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Success Advice

14 Habits That’ll Take You From Ordinary to Exceptional

By embracing these transformative habits and techniques, you’re orchestrating a future where your potential knows no bounds.

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In a world brimming with untapped potential, the journey from the ordinary to the extraordinary is paved with unique habits and transformative practices.

This journey isn’t just about reaching new heights; it’s about discovering and unlocking the hidden chambers of your own potential. Each step taken is a step closer to greatness, a greatness that lies dormant within us all, waiting to be awakened.

In this exploration, we delve into the core habits that distinguish inspiring individuals from the rest, providing you with the tools and insights needed to embark on this life-changing path.

1. Be an Early Riser

Rise early in the morning as it is the time the human mind is highly productive and creative with fresh thoughts. It is like starting on a clean slate. You find total tranquility and peace in the morning. You don’t find any distractions. Hence, you can concentrate well. It helps schedule your activities to roll out effectively as you have a fixed time at your disposal.   

2. Follow Your Heart

Find out your passions and follow them. Unfortunately, people follow others’ passions and fail miserably. You must find out your strengths and concerns, capitalize on your strengths, and overcome concerns to achieve big in your life. Passion can take you to greater heights of success.

When you work in your passionate areas, you don’t know how you spend your time and life. Your work doesn’t become boring but it becomes inspiring thus getting the best out of it. Some people chase money ignoring their passions and fail finally. The truth is that when you follow your passion the money will follow you automatically.  

3. Acquire Attitude

In the twentieth century, a lot of research was done on successful people to understand what made them extraordinary achievers.  It showed that the attitude was the main thing. It is your attitude that determines the altitude of your success. People can support you if you have the right attitude.

Employers prefer attitude over experience during employment interviews. 

4. Visualize Yourself

Understand the power of visualization. Learn how to visualize success. You must visualize yourself as a successful person. It is rightly said that a battle is won twice — first in mind and second in reality. That means you will have a mental script first and then roll out the real script. Hence, visualization is the crucial thing to achieving great success. You can become the way you want to become if you visualize yourself the way you want to be. 

5. Strengthen Your Subconscious Mind

We operate 95 percent from our subconscious minds and 5 percent from our conscious minds. To strengthen your subconscious mind, give positive commands 30 minutes before you go to bed. A study shows that when we go to sleep our conscious mind clicks off and our subconscious mind clicks on and begins to entertain itself during the rest of the sleep.

What we did in our last 30 minutes we replayed 15-17 times during the night. Hence, you can understand the importance of giving commands and giving instructions on the way you want to become in your life. 

6. Improve Your Concentration

Light the candle in a dark room, and observe the flame for a few seconds without any distractions to you to enhance your concentration. When you practice this for a few days, you will be amazed to find yourself with an improved concentration. 

7. Use Your Inner Dialogue Effectively

All human beings have dialogue within themselves throughout the waking hours which is known as ‘inner dialogue’ or ‘self-talk’. This is the most powerful one when you use it effectively. However, it becomes a noise when you don’t listen to others during the conversation. We can use it effectively throughout the day by practicing or thinking about good things. You can use your inner dialogue during your leisure time and traveling time on your goals to succeed greatly. 

You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell

8. Write and Burn the Paper

It is often tough to forget unpleasant experiences and events. But here is a solution where you can get out of them. When you get negative thoughts frequently or when you are angry with someone, write it on a piece of paper and burn it. When you write on paper, you vent out your feelings and relieve yourself from negative people and thoughts. When you burn, you put an end to them. 

9. Acquire Internal Locus of Control

The internal locus is all about taking responsibility for success, and the external locus of control is all about blaming the external forces and factors for failures. Internal locus is about taking action and responsibility for the consequences. It is about making things happen.  When you look at leaders, they possess an internal locus of control as they take responsibility for their actions. 

10. Practice the’ Winner and Mirror’ Method

Whenever you are depressed, go inside the room and lock it. Stand in front of the mirror, smile, and shout ‘I am the winner’ for a few minutes. You get back to normalcy and stay motivated. When you see your smiling face in the mirror you enjoy looking at your face. Secondly, since you locked the room you hear the echo of your voice loudly and it reinforces your mind with positive inputs. It is like having audio and video effects simultaneously where audio is hearing your voice and video is seeing your face with a smile in front of the mirror. 

11. Improve Your Memory

People often complain that they forget certain things quickly. People rarely forget them. The only thing is that the other insignificant information comes to the surface for some time sidetracking the important information.  However, such relegated information resurfaces subsequently at the top of the mind. People often mistake it for forgetfulness or decreased memory power. 

Here is an innovative technique to improve your memory. Move your eyes sideways from left to right and vice versa as you activate both sides of your brain. We mostly use either the left brain or right brain, not both sides of the brain. When you do this exercise you not only improve your memory but also unlock your potential since you use both sides of your brain.

12. Hold Your Thoughts for 21 Seconds

Whenever you get any negative thoughts, have control over them for a few seconds and try to replace them with positive thoughts and you can bounce back with a bang. Whenever people find themselves in depression they must hold positive thoughts for 21 seconds and they will be amazed to find themselves staying motivated.  They must hold thoughts about their past achievements or events for 21 seconds to bounce back to energetic mode. In this way, people can get out of their depression state and overcome suicidal tendencies. 

13. Journal Regularly

When you journal you manage your time as you stay focused on your activities. It aligns and guides you in your destined direction. You learn to prioritize and get disciplined to take it forward on what is important to you. It enhances your focus and inculcates perseverance. These are the days of information overload and it is essential to prepare a To-Do list to work on only what is essential. 

14. Be Persistent

When you observe great people like Albert Einstein, Thomas Alva Edition, and Colonel Sanders name a few, they are persistent by nature. They achieved the unachievable not through their intelligence but with their imagination and persistence. Failures did not prevent them from achieving their goals. What made them stand out from others was their persistence. Hence, don’t give up in desperation when you are close to victory.

In conclusion, the expedition towards greatness is not just a pursuit but a harmonization of your inner potential with the universe’s rhythm. The human mind, an intricate and powerful instrument, when tuned correctly, can compose the most extraordinary symphonies of success.

By embracing these transformative habits and techniques, you’re not just adopting a new way of life; you’re orchestrating a future where your potential knows no bounds.

These strategies are more than mere steps; they are the keys to unlocking a treasure trove of achievements. Let your journey towards greatness be a testament to the power that resides within you, ready to conquer the peaks of success.

Professor M.S. Rao, Ph. D., is a 21st-century Philosopher and the Father of “Soft Leadership.” He is an International Leadership Guru and the Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India. He has forty-four years of diversified experience, including military, and is the author of fifty-four books, including the award-winning See the Light in You.

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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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