing cell phone distract them from attaining their goals.
They visualize
Entrepreneurs visualize themselves succeeding at every turn. Doing so is one part optimism, one part motivation, and one part realism: They approach each challenge optimistically, believing they can accomplish whatever task is set before them; they motivate themselves to be able to accomplish the task; and they know it can be done. As mentioned before, they list their goals on paper, and sometimes sketch a picture of what their success will look like. In this way, they make their abstract ideas come to life in a tangible and reachable fashion.
They say “No”
While you might think that a budding entrepreneur would be open to each and every idea that they’re approached with, this would completely overwhelm them. Instead, they must be incredibly selective with the ideas they choose to pursue. Because of this, they have to learn to say “no” to many of their own ideas, as well as most of the ideas others come to them with. Not even Warren Buffett can create a fortune by investing in a terrible idea. Instead, the successful entrepreneur knows when to decline an opportunity that he knows will end up going nowhere in the long run.
They value their time
Going along with the last point, successful entrepreneurs don’t waste their precious time on anything that could stop them from achieving their goals. They usually find shortcuts or come up with creative ways to reduce the time spent on daily routines. For example, one of their common struggles is dealing with the trivial yet complex technical problems of their mobile devices that they rely on to handle daily tasks. Instead of letting these technical problems eat up their time, the driven businessmen would choose to install tools like Bushel to their mobile devices. So they can simplify the processes in managing their devices. With higher productivity, they can devote more time and energy on growing their businesses.
They listen and learn
From the budding entrepreneur to the richest businessmen in the world, they all stay successful by being life-long learners. They actively seek out help and guidance from mentors and peers, and continue to keep an open mind when it comes to how they approach their business. And they never stop reading, keeping new trends constantly in mind. As the world around them continues to grow, they know the only way they can keep up is by growing, themselves.
Featured photo credit: Dos Entrepreneurs / Kevin Krejci via farm7.staticflickr.com
