Essential habits for entrepreneurial success

Ask any successful entrepreneur, and they’ll tell you that habits matter enormously. What you do in one day won’t make a massive difference to your journey; what you do every day counts.

Consistency.

Therefore, we’ve put together a list of good habits for new entrepreneurs to prioritise so that you can set yourself and your business up for success.

Read

The most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who are constantly striving to learn more and better themselves, and reading plays a vital role in this. Many successful entrepreneurs, from Jeff Bezos to Mark Cuban, praise their love of books as a contributor to their financial success. In fact, Warren Buffet claims to spend up to 80% of his day reading, and Mark Zuckerberg says he gets through two books per week.

Keep a Close Eye on Your Finances

None of the billionaires mentioned above got to where they are today by playing fast and loose with their finances. It’s essential to monitor your finances carefully and make sure that you understand your current situation. If you struggle with this, it would be wise to hire an accountant or financial advisor who can provide insight and guidance and ensure that the numbers are in check.

Prioritise Sleep

They say that successful people get up early, but successful people also get enough sleep. Getting a sufficient amount of good quality sleep is essential for concentration, mood and brain function, so don’t sacrifice sleep...

Focus on High-Value Tasks

Get into the habit of assigning a value to each task and prioritising accordingly. As a business owner, your time is a valuable resource; can you afford to misuse it on low-value tasks such as scheduling meetings and cleaning up your inbox?  

Assigning a value to your tasks will tell you what you should outsource, allowing you to focus on the critical, profit-generating activities that propel you forward.

Networking

Networking isn’t just for the odd conference here and then. Successful entrepreneurs reach out daily - virtually or in person - to their business contacts and prospects to maximise the opportunities that come their way. Business is all about building relationships, so get into the habit of networking daily to maximise your chances of success.

Start the Day Off Right

We didn’t say, “start your day at 5 am.”Whilst you don’t need to wake up at the crack of dawn to be successful, it is essential to wake up at the same time each day (whether 6 am or 10 am) and set yourself up for success with a good morning routine.

A good morning routine does not necessarily take two hours and involve 36 separate steps. It should start your day positively and get you in the right mind to work. This could mean grabbing your trainers and heading out for a morning jog, reading ten pages of an uplifting book, or simply having breakfast with your family.

It’s also important to sit down and read through your list of goals before you begin work each day to keep yourself motivated and focused on what you want to achieve. 

Summary

As John C. Maxwell said, “the secret of your success is found in your daily routine,” so start working to implement the above habits into your day.

Alone, they may not seem like much, but over time these good habits will compound and contribute to your success. Of course, a complete overhaul can be overwhelming, so focus on integrating one habit at a time. Download a habit tracking app or print out a calendar and check off each day you put your new habit into practice. Do this for three months until your new habit is no longer fresh but rather deeply ingrained, and then start focusing on another small change. There is no such thing as an overnight success, but with time and consistency, a few small habits can add up to make a big difference.

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