Daily habits of success

If you want to become a successful professional, you need to start when you are still young and be willing to change your habits for the best. Check out my top 10 tips to become a young high-achiever below.

1. Be goal-oriented

Never forget your final aim. If you remind yourself of your final goal, it will be easier to face any obstacles and overcome them. Write it on a big poster in your bedroom or on a set of post-its and stick them on your laptop.

2. The key to success is action

Put into practice whatever you wish or plan to do. Musing, speculation and overthinking are banned. Just do it!

3. Be organised and self-disciplined

Schedule what you need to do to achieve your goals and behave diligently to achieve them. Without planning and self-control, any big enterprise is doomed to fail.

4. Take care of your health

If your body cannot function properly, you brain shuts down. Following a healthy diet, exercising and sleeping properly can significantly improve study performance.

5. Learn to prioritise and avoid distractions

Learn to detect which tasks are urgent and important and do those first. Force yourself to stay away from social media for a set amount of time, especially during those hours of the day when you feel you are more productive. You can always find time for the activities you enjoy doing. It is more difficult to perform your duties when you do not feel like doing them.

6. Be social and network

Two brains work better than one if they are on the same wavelength and share the same goals. There is always something you can learn from people around you. They can be a good source of inspiration, motivation and support. Never forget that.

7. Stay humble and never stop learning.

You must be ambitious but not without being aware that the path to success is long and you need to always be respectful and eager to improve your knowledge along the way. There is always someone who knows a bit more than you do and can make you a better person in some respects. Just learn to listen to any good advice or constructive criticism you might get and make the most of it.

8. Stay focused and be resilient

Great achievements take time. You need to figure out ways to self-motivate yourself when challenging and demanding times come. You need to train yourself to be patient and not give up, no matter what. You need to figure out strategies that work for you when you have a hard time that can help you overcome any hindrances you might come across.

9. Take breaks

You are a human being, not a robot. You cannot work 24/7 and pretend to perform at peak levels all the time. Putting your work on hold and taking some time off to recharge the batteries can be as beneficial as your most productive working time.

10. Reward yourself from time to time and celebrate small achievements

Science shows that when you feel happy, rewarded and fulfilled, you are much better prepared to undertake additional challenges. Flows of contentment can boost productivity, be extremely beneficial for your persona and help you achieve high-quality results.

Francesca Masiero, PhD student in Italian in the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS)