These are the habits that billionaires share

01/07/2019

When you think about what makes a person successful, you may think about intelligence, ingenuity or possibly even luck. But one researcher went deeper to find out what self-made billionaires really have in common.

While writing his book, “The Billion Dollar Secret”, author Rafael Badziag interviewed 21 billionaires and conducted research into their lives and companies.

He was surprised to find that all those he interviewed shared the same interesting habits that he believes has helped contribute to their success.

1. Waking up early

You’ve probably heard stories before of famous entrepreneurs who get up unappealingly early, from Richard Branson’s 5:45 wake up call to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who wakes up at dawn and sets off for a 6 mile run.

But it seems it’s not just the odd extremist who relies on this yawn inducing routine. Badziag claims that, on average, the billionaires woke up at 5:30am.

They are also said to claim this habit is crucial to their success, making them more productive and energetic.

Time to set that alarm!

2. Staying healthy

Although the classic image of a successful businessman may portray a whisky in hand and a case of cigars in the top drawer, all the billionaires Badziag interviewed opt for a much healthier lifestyle.

All are said to have a strict exercise regime, be it running or going to the gym regularly.

Many also include sport in their routine and had been athletes in their younger days. Badziag believes this involvement in sport could bring many benefits, such as energy and mental strength, discipline, persistence and a strong will to succeed.

As well as exercise the billionaires undertook activities such as meditation, abstained from smoking and ate a healthy diet.

3. Reading

Although sitting behind your desk with a good book and a cuppa while the money just rolls in sounds like a fantasy, it’s not that far from what these billionaires get up to.

Almost all the billionaires interviewed said they read regularly, although most opted for national dailies, industry magazines and business books rather than the latest Stephen King novel while they were at work.

Whatever they happen to be reading, the consensus was to read something in which you find value and developing reading everyday as a habit.

4. Contemplation

Although this is probably a harder habit to develop, Badziag found that billionaires often took time alone to think deeply. This could be time that’s incorporated into their meditation or fitness routine.

It makes sense that taking the appropriate time to think over big decisions can be beneficial, but on top of this generally thinking over your day was important. What went well? What could you have done differently? Were there any opportunities you missed?

You could also ask yourself questions to inspire yourself and figure out how you truly feel. Some of the questions that the billionaires asked themselves included “What can I do to make more money?”, “Does my job make me happy?” and “What other charities can I get involved in?”

5. Routines and rituals

The interviews suggested that routines and rituals could create significant results in the long term, provided they were employed consistently.

Nearly all of the billionaires had a strict morning routine that they didn’t deviate from, and most of the time these included the four habits listed above.

They were also likely to carry this structure into the office, where most would follow the same routine as they started their day at work.

6. Discipline

This could well be the key to how successfully you build all the previous habits. It allows you to apply yourself consistently in order to get things done.

As well as having a high standard for themselves, Badziag also observed the high standard the billionaires held for those around them. He noted that the way they combat the natural feeling of laziness was to be aware of them and take on the struggle every time to prevent themselves from slacking.

Do you think working on any of these habits could help you succeed? Or perhaps you feel another habit helped guide you to success? We’d love to get your feedback in the comments below!