I recently received an email asking what habits have made me successful and wealthy. I started to think about this because whenever you hear people discussing success and related habits, you hear about them getting up at 5:00 a.m., reading tons of books, and other things that are not reality.
That said, I’d like to share some of my habits, some of which can be weird. These habits set you up for success and lead to a stronger mindset. These, in turn, will lead to more opportunities because you’re willing to take chances and risks. All of this translates into making more money.
My weird habits for success
- Being selfish. When it comes to my time, I am selfish. I am obsessively selfish, specifically regarding my exercise and fitness. If I don’t start my day with cardio or working out, I am sh!t the rest of the day. My mind isn’t right, so fitness is not negotiable. I don’t schedule meetings or calls during that time. I also have a strict schedule to the point that I am boring. I am a creature of habit that does the same thing every single day, and it never changes. I genuinely feel like this is one of the things that has allowed me to be super successful because I am boring.
- Being a homebody. I don’t go out with my friends, I don’t party, and I don’t drink alcohol. Refraining from alcohol is one of the reasons I’ve been successful. Consistently engaging in self-destructive behavior, whether it’s looking at p^rn, drinking, smoking, or smoking weed, you’re not at your best. You will become more successful when you eliminate self-destructive behaviors.
- Who I am associating with. (a) Finding the right woman has helped me. I’ve been with her for 20 years and am the luckiest guy in the world. I am with somebody who can deal with me and who loves me. We are not perfect, but we are perfect together. When you stop chasing girls, you can focus and not think about women. When I was thinking about women, I was running around, drinking a lot, and going out all the time. I was always looking for dates through online dating services, which was all-consuming. When you take all of that off the table, you can focus on other things that matter. (b) Having better friends. Who you surround yourself with (your tribe) makes a huge difference in helping you move in a positive direction, facilitate healthy conversations, and inspire you to improve. Shed the dead weight of those who pull you down and hold you back.
- Taking risks. I am willing to take risks, and if you ever expect to be successful, you also need to push down that fear and negative voice in the back of your head. One of my biggest motivators is trying to prove something to my young and insecure self. I have started over 20 businesses, and some of them have failed. Some are successful, such as Pete & Pedro, making $10 million this year. My newest venture, White Label Mpire, features a community where I am helping people start businesses. I am making millionaires in that group, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I welcome you if you’d like to join us.
- Not waiting for perfect timing. There is no such thing as perfect timing — and you can never fully be prepared. If you want it, go get it. Jump! Success happens to those who take action versus people who just think about it. Sure, don’t take uncalculated risks, but you need to trust yourself at some point and be willing to take control of your life. Successful people are not the ones who play it safe. They take more significant risks for the bigger reward. Nothing great was ever accomplished because it was easy or safe. Get uncomfortable.
- Being uncomfortable. Whenever everything is going well, I need to do something different because I know I’m not being challenged whenever I feel complacent. I love to have hardship, and that has helped me. I love to embrace being uncomfortable, and it makes me dig deep. I refocus.
- Working every day. I want to debunk a myth. It says that once you find something you love doing, you’ll never work another day. That’s crap. I love what I do, but I work every day. I also try not to mess things up. I always look at myself in the mirror when I get up and say the same thing: don’t f^ck it up today. Every one of us is one or two bad decisions from being broke or in jail. Every day, I’m thankful I’m happy and healthy, and I remember my failures. I feel that if I don’t keep running every day, my failures will catch up with me. I know this is a bit weird and twisted, but that is the fire and passion that keeps me motivated.
- Being vain. I care tremendously about my looks; many think it’s self-centered. But it makes me feel good about myself and puts me ahead of others. Life is competitive, and it’s never been a more competitive time. You need every advantage because competition is coming to eat your lunch. I care about my personal packaging, including style, grooming, body language, and appearance. When you start dressing better, it’s a sign of respect. It means you respect yourself & others and demonstrates you can be taken seriously. Look, if two people show up for the same job, and one is dressed well and is groomed while the other is not, who do you think gets the job, even if the sloppy guy is a little more qualified? And who do you think gets the girl? If you take care of yourself, you get the advantages.
