Success is not just about intelligence, education, or luck. Rather, it involves adopting habits and a mindset that can be learned and implemented in daily life. Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, and other successful people are different from the rest of us because they cultivate a unique set of behaviours that help them accomplish their life goals. In this article, we will explore what these accomplished individuals know that we don’t – and what we can learn from them.

1. They keep healthy.

Successful people recognize the importance of exercise and keeping healthy. Without a sound body, it is almost impossible to be productive. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, won Mr. Olympia seven times before he became a famous film actor, and even when he served as Governor of California, he regularly worked out. Improved physical health not only promotes increased energy levels, but it also increases personal confidence and self-esteem, enabling individuals to tackle problems and challenges with more enthusiasm.

2. They fail and fail often.

Successful people fail more often than they succeed. Richard Branson, for example, has had numerous failures in his 100 plus ventures. Some of his failures include Virgin Cola, Virgin Vodka, and Virgin Clothing. But despite these failures, he’s worth over USD 4.6 billion today. If we take educated risks and follow his advice: “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.”

3. They work outside of the norm.

Albert Einstein is the most famous scientist of all time, and he made his career by going against the grain. During the early part of his career, his peers refused to hire him and he struggled to find meaningful employment as a scientist or researcher. So Einstein took a job working in the patent office in Bern, Switzerland, and conducted scientific research in his spare time, after he’d finished working for the day. Even after he became famous, Einstein took pride in his outsider status. He spent his later years working on scientific projects that his peers had little interest in, suggesting that it can sometimes be advantageous to work outside the norm and question prevailing wisdom.

4. They pursue outside interests.

While it may seem like successful individuals have no time for outside interests or hobbies, the opposite is true. Presidents of the United States probably don’t have much time for outside interests, but Barack Obama still made time for regular basketball games, while Bill Clinton and George Bush both enjoyed jogging and playing golf. Pursuing outside interests and taking on hobbies are essential ways for individuals to destress, unwind and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

5. They hold themselves accountable.

Holding ourselves accountable is important because it helps us work on the right things, at the right time. The inventor and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin made a daily habit of holding himself accountable. Every night before he went to bed, he asked himself: what good have I done today? He also examined how he spent his day, read and overlooked his business and accounts. Reviewing your day helps to ensure you stay focused and use your time wisely.

6. They begin with the end in mind.

Almost every productivity guru recommends beginning each project with an idea of what you want to accomplish. Stephen Covey, author of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, put this best, when he explained the importance of having a system in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “We may be busy, we may be efficient, but we will also be truly effective only when we begin with the end in mind.”

7. They are action orientated.

Successful people always ask what they need to do next to move a project forward. David Allen, author of “Getting Things Done,” has made a career out of getting people to consider what their next action is. You can work towards your goals through small, incremental actions.

8. They are always seeking out information.

Successful people seek out information and knowledge that can elevate their work and pursuits. For Ryan Halliday, marketer and author, keeping information for upcoming projects in a personal commonplace book is a handy way of gathering inspiration and insights. You can also use apps like Evernote and Simplenote to store your favourite articles and resources to refer to later.

9. They seek out criticism.

Successful people know that criticism enables them to improve. As a film director, Martin Scorsese has to accept his fair share of criticism for the work he creates and shares with the world. He said about criticism: “There are two kinds of power you have to fight. The first is the money, and that’s just our system. The other is the people close around you, knowing when to accept their criticism, knowing when to say no.”

10. They are mentally and physically tough.

If you want to be successful, you need to cultivate mental and physical strength. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, exemplifies mental fortitude in his training and competition routines. Phelps’ workout includes speed training, endurance training, dry land work, and weightlifting. Phelps also mentally prepares for competitions, saying: “In Beijing, when my goggles filled with water, I didn’t panic. I went back to all of my training. I knew how many strokes it takes me to get up and down the pool, so I started counting my strokes. I didn’t reach the time I was aiming for, but I did win the race.”

11. They challenge themselves.

Successful people push themselves towards new kinds of success. They are never complacent. J.K. Rowling, for example, could have called it quits after the Harry Potter series. But instead, Rowling changed her name and published the crime book Cuckoo’s Calling under the pen name Robert Gailbraith. The media quickly discovered her secret, but her experience shows that successful people push themselves towards new kinds of success.

12. They know when to say no.

Successful people recognize the importance of saying no. They don’t agree to commitments that won’t add value to their lives. Bill Gates is just one successful person who routinely says no. He keeps an empty schedule so that he can fill it with activities that he values. Recognize that you can always earn more money, but time is a limited commodity. Saying no to certain projects or opportunities allows you to prioritize the ones that matter most to you.

In conclusion, the habits and behaviors of successful people take time to cultivate, but they can be learned and implemented in daily life. From cultivating physical health and mental toughness to engaging in outside interests and saying no to unimportant projects, individuals can adopt the strategies that help successful people achieve. Ultimately, such habits can promote greater productivity and success in life.