7 Healthy Lifestyle Habits of Highly Successful People

Ever wonder why getting ahead can sometimes feel like an uphill battle? The truth is that, if you want to be successful, you need to be extremely disciplined. I’ve always been fascinated by high achievers, their self-control, their failures, their focus, and their ability to come out on top. Aside from hard work, much of what makes a person successful involves the cultivation of certain healthy lifestyle habits. Human beings are all different, but highly successful people share the same patterns. By creating good habits, you can get ahead in both life and business.

Many people think about how they could become successful, but often they don’t realize they already have everything within them that they need to achieve their goals. Your success and accomplishments are determined by the habits you form. You could be successful in the tasks you pursue if only bad habits didn’t interfere with the process. By forming healthy habits and adopting positive behaviors, you can become successful and thrive in every area of your life.

What is the Secret to Success?

What does success mean to you? Is it wealth? Is it fame? Success is different for everyone, and finding success is a journey. Success means sticking it out through hard times, which results in a feeling of excitement when you’re living a life you’re proud of.

Why the secret to success is setting the right goals | John Doerr – TED

Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos—the most successful people in the world have all carved their way to success differently. But these uniquely intelligent and successful people all have something in common. They practice healthy habits, from specific sleeping practices to killer morning routines.

“The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.” – Tony Robbins

There is no one proven formula for success. But there is also no denying that the people we admire share certain traits. The most successful people share these 7 habits.

The 7 Healthy Lifestyle Habits of Successful People

  1. Be Goal-Orientated
  2. Wake Up Early
  3. Embrace Failure
  4. Practice Self-Care
  5. Read, a Lot
  6. Give Back
  7. Surround Yourself with the Best People

1. Be Goal-Orientated

Highly successful people are incredibly goal-orientated. They are habitual goal setters. They know exactly what they want. Successful people have a mission. They have written plans on how they will achieve their goals, and they work on their ideas every day. Setting daily, monthly, and yearly goals can help you to stay focused and on track as you pursue whatever it is that success means to you.

2. Wake Up Early

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour starts her day with a morning workout of tennis at 5:45. Apple CEO Tim Cook starts his morning at 3:45. Many successful people are grinding before the rest of the world is even out of bed.

A man raising his hands after waking up early is healthy lifestyle habits.
Many Successful People Are Already Grinding Before The Rest Of The World Is Even Out Of Bed (Image source: Shutterstock)

Waking up early is by no means an easy habit to cultivate. Whatever you do, don’t hit the snooze button. If you want to be an early riser, create the right environment in your bedroom. Try leaving your shades open to allow natural light to fill the room. Write your to-do list the day before, and make the first task exciting enough to leave the comfort of your bed.

3. Embrace Failure

Sir James Dyson created 5,126 failed prototypes over 15 years before creating the best-selling vacuum cleaner. Stephen King’s first book Carrie got rejected 30 times before it was published. Michael Jordan got dropped from his high school basketball team. There is no success without failure. But it’s how you handle failure that defines you. Persistence and determination are everything. The more mistakes you make, the more you learn, and the closer you get to success.

4. Practice Self-Care

Self-care is a non-negotiable habit. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos priorities sleep and always gets his eight hours. Leading a healthy lifestyle, eating right, and getting regular exercise will help you to perform at your best. Whether you practice journaling for mental health, meditate, or love cold water therapy, personal care is essential for success.

A group of people meditating as part of self-care.
Meditate, Get A Better Sleep, Eat Right To Perform Your Best (Image source: Shutterstock)

A healthy body will prepare you for every challenge you face. Being successful requires more than mental fitness; working long hours takes a toll on your body. A daily workout regimen will keep your body strong and your mind clear.

5. Read, a Lot

Ultra-successful people read a lot. Bill Gates reads 50 books a year, which translates to about one book a week. Many successful people in business and politics read a ton. A young Elon Musk read for 10 hours a day before becoming the CEO of Tesla. Whether it’s business, finance, personal development, or wellness books, incorporate reading into your daily routine.

6. Give Back

Successful people give back to their community. Whether it’s through volunteering, working with charities, or donating money, there’s a power in giving back. In 2018, Warren Buffett gave away $3.4 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, among others.

A group of successful people giving back to their community.
There Is Power In Giving Back (Image source: Shutterstock)

7. Surround Yourself with the Best People

Surround yourself with positive people who challenge you. Many successful people ensure that the people in their inner circle are independent, ambitious, kind, and brilliant. Be mindful of who you invite into your life. Don’t let negative people hold you back. Often, negativity comes from unhappy people who envy you. Happy people don’t tear you down.

How to Live a Good Life With Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Have you ever stopped to think about how your habits impact your life? Habits form when behaviors become automatic. But you have the power to change your habits. You can learn to cultivate every one of these healthy habits.

Forming new habits doesn’t happen overnight. It can feel overwhelming to change every area of your life at once. Instead, choose one habit and do it well. Maybe start reading two books a month, or wake up an hour earlier each day. Be kind to yourself, and start working on one habit until it becomes a natural part of your routine.

You have complete control over your behavior, your habits, and your future. By making the decision now to cultivate new behaviors, you can possess the same healthy lifestyle habits shared by highly successful people.