6 High Performance Habits Explained

This December I read ‘High-Performance Habits’ by Brendan Burchard, the world’s highest-paid performance coach. In this book, he talks about the 6 most effective habits for reaching long-term success. The following six are based on his research, and one of these areas you can start incorporating into your life today.

His research on high performers has yielded these six important things that we can all adоpt, to bring us closer to enjoying genuine success long term:

• SEEK CLARITY
• GENERATE ENERGY
• RAISE NECESSITY
• INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
• DEVELOP INFLUENCE
• DEMONSTRATE COURAGE

#1 & 2: PURPOSE AND AWARENESS FUEL HIGH PERFORMERS

High performers, Burchard argues, are not afraid to ask themselves what they want from life, and then they go and get it. This process of ideation is a habit the author refers to as “seeking clarity”, and it helps high performers keep positive outcomes in the center of their minds.

#3: HIGH PERFORMERS DRAW MOTIVATION FROM INSIDE AND OUT

The lesson here is that the quality of your motivation can have a huge effect on your performance. It’s no coincidence that marathon runners participate to raise money for a charity close to their hearts, which certainly helps them keep going when their legs are screaming at them to stop. That’s inside motivation, but by getting friends and family to sponsor their marathon, these people are also getting their motivation franked by the eyes of others. They will want to keep going so they don’t let their loved ones down.

It’s also why people look at high performers as role models so often. When you set a goal, tell people about it to create a contract to meet the expectations of others as well as yourself. With inner and outer motivation, you always dig deeper to reach your objectives through effective habits.

#4: HIGH PERFORMERS MANAGE TIME AND SHUT OUT DISTRACTIONS

There’s nothing worse than constantly being busy with nothing to show for it. This brings us to Burchard’s fourth important habit “increasing productivity”, which is the ability to separate important work from less significant drudgery. If you’d like to cultivate this habit, use the proven productivity systems Eisenhower Matrix to help your workflow become more efficient. You can use this to make sure that you’re always doing short-term work that helps contribute to your long-term success.

#5: HIGH PERFORMERS ARE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS

There’s a pervasive image of entrepreneurs and successful people as lone wolves who single-handedly carved out their victories. Ask any of these high performers, though, and they will point you to a laundry list of extraordinary people who helped them reach the top. It’s a giving mindset with new people or a peer group.

High performers have the ability to create meaningful connections with other people that they can leverage for mutually beneficial results. They also know how to support and lead others to help their friends and colleagues get the best out of themselves.

It’s a mindset built on generosity, whether it be with time, resources, or words of kindness. They are acutely aware of what other people need to succeed and are prepared to push when they need encouragement or back off to give them the freedom to prevail. Conversely, they are also adept at asking others for help and aren’t discouraged when they face rejection.

#6: HIGH PERFORMERS AREN’T AFRAID TO TAKE RISKS

High performers don’t enjoy being in their comfort zone. They like to take risks that others won’t, and that’s why they often find themselves in receipt of the biggest rewards. Burchard refers to this habit as “demonstrating courage” and ties in closely with high performers’ resilience in the face of challenges.

He stresses that these qualities aren’t inherent; they have to be developed over time as they learn from their mistakes and develop a thick skin. It’s not that high performers aren’t aware of the risks they take; it’s more that they’ve become experienced at mastering their own fears, and many have come to relish the thrill of going against the odds.

THERE’S A HIGH PERFORMER HIDING IN ALL OF US

The main thing to take away from ‘High-Performance Habits’ is that these qualities can be actively nurtured in any of us if we’re prepared to put the work in. Like a sword, high performers are prepared to temper their metal and sharpen themselves by attacking difficult problems head-on. They also realize that being successful is a holistic process that encompasses the people around them and the way they live their lives.

Do you agree with Burchard’s positive outlook on living a better quality of life? Or maybe you have your own specific set of practices that have brought you success? Let us know in the comments section below.