Have you ever looked at a successful person and wondered where they got their secret sauce of success?
Hey Moguls, Preston Ely here, and I’m here to tell you that secret sauce is actually 10 traits successful people live by. So if you’re serious about succeeding, take these 10 traits as law.
Last time we covered 5 laws to succeed by, including how to develop passion and determination that guarantee you success. Missed it? Check out Laws 1-5 here.
Now it’s time for the final 5.
Law #6 Work Hard
Putting in your 8 hours isn’t enough. If you aren’t making money, you’re not doing your job – you’re wasting your time. When I first got started in real estate, I was totally focused on Operation Get Money.
But 9 times out of 10, if you’re not bringing money in, you’re just not doing anything. Most people are going through the motions with their work. They’re tricking themselves into thinking they’re working hard. They’re putting their time in but nothing’s happening.
You need your own Operation Get Money. And if money is not coming in, you’re losing. Make winning your priority until the money’s coming in.
Now, it’s not all about money… unless you don’t have any. Money is the gateway to providing for your kids and supporting your family. Money allows you to make your dreams realities.
Part of working hard is getting things done the right away.
When I start a new thing, it’s got to get done right now. Never tell yourself you’re going to get it done next week. When I’m working, I’m always working at 80 miles an hour. You’ve got to be passionate about what you do.
“If everything’s under control, you’re going too slow.”
~Mario Andretti
Law #7 Work Effectively
Okay, so work hard, yes. But it’s not working hard alone that will make you successful. It’s hard, effective work that gets it done. This is one of the big distinctions between people who make it and people who don’t.
Your work has to be effective.
So here’s how you can be effective... when you’re looking at your to-do list, you do whatever brings in the most money first.
Don’t check your email. No multitasking. You’ve got to be focused. Make your to-do list at night before you go to bed. Your subconscious will figure out how to get it all done in your sleep.
Also, be realistic. Don’t put more than 6 things on your to-do list for the next day. You probably won’t be able to get more than that done. You want to check everything off your list to keep yourself positive.
“We may be very busy, we may be very efficient, but we will also be truly effective only when we begin with the end in mind.”
~Stephen R Covey
Law #8 Integrity
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin now.”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Be bold. Take risks.
When you take a risk, that risk has a certain momentum that carries things forward.
If you know the only way to reach your goals is to take a risk, then go for it. You can make that decision confidently because risks do often pay off (when they’re paired with hard, effective work) and because if you don’t take that risk, then you’re sure never to reach your goal.
“Screw it; let’s do it.”
~Sir Richard Branson
Law #10 Energy
Energy is about concern. It takes thoughtfulness and planning.
You need to be intentional about caring for yourself physically to keep up your physical energy:
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Get enough sleep
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Exercise regularly
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Eat well
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Drink enough water
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Limit sugar, alcohol and tobacco
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Take a multi-vitamin
You also need to make choices that keep you healthy mentally, emotionally and spiritually:
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Live morally
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Forgive
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Consider your ultimate motivations
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Practice positive thinking
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Give to charity
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Use your gifts
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Live in the present
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Listen to and make music
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Believe in yourself
Don’t forget about the energy that comes from relationships. Make time to engage with the positive people around you, including people who inspire and challenge you.
And remember to take time off to recharge. Work hard when it’s time to work, but don’t be afraid to rest too.
“The key is not to manage time. It’s to manage your energy.”
~Tony Schwartz
Whatcha Think?
What secret habits have you noticed in the successful people around you? Let me know below.
1. Do hard, effective work – do what makes you money first and don’t stop working until that money is coming in the door.
2. Show integrity in everything you do.
3. Take risks to reach your goals.
4. Keep up your energy by making intentional choices to care for yourself.
Preston Ely
is a real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, life coach, musician and philanthropist. CEO of Real Freedom, Inc, one of the most influential internet-based information publishers in the world, owns the largest Anytime Fitness Gym in the United States, is recording a music album with Atlantic Records, sits on the board of Advocates Of Love Orphanage, and has a non-profit charity assisting the poor and oppressed in Cuba with both their physical and spiritual needs.
With over 200,000 subscribers to his email newsletter, he is rapidly fulfilling his mission on earth, which is to glorify God by setting people physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually free through his music and his message of FREEDOM. Preston is 37 years old, lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Ashley, where he spends most of his time reading, writing, and practicing mixed martial arts.