Talent, aptitude, and circumstances all play a role in the recipe of success, but the secret ingredient that so many people miss is consistency.
Showing up every day, putting in work, and making adjustments to overcome obstacles – that’s what all great business leaders have in common. Whether you’re a tech expert, a fashion designer, a social media guru, or anything else, consistent effort over time is vital.
It’s always interesting to hear what high performers do in their daily routines to get ahead and stay ahead. We asked, and they answered.
Plan with Precision
There’s definitely some comfort in working a 9-to-5 job, in the sense that your daily schedule is almost always mapped out for you. All you need to do is roll into the office, grind for a few hours at a time, and your work is done.
Business owners need to be super self-motivated, which means they create their own schedules and must stick to them from sunrise to dusk.
“Every successful person should have some sort of planner that maps out their daily goals,” said Melissa South, SVP of SwingTie. “Some people jump into the day and see what it holds, but if you can set goals for yourself each day, no matter how small, then you will find success flows more easily and your productivity will increase. Daily goals can be as simple as you want them to be, but they are there to make sure you get up and get something done. Do not let a single day pass by without achieving something.”
Aspiring entrepreneurs should apply this approach to their own lives, even if it’s just planning out the ideal workday.
Step Away and Recharge
Top performers always seem to be on the phone, in a meeting, or glued to the computer monitor. Work takes up a huge portion of their day, but they’re also very diligent about blocking out time to take breathers every few hours.
“Every day, find a way to get outside and refresh yourself,” said Andrew Pires, Owner of The Maskie. “Successful people stay determined and push themselves, but also listen to their bodies and minds. Always access when it is time to step away from the computer screen and let your thoughts flow. You will be shocked to see the difference it makes to take a breather then go back to work. If you want true success this is the best way to achieve it. No one was successful with a poor mental and physical mindset.”
The next time you’re stuck on a task and the gears lock up, try this tactic to get a jumpstart.
Master the Basics
The difference between a slow, relaxed morning and a last-minute scramble out the door is night and day. We’ve all had both types of experiences, and you can probably guess which one is better for staying on top of a high-stakes business operation.
“I wake up at least an hour or two before I’m expected to start work in order to eat a healthy workout, read, and eat a healthy breakfast with my family,” Dr. Tzur Gabi, Co-Founder of Caligenix. “My morning workout is often yoga, followed by a brief meditation to set my intentions for the day. I then either read the newspaper or a book for leisure to activate my mind and my creative problem-solving skills. Finally, I believe that spending time with the people I love is of the utmost importance, and I make an effort to spend at least part of my morning eating breakfast with them.”
You don’t need a perfect morning routine – just something simple that can be replicated and get you going every time.
Run the Numbers
When you’ve got administrative stuff hanging over your head, it’s going to slow down your creative process and prevent you from being fully in the moment.
Even if you think you can compartmentalize – blaze through those background tasks and you’ll see the power of pure focus for yourself.
“One daily ritual that helps me stay focused, motivated, and improves my overall productivity is to be sure that my financials are in order,” said Josh Stomel, Founder of Turbo Finance. “Keeping on top of revenue and spending can actually reduce stress, as well as the anxiety of rushing to organize your budget when necessary. As with anything in business, if you stay one step ahead, you can be prepared for just about anything.”
Delegate if you must, but a clear mind will always outperform one held back by busywork.
Embrace Positivity
Until you banish negativity from your life entirely, there will always be some lingering doubt or insecurity that holds you back from peak performance.
The best in the world don’t allow negative thinking to even get through the front door, and they’re relentlessly positive in everything they do. It’s non-negotiable!
“Success is a mindset,” said Elias Janetis, CEO and Founder of Squeeze. “Let positivity into your life and embrace an attitude of gratitude. Start your mornings by writing in a gratitude journal, meditating, or doing an at-home yoga class to begin your day with grateful thoughts. This will set the stage for the rest of your day, preparing you to make grounded decisions with good intentions. Once you’re happy with what you have, you’ll be ready to evolve towards what you want.”
You may not have the life you want right now, but positivity will help you get there.
Stick to a Game Plan
It might be raining out for the fifth day in a row, or maybe you just had an argument with a friend. Even when things seem dreary, you need to set a plan of action each day and commit to completing everything on your checklist. That’s the only way forward.
“Highly successful people seem to be more productive when they stick to a plan,” said Jared Zabaldo, Founder of USAMM. “So, scheduling out your day, even when it comes to small tasks, can be the key to overall efficiency. And if you’re working remotely, even pencil in your breaks and free time, as to avoid burnout.”
If you can write it down in a schedule and cross it off with a pen, that’s a huge mental boost of motivation, even if it isn’t a mission-critical task.
Keep Pushing Forward
Emotion can be your best friend in the entrepreneurial game – or your worst enemy. Learn to invite emotions like optimism and energy while eliminating any feelings that slow your down.
“Successful people have completely mastered the art of hustling,” said Jordan Dwayne, CEO and Founder of 6ixIce. “It may feel as if there’s never enough time in the day - because there isn’t. However, being tenacious and refusing to stand still will ensure that you’re not just on top of things - but ahead of the game.”
You won’t always feel like hustling, but simply getting started at the beginning of the day can help you conquer those emotions that hold others back.
Focus on Yourself
Every great entrepreneur has dealt with their fair share of doubters and haters. That just comes with the territory.
The way to overcome those influences is to stay focused on your vision and do everything in your power to make it happen – no matter what other people may say.
“Your success is your own vision brought to life, and not based on the expectations of others,” said Liz Eddy, Co-Founder & CEO of Lantern. “Team members and coworkers will hold you to a high standard, but at the end of the day, you’re the one who needs to push yourself and stay focused. Make it a competition with yourself to achieve amazing things.”
Once you realize it’s a game of “you versus you” things change massively for the better.
Balance Work and Play
You may be surprised to hear that the world’s top performers are fully tapped into their inner childlike curiosity. They may be tech geniuses or marketing experts, but they always make time to have fun during the day and enjoy some playful activities to stay dynamic and light.
“There are footballs, golf balls, softballs, chess boards, Legos—everything a curious kid could dream of—covering our office space,” said Dan Hogan, Founder and CEO of Medalogix. “Whenever I’m stuck on an idea, I play a quick game of catch or build a Lego house to give my brain a breather. Then it’s back to the drawing board. I encourage my team to do the same thing, too. Just like any muscle, your brain needs a recovery session after a tough workout.”
Don’t just bang your head against the wall in hopes of getting through difficult periods of work. Take a break, have some fun, and return to the job when you’re re-energized.
Just Get Started
For so many of us, those first twenty minutes of the day can make or break our entire outlook. Even when every bone in your body tells you to hit the snooze button, power through, and gain some momentum as soon as possible. It’s downhill from there.
“The hardest part is getting started,” said John Scheer, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Herman-Scheer. “That goes for small tasks, team projects, and entire businesses. Once you get moving, things get easier. Set out challenging yet attainable goals every day, week, and month so that you stay on track and keep that positive momentum.”
By the end of a long, hard day, you’ll look at what you’ve accomplished and remind yourself that you’re capable of any challenge that stands in your way.
Stop overthinking it and just get started!
Treat Yourself Well
A huge portion of the population is not performing to their full ability. They use crutches like caffeine, junk food, and other substances to stay focused and keep going. These things might offer a small boost for a moment, but the crash is not worth it.
Instead, create a balanced, healthy life that gives you boundless energy and the positive outlook required to overcome the toughest challenges in the workplace and beyond.
“I know the power of self-care first hand, and it’s so essential when you’re taking on a new challenge in life or starting a business from scratch,” said Jason Wong, CEO & Founder of Doe Lashes. “So many people burn out because they forget to look after their physical health and mental well-being. The importance of good eating, exercise, relaxation, and fun can’t be understated.”
Getting rid of those crutches won’t be easy, but remember that you’ll feel 100% better on the other side.
Find Your Own Flow
You can watch all the “morning routine YouTube videos” and read books from the best lifestyle gurus, but unless you actually implement these practices, you’re going to miss out on the benefits in full.
“Realize that there is no cookie-cutter routine or ritual that everyone can follow to find success,” said Derin Oyekan, Co-Founder of Reel Paper. “Some people like to work late and sleep in, and others like to get moving before the sun comes up. Experiment with every type of approach and build a routine that matches your strengths and maximizes your output.”
Be your own scientist! Try different approaches to the morning ritual and stick with what works.
Be Resourceful
Roll the clock back to just twenty years ago and you might wonder how people got things done at work. We have so many incredible technologies to help us optimize our daily routines – there’s no excuse for not being at the top of your game.
“Use all the tools at your disposal to streamline and speed up your tasks every day, especially in the morning,” said Alex Keyan, CEO & Founder of GoPure Beauty. “You’re going to have a ton of busywork that can either be automated or outsourced, so figure out how to make that happen using apps or through delegation. The sooner you can get that stuff out of the way, the more you can lean into important creative work that moves the dial.”
Adopt some productivity software to speed things up and track your output. That’s how you outcompete and outperform in the modern world.
Connect and Coordinate
Checking into work and starting on your task list is all good, but connecting with teammates beforehand is important for grounding you in reality - and reminding you of your role in the greater scheme of the business.
“I like to connect with my team first thing in the morning to touch base and see where everyone is at,” said Aylon Steinhart, CEO and Founder of Eclipse Foods. “This is huge for accountability and making sure we’re all on the same page. Once I know that everybody is geared up and ready to work, I feel more confident and focused for the day ahead.”
Just shoot a quick message to coworkers to see how they’re doing and if you can pitch in. They will appreciate it more than you know.
Expand Networks
Thanks to the Internet, there is never a bad time to network. Shoot out some emails on your lunch break, comment on some social network posts, or just make an effort to shake hands with somebody new at the office.
No need to be salesy or pushy. Just reach out. These practices will compound massively over time and give you a wide, powerful network.
“Successful people are always networking, as it’s not only imperative for building relationships and perhaps collaborations down the line, but it is an important building block for brand recognition,” said Heidi Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of Because Market. “The more leaders you can connect with, the more opportunities you have to discuss your brand and bring up topics and ideas that will make you (and your company) memorable.”
Ease into Things
Is your current morning routine getting more complicated every day? More supplements, more apps, more exercises, more reading – it’s sometimes counterproductive to do so much when you first wake up. Make things easy on yourself and stick with the essentials.
“Optimizing your routine is all about stripping things away, not adding more to the mix,” said Darren Litt, CEO of Marketer Hire. “In the morning, the mind and body take some time to warm up, and rushing things will throw you off for the whole day. Allow yourself that extra half-hour with coffee to just sit, chill, and visualize what needs to be done before diving in.”
If your morning routine is short, sweet, and effective, don’t mess with it too much!
Try Something New
When you’re comfortable with a routine and want to spice things up, then you can start to add new things to the mix. Maybe you go for a morning walk in nature or check out a coffee shop in a different part of the city. This keeps the mind sharp and may give you some bright ideas.
You also never know who you might meet on the way.
“Every day, I force myself to do something that is out of my comfort zone,” said Raaja Nemani, Co-Founder and CEO of BucketFeet. “If I hadn’t left my comfort zone back in 2008 to buy that one-way ticket to Buenos Aires, I never would have met my business partner, Aaron Firestein, and BucketFeet would never exist.”
Amplify the Body and Mind
There are a few common threads found in the most effective morning routines. Gratitude seems to be super important for the top performers on earth. So does exercise, reading, and a bit of relaxation.
Check out this routine from one of the masters and see what an optimal morning looks like!
“Movement, proper nutrition, and a quick dose of positive thinking are all daily habits that help me to manage my day to day,” said Dr. Livingood, CEO & Founder of Drlivingood.com. “Every morning, I spend 2 minutes thinking about all things I am grateful for. One cannot be stressed and grateful at the same time. This sets the tone for the day. After my gratitude practice, I get 10-20 minutes of high intensity exercise. The higher the intensity the more energy throughout the day. During exercise, I prepare my mind for a productive day by listening to an entrepreneurial podcast or an audiobook. (Pro tip: listen on 1.5 or 2x speed to take in more valuable content!) Following my exercise, I eat no or a light breakfast. I like having green juice or a bulletproof coffee to fuel my body with rocket fuel to start the day. Lastly, I remind myself to go make it a great day, I might as well because I'll never get it back!”
Maybe you won’t check all those boxes every morning, but it’s something to strive for.
Prioritize Top Tasks
Business leaders have a lot on their plate every day, and it can be overwhelming if they don’t prioritize the most important tasks upfront. Maybe they’ll delegate other tasks or save them for tomorrow. The key is getting the toughest, most time-sensitive tasks done first.
“Strategically delegating, not only my time but the tasks that require top priority within the day to day of running and growing my business is an art form I attempt to master every day,” said Tyler Forte, CEO & Founder of Felix Homes. “Some days are easier than others but with efficient communication and support from my team, I am able to delegate effectively and focus most of my time and attention on growing my business.”
Do you plan to be the next great entrepreneur in your field? Maybe you just want to optimize your routine for more energy and output each day? These tips will help you get more out of life no matter what your goals are.
