A “successful life” will hold a different meaning for each of us. What makes it a success is determined by the goals, dreams, aspirations you have in your mind and heart. Having a successful life starts with beating your doubt, fear, and self-limiting beliefs, and getting honest about the kind of life you want to live.

Too often, we wait for permission to take action on the changes we would like to make in our life. For 12 years, I waited for all the stars to align before I took the first steps towards a better life. It took three years of doing things that I long believed were impossible to achieve what success means to me.

If we could define a successful life in one word, that word would be freedom. Each of us longs to live life by our design. We long for the freedom to live each day—and each moment—the way we want to live it. If you are going to achieve freedom in your life, if you’re going to find success, you’re going to have to develop the right habits.

Quick wins aren’t real change. Changing your habits leads to lasting success in your life.

Here are five habits, that if worked on daily, will lead you to whatever a successful life means to you:

1. Continuing to Learn

Brendan Burchard wisely said, “An expert is a student first.” While there are too many cases of information overload happening today, the right knowledge can significantly increase your progress in life. It’s time to immerse yourself in great books, podcasts, and videos that motivate you to chase bigger dreams.

We live in a time with unparalleled access. We have access to all the information we need to help every area of our life. Develop a habit of continuing to learn from the places that will help your next steps in your journey to a successful life.

2. Maintaining Your Health

Your health has a positive or negative effect on every area of your life. The way your mind and body feels can be directly traced to the things you eat. Your food choices will affect how you live and how you achieve success. Exercise is a great way to stay in shape, get more energy, and vent out any frustration. Maintaining your health will pay dividends and is a habit that leads to success.

3. Purging Negativity

Deciding to make big changes in your life is hard. The journey is compounded when you add negative people or habits. Negativity will convince you that your self-limiting beliefs are right. Negative people are struggling with different areas of their life and project their struggles onto you.

To experience success in your life, you have to stay away and be on guard against the effects negativity can have on you. Make it a habit to purge negativity and surround yourself with love and positivity.

4. Embracing Failure

The standard view of failure is typically negative—it doesn’t have to be. Failure can mean that the current way you tried something doesn’t work, and you just need to adjust your approach. Failure means that you are trying something—that you’re taking action. Too many people will stay stuck because they’re afraid to fail.

If you think about it, that can be one of life’s biggest failures. Embrace failure, if you are taking action towards a better and successful life. Make embracing failure a habit because it means you’re consistently taking the necessary steps towards success.

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

5. Choosing to Live Instead of Exist

Life can be a lot of the same old, same old. We get stuck in routines, and our lives almost become one giant checklist. As we live each year without making the changes or living the kind of life we want to live, we end up existing in life.

Truly living doesn’t mean traveling the world and jumping off of cliffs in some cool country—unless that’s your dream. It means that you don’t settle for a good enough life when you could be living your dream. Make it a habit to truly live each day as if it were your last because it might be.

“Are you truly living, or just breathing?” – Jensen Siaw

I didn’t get any lucky breaks. I didn’t win the lottery or get a big inheritance. I worked hard on creating these habits in my life and took focused action for three years. Today I wake living my dream life and what a successful life means to me. I wake up each day determined to keep building on the progress I’ve made.

You can do this. You can create healthy habits that lead to an incredible life. You can wake up each day happy, knowing you’re living the kind of life you’ve always dreamed of living. It will be hard. It will take time—maybe a lot of time. But, it will be worth it to spend each day living life on your terms. You’ve got this!

What habits are you working on that are leading you towards success?