Well, 2024 has arrived and if you’re like most people, you’ve got your New Year’s resolutions list and feel ready to make a fresh start, try new things, and conquer the world! Woe there - hang on just a minute. Success in any area does not happen by itself. Success is intentional and is the result of daily habits. Atomic Habits author James Clear said “You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.”
How many times have you made a new year resolution and fallen off the wagon within weeks of starting? No worries, you are not alone. Forbes Magazine says the average resolution lasts about 3.5 months. So, let’s reframe the narrative from resolutions to habits, which somehow sounds doable.
Clear’s book also explains how small habits done repetitively create compound interest over time and add up to big results. So, relax, you can put away your resolutions and focus on creating only one new habit at a time. In that spirit, here are 30 success habits you can choose from right now to kickstart your life in a new direction.
Wake up earlier: One easy way to change your life is to set the alarm for 15 to 30 minutes earlier. That’s extra time to get things done.
Set yearly goals: Set 5-10 actionable goals for the year, then break them into months and weeks.
Make to-do lists: Prioritize daily tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Eat healthier. The Pareto principle applies to eating habits too. So aim for the 80/20 rule by eating whole healthy foods 80% of the time.
Include exercise: Exercise improves mood, energy, and cognitive functions. Start with 15 minutes of daily exercise - even a brisk walk.
Invest in personal development: Commit to reading, taking classes or courses to grow your skills and abilities.
Practice gratitude: Focus on what you DO have and your attitude and life will soar as a result.
Celebrate small wins: Take time to acknowledge small victories along the way. Remember that each small win leads to bigger significant wins.
Take breaks: Avoid burnout by scheduling daily breaks. Take 10 or 15 minutes to disconnect, deep breathe, and deep think.
Schedule deep thinking time: Schedule it in small daily amounts or set aside 1 hour per week to deep-think your life, evaluate goals, progress, and setbacks.
Build stronger relationships: Invest time and energy into nurturing your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
Become a good listener: Show genuine interest in what others say without feeling the need to respond.
Stop comparing yourself: Comparison counter-productive and is the thief of joy - so stop doing it.
Be flexible: Life almost never goes according to plan, so learn to be okay with flexibility and roll with changes whenever possible.
Attend workshops and conferences: Step outside your comfort zone and learn new things.
Seek mentors and advisors: Surround yourself with people who can guide and support your journey.
Spend time alone: Early in the morning often works best. This is your personal time to pray, meditate, reflect, refresh, and recharge.
Embrace failure: Failure is the learning path to success. So use it as an educational opportunity, extract what you've learned and move forward.
Manage your time: Schedule appointments, meetings, calls, emails, and don't forget time with family.
Make use of dead time: Use extra time waiting in the car, sitting at the doctors office, or in line to answer emails, respond to texts, read books, or organize your phone pictures.
Journal: This habit is cathartic - connecting you with your subconscious mind allowing you to process events, and offload mental baggage.
Budget your money: Track your weekly expenses on a Google sheet spreadsheet so you know what’s coming in versus going out.
Save money: Even $10/week is $520 per year. Start doubling that and it adds up quickly.
Invest: Every time you save $50 invest it. Money sitting in the bank is making you nothing and guess what? If you don’t invest it - the bank does.
Be consistent: Millions of brilliant people quit things every year leaving the field wide open for the consistent person to win.
Leave your comfort zone: Comfort zones are where things go to die. Guaranteed every dream you have is waiting for you…just outside your comfort zone.
Eliminate unnecessary distractions: Turn off notifications, limit social media scrolling, watch less television, schedule time for emails, etc.
Get organized: The average person spends 2.5 days per year looking for lost items. Organization saves time, reduces stress and streamlines your life.
Practice self-care: Remember to take care of your body. That means taking time to rest, plan a spa day, or a weekend getaway.
End procrastination Hack: Use the 5 minute rule. Convince yourself that you only have to do the task for 5 minutes. Guaranteed you'll continue!
Remember, success is not an accident but an intentional journey based on habits and systems. Pick one habit from this checklist and start today. After you have mastered it, add another and so forth. Remember, it takes a minimum of 21-days to establish a new habit. Over time, you will begin to see positive changes that move you towards achieving your goals and living a fulfilling life.
And…do yourself a huge favor and get a copy of James Clear’s game changing book Atomic Habits.