In this article I have collected for you the winning (lesser known) habits of entrepreneurs, artists and business leaders. Discover them all, but above all make them yours.
A few months ago I remember reading an interview with Vasco Rossi that made me smile.
To the journalist who asked him how he was preparing for a tour, the Emilian singer replied that after a nice breakfast, he went to train, alternating from day to day walking, cycling and running.
Returning home then, he devoted himself to reading, especially novels and philosophy essays.
In short, the Blasco, that of "I-want-a-reckless-life" and "I-drink-coca-cola-that-makes-me-feel-good", every morning follows a methodical training routine and then sits on the sofa a read tomes of philosophy, not even a boring engineer obsessed with personal growth !!!
Jokes aside, it's not the first time I've read about artists, singers and creatives in general who cultivate rather rigid habits and routines in everyday life.
And that doesn't surprise me.
As I explain on page 31 of "Win back your time“, Many people perceive habits as a cage, but not realizing that it is precisely habits that free us from the dozens of futile decisions we make every day and that suck up mental energy, which we could invest in the realization of our most ambitious dreams.
But not all habits are born equal.
In the past I have already introduced you to what I consider the most effective habits to improve your life (find a list of 100 healthy habits to improve the lifestyle in this article).
Today, however, I want to explore with you 5 new habits (in short, not the usual meditation or wake up at dawn!) That have contributed enormously to the success of well-known entrepreneurs, artists and managers.
Let's find out!
Find your cowboy shirt
Chris Sacca it's a lawyer, Investor "angel" e billionaire entrepreneur American.
Before, however, he was one of many Silicon Valley characters with an interesting, but rather anonymous career.
Before what?
Well, some cowboy shirts.
Having landed at a Texan airport to attend a public event, Sacca saw one in a shop cowboy shirt elegantly embroidered.
Without thinking too much, he decided to take it and even wear it during his speech.
Well, that shirt was so different from the uniform of the other lecturers, and it was so in line with Sacca's personality that his speech was by far the most memorable.
Over time, the cowboy shirts became his trademark, its distinctive feature.
Now, I'm not advising you to get into the habit of wearing cowboy shirts before your next Zoom meeting, but if you really want to make your dreams come true, you need to start bringing out your personality with more vigor.
Today it is imperative to stand out in order not to become extinct.
But to do this it is not enough to dress or behave like an eccentric: to make us truly unique and recognizable is our most authentic personality.
Get used to cultivating it and bringing it out every day in everything you do.
“It is the strangeness that sets us apart and makes us hire. Don't be ashamed of your weirdness. It can help you find true happiness. "
Thus Chris Sacca closed his famous speech for the delivery of degrees.
Ask stupid questions
"In an intelligent man, routine is a sign of ambition."
W.H. Auden.
The problem of professionals, at a certain point in their career, is that they become "blind" to the more mundane aspects that they immediately noticed as newbies.
That's kind of what happens with some acclaimed ones art critics, who lose the taste of savoring the beauty of a painting, too focused on the technical aspects of the work.
This actually happens to all of us: when we hyper-specialize, we risk losing The "innocence" of the first glance, the simplicity of the overview, and so we miss trivial details, but often fundamental for solving a problem.
In short, we are convinced that a complex solution is always needed that can justify the wealth of knowledge we have accumulated over the years.
Here, on this aspect, the good Sacca has always learned to cultivate an extremely effective habit: asking stupid questions.
It does not matter what level you have reached in your career, profession or in your studies: never stop looking at your work with the eyes of the apprentice.
If something is not clear to you, ask, ask stupid questions, don't get stuck with the idea that someone at your level should already know everything!
Even Steve Jobs, when asked what was the ingredient of his success, replied:
"To ask".
If his colleagues or competitors were ashamed to open their mouths, he always asked: information, opinions, help.
Get used to asking without doing a thousand mental jerks. It is often the most direct way to solve your problems and achieve your goals.
Don't sit on your laurels
“Let me tell you the secret that led me to success. My strength lies only in my tenacity. "
Louis Pasteur.
Cristiano Ronaldo it needs no introduction. Whether you love him or hate him, we all agree on one fact: he is a football champion.
But what is the key habit that made it so?
Alongside an undisputed talent, Ronaldo has been able to cultivate one iron discipline.
There is not a day that Cristiano Ronaldo does not dedicate himself body and soul to his preparation.
Five days of sessions in the gym, running, pilates and swimming. More training with the team.
Calibrated entertainment, a diet strict (no fizzy or sugary drinks, no alcohol, no processed foods or junk food, six small meals every 3/4 hours based on lean animal proteins - chicken, fish, eggs, yogurt, low-fat cheeses - cereals, fiber, minerals and vitamins, water).
Lots of rest: 8 hours of sleep per night and five relaxation breaks during the day.
It certainly doesn't make sense for us to replicate Ronaldo's almost obsessive routine, but we can learn something:
No matter where we have come in our life, we have to get used to never sit on our laurels: we must live every day as if it were a new life that deserves to be honored with our commitment and dedication.
Take advantage of your nocturnal oracle
The co-founder of LinkedIn and PayPal Reid Hoffman, among his winning habits, he has long had one that helps him find creative and ingenious solutions to even the most complex problems.
Before falling asleep, write down in his notebook the ideas he wants to reflect on or the ones issues to be resolved.
It does this by using the conditional:
“What tools could I rely on to solve this problem? What could hinder me in achieving this goal? " and so on.
In this way, Hoffman sends signals to his unconscious and then lets him work during the night.
And very often, upon awakening, Hoffman finds the solution he was looking for in the form of one new idea, name of a person that might help him or one new sensation.
Starting from this "nocturnal intuition" Hoffman constructs his work plan for the day.
According to the co-founder of LinkedIn, this habit, which unites rational abilities e creative intuition, helped him make some of the best decisions of his life.
Definitely a winning habit to test.
Create moments of nothing
“Most people live without knowing how to alternate between 'on' and 'off' states. Few are able to turn on and emanate a great power, or to turn off to really enjoy the rest. "
Pavel Tsatsouline.
The founder of the Huffington Post Arianna Huffington one day it is fainted on his desk due to fatigue, fracturing a cheekbone for more. From that moment, in addition to deepening the theme of sleep with various specialists, she imposed a decisive decision on herself change of habits.
At least he went back to sleep 7, 8 ore per night. She regularly granted herself gods break in which he disconnected from the various technological devices and, if possible, took walks in nature.
The result?
- Its levels of productivity have skyrocketed.
- Her creativeness it has multiplied.
- Her energy it began to be higher and more constant over the course of the day.
If you have followed me since the beginning of GetPersonalGrowth, you know that my thinking on the subject of sleep has evolved over the years.
If in 2009 I talked about the importance of qualità del sonno, rather than quantity, for some time now I have prioritized rest, avoiding at all costs to cut hours of sleep.
In general, one of the habits that I find most effective of all is to create moments of absolute emptiness in my days.
... and the same advice to you: once / twice a day take a break of at least 10 minutes and ...
NOT. DO. ABSOLUTELY. NOTHING.
These moments of regeneration are in fact essential for your mind and body and underestimating them means putting a brake on your creative potential and personal productivity.
Now, "doing absolutely nothing" is not to be taken literally.
For example, you can take these moments of detachment by taking a walk in the middle of nature, stopping to look out the window or moving your body with simple stretching exercises.
Don't obsess about it though, don't mind reaching some goal even in these moments, the point here is to really disconnect, without having to complete some guided meditation or flexibility routine.
Simply give yourself some emptiness in your life - it will help make the rest of your day that much more full and satisfying.
And now, do this exercise ...
I hope that the 5 winning habits seen so far prove to be really useful for you.
Before saying goodbye, however, in the classic GetPersonalGrowth style I would like to offer you a practical exercise for your personal growth.
This exercise is taken up by the author Brian Tracy, which recommends it to all those who want to achieve their goals and feel the need to reinvent itself.
All you need is paper, pen and a few minutes of your time. It is very simple but the benefits you will derive from it will be truly incredible ?
