5 Habits of Highly Successful People During Covid

Normal New Year's Resolutions are ambitious statements of things we would like to achieve in the coming year. Having survived 2020, it's tempting to make a resolution to survive 2021 and call it a day. And that's probably fine. Unless it's not for you, in which case, read on.

Having seen thousands of entrepreneurs either make or break their year over the last 12 months, I'm inspired to share what I observed as the habits of the most successful ones. Granted, the successes I saw were from real estate agents, vacation rental company managers, or retirement living marketers, but the truisms remain consistent. And, these are not newly discovered habits. These habits have been in practice for years across a variety of industries at many levels. The reason they came into focus in 2020 is because there was more control over them than before.

Here are the habits I noticed consistently from these successful people, regardless of age, gender, or years of experience:

1. They wake up early -- rock stars excluded, these early risers really do get the worm. However, their reward was not always immediate and I could not find a specific occurrence of something that happened during the wee hours of the morning that led to success. This practice is more about maintaining a consistent schedule so they get things done. We are more likely to remember things we need to do when we are not being constantly interrupted. Nobody achieved great things by letting every Monday come up and smack them in the face. There's always a laundry list of things to be done, so tackling them as efficiently as possible makes room for the unexpected opportunities (see #5). I hate getting up early. I'm a night owl, but I know there are things I can get done before the rest of the house wakes that cannot get done in the evening. And since most of us were home all day with other people last year, this habit became even more crucial.
2. They don't start their day reading emails -- Try to rationalize not doing this by saying your line of work is different, but it's not. Before launching into the day from inside a little microcosm, successful people start out by seeing what is happening in the world around them. God forbid a real estate agent fires off a reply to an email about interest rates before learning that they had changed. That's an extreme example, but you get my point. Reading emails first also sets your day off on a path driven by other people's agendas. Successful people tend to set their own agenda for the day, while remaining flexible as opportunities arise. Our phones have only made this habit harder. My suggestion for tackling this, especially if you're an entrepreneur, is take ownership of your phone. You own it. It does not own you. Re-arrange your apps. Add or delete apps based on helpfulness. Use your phone to assist your good habits, not enable you to continue mindlessly with the bad ones.
3. They spend more time communicating with people outside their company than inside it. Periodt, as the kids say. I've started color-coding my calendar appointments with all internal meetings in orange and external meetings and calls in other colors. At a quick glance, I can tell immediately if I'm naval gazing. I will call someone outside my company, even if it's not work related to get my head out of the sand for a bit. Relationships are so important, which is another axiom highlighted by the pandemic.
4. They consume information -- Whether it's through podcasts, audio books, documentaries, or print newspapers, successful people are always learning and finding out what is going on in the world around them. They do this on a regular basis, and from multiple sources, including their competition. This habit also feeds back into habit #2. Even if you don't agree with the information you're consuming, it gives you insight into what others are thinking. As any strategist will tell you, being "in the know" is essential to navigating your way to success.
5. They have excellent timing -- In my opinion, this is a culmination of all the other habits working together to create opportunity. Some people see being in the right place at the right time as being lucky. What they don't always see is that successful people have been showing up in that place at that time for days, months, weeks, and then they are there when it's their chance. If you ever look at the award-winning photography in National Geographic and are amazed at how the photographer was able to capture a fleeting moment in nature so well, it wasn't because of coincidence. That photographer showed up to that same spot, or maybe never left, day after day until the moment happened. What looks like excellent timing from the outside, is actually just showing up.

Are there other habits not listed here?

Yes, of course, dozens likely, but these are the ones I witnessed fairly consistently throughout the year. Here are a few other habits:

• Meditation
• Exercise
• Accountability Partnerships
• Journaling
• Visualizations

I've also seen several good articles on this topic show up on Medium and LinkedIn authors. If any of this resonates, try to find a couple other articles on the subject and pick at least two or three habits to adopt this year. Or try adding a new one each quarter.

These habits apply to more than just entrepreneurs and business people. Creative projects can be tackled the same way. Success isn't always about making money. A good Audible collection consists of both business books and inspiring reads. A diverse book collection is also what makes people interesting to talk with.

Forming a habit that cultivates an environment for success is not just about doing something three times in a row. It's about the practice of discipline and being able to start up again, even if you've stopped. If you don't want to adopt any of these habits, take time to gain an understanding of why they worked and try to modify one that works for you.