Marcel Deer
Ever wonder what successful people get up to when they’re alone?
I’ve always imagined that CEOs and business owners are constantly negotiating deals or delegating responsibilities.
While these are all true, not every move to reach and maintain success is a big one. And they definitely have a life!
In fact, there are 10 things successful people do when no one’s watching that help them stay cool, calm, and collected.
Maybe you can incorporate a few of their secrets to improve your day or even your year! Let’s check them out below.
1) They create a routine.
Nobody wakes up in the morning and just expects to be successful. It’s a constant work in progress, which means that all of the action doesn’t only happen at the office.
Successful people prefer to live a structured life, so each day is planned to avoid procrastination and any behaviors that are considered unproductive.
They’ll get up before 9 a.m., even on the weekend, without hitting the snooze button!
For the most part, they’ll stick to a schedule that provides a good work-life balance. This can involve a weekly fitness routine or ensuring that they have time off to spend with loved ones.
It’s all about creating balance.
I know that people who are successful work incredibly hard, but they don’t get to a point where they’ve spread themselves so thin that they reach burnout.
So, from the outside looking in, you’d think that they have a personal assistant or organizer to help them stay on schedule. In reality, they’re constantly creating routines to suit their lifestyles, and they’re very disciplined about sticking to them.
2) They learn from their environment.
Being successful in life is all about learning, whether that involves courses to continuously develop one’s skills or learning from seniors in their professional industries.
What many people don’t realize is that successful individuals are always looking for opportunities to learn.
We all know that education is essential, but there are some things in life that you cannot extract from a book.
They adopt the attitude that most people they come across can teach them something if they ask the right questions.
They don’t sit back and wait for knowledge to come to them.
Go-getters will stay updated on world news and current affairs by reading the paper or streaming a report before bed.
If they’re traveling by air or preparing dinner, they’ll listen to an informative podcast.
You definitely won’t catch a successful person wasting time by spending hours watching meaningless media or engaging in office gossip.
It’s all about using their spare time productively and satisfying their curiosity to learn.
3) They live frugally.
When you reach the heights of success, you would imagine that spending is no big issue. You wouldn’t be wrong to have an impression of extravagant dinners and luxury cars, but if truth be told, most business-minded individuals live quite frugally.
They’re conscientious about their expenditures, and they understand the value of things.
When no one’s watching, successful people would rather spend $300 than $3000 on something they want.
They live well, but it’s not about always splurging because they have the financial means.
By living frugally, they are mindful about how they spend their money. It may only sometimes involve cutting costs, but they always focus on maintaining their net worth.
4) They motivate themselves.
You’d think that once you’re successful, motivation comes naturally.
Well, think again.
Behind closed doors, high achievers will do things to keep themselves motivated and pushing forward.
They look for inspiration in everyday things, from reading a self-help book and listening to a podcast to pursuing activities outside of their comfort zone.
By keeping their minds busy and their lives fulfilled, it’s easier to stay motivated to maintain success.
If you’re thinking of ways to reach new heights of your own, how do you keep yourself motivated?
Staying on track to reaching your goals can be filled with lows and highs, so if there’s anything that you take away from things successful people do, it’s finding ways to keep your eyes focused on your achievements.
5) They show gratitude.
We’re not always thankful for what we have, especially when we’re going through challenges, yet some of the most successful people in the world, like Oprah and Richard Branson, emphasize how being grateful got them to where they are.
Yes, they work hard, and most of them have put every fiber of their being into achieving their dreams, but it’s not without being appreciative of how they got there.
When no one’s watching, successful people practice mindfulness by reminding themselves of what’s essential. This can include a few minutes each day praying, meditating, or showing the people closest to them their love and appreciation.
I get their way of thinking, and I definitely respect it.
If you can be grateful, you can see mistakes as learning curves rather than failures. Being grateful puts things into perspective and can help you continue to climb up the ladder.
6) They’re constantly reading.
If successful people aren’t running a boardroom meeting or working on their next big idea, they’re reading.
In their spare time, whether a few minutes before going to sleep or while sitting on a plane or bus, they’ll grab the local paper or pull out a good book.
With every opportunity, they are learning and progressing by broadening their ways of thinking.
Knowledge is power, and they know this.
You might be under the impression that people who reach success are only focused on their jobs and advancing their careers.
While this may partly be true, in between checking those reports, they always have their noses in a book, newspaper, or digital news on their tablet.
7) They think of ways to give back.
Staying involved in community projects is what most high-achieving individuals hold close to their hearts. They’re aware that life is all about balance, and by giving back, they share their success with others who appreciate it and need it the most.
Some individuals give back by participating in local school programs or making motivational speeches at universities.
Others participate in global events that help them learn about different cultures and business perspectives by listening to the opinions of people in their industry.
Many wealthy and business-oriented people don’t always give back by making a big show of it.
They support community programs and initiatives they love, which helps them stay grounded while feeling purposeful in life.
8) They focus on friends and family.
Successful people lead busy lives; there’s no doubt about that. To help them stay grounded and connected to the people they love, they prioritize their family and friends.
What they do is take the time to have meaningful conversations that don’t involve their career, future plans, or work life.
We can all take a page out of their book.
Sitting at the dinner table and putting your phone away so you can be attentive is the start.
Most importantly, making time, even when you have a hectic schedule, helps you strengthen meaningful relationships.
Another aspect of a successful person’s life that you may not realize is that they only align themselves with like-minded people.
When you have a goal-oriented mindset, you ditch the people who don’t support you.
9) They have a to-do list.
When no one’s watching, successful people take some time out of their day to create a to-do list.
Whether by pen and paper or using an application on their smartphone, high achievers are always looking for ways to stay organized.
Their to-do list is simple yet effective at preventing distractions, and it keeps them on track to reaching their goals.
They’ll prepare these lists on their smartphones or by journaling at night when regular people, like you and I, are getting ready to sleep!
They’ll sit down and make note of everything that needs to get done the next day. Or they’ll speak out loud while they’re alone, taking mental notes rather than written ones.
It’s as if they never stop working.
But a lot of them do this to ease the anxiety they feel when faced with a jam-packed calendar!
I can definitely try a to-do list because heaven knows I don’t always remember what I have to get done, but the trick is to stay disciplined enough to stick to it.
10) They don’t forget to appreciate simple things.
You wouldn’t expect the CEO of a company to take a few minutes to listen to the birds sing or to find time to practice meditation.
You wouldn’t expect them to take note of the small things around them because they have such a stressful and busy schedule.
Yet they do.
A successful person needs time out too.
So, in between their meetings, reports, and other “to-do’s,” they pay attention to their environment. They find a moment to gather their thoughts so that they’re mentally recharged for the remainder of the day.
Whether this involves a short walk or privately journaling their ideas and emotions, they’re always perceptive, looking inward, and never forget to appreciate the little things.
Final words
From developing healthy habits and talking to themselves to creating a personal routine, there are a few things that some of the most successful people do that we don’t necessarily pay attention to.
I must admit, I was expecting extravagance and tight schedules. I certainly didn’t think that success included a daily to-do list or a walk in the park!
I guess it’s all about consistency and never falling short of your goals.
Let’s all try to do some of the little yet powerful things that can help us achieve success too.
