The year 2021 is almost here.The new year will be a chance to start over after a tumultuous 2020 and reach new heights.Starting the year on the right foot will set the tone for your personal growth and great achievements and getting ahead in life.To help you on your personal journey in 2021, look at those who have gone before you.These 7 secrets from high achievers lay out a blueprint you can follow to chase your own goals and start getting ahead come January.1.Organize Your EffortsThe first step to great achievement is organizing your efforts.Every high achiever has their methods to concentrate their efforts, lay out goals, and execute plans.Poor organization, on the other hand, won’t get you nearly as far.
Getting organized in the first place is typically the most challenging partHere are a couple of organizational methods you can try to help you get started:Time BoxingOrganizing your time is incredibly important in your quest for successBy laying out your daily schedule, you ensure that you’re dedicating enough time to tasks and responsibilities that keep your life in order and help you reach your goalsTo implement time boxing, you need a calendar or planner
Digital options are quicker to update and adjust, but using paper will also work if that’s what you preferFor each day, lay out the tasks and assignments you haveDedicate a box of time for each one
For example, you can start your day with some exerciseCreate a time box from 7 a
mto 8 a
mDuring this time, you focus on nothing but the task at hand until the box is over
In this case, you would focus completely on exercise without giving in to distractions until the clock strikes 8
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Do this for your entire day and you’ll be able to create an efficient schedule that’s perfectly organized for your needs, responsibilities, and personal goalsTweak it as you go along until you find the perfect personalized formulaPomodoro TechniqueThis time management technique puts a spin on time boxingIt focuses more on how you expend your energy while still being effective
It was developed by a man named Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and is still used frequently todayThe Pomodoro technique works similarly to time boxing, but the time slots are smallerYou take a task that needs to be completed, like a term paper for your college English courseSet a time for 25 minutes (this is the recommended time, but you can change it how you’d like)
Once the timer goes off, take a five-minute break, and then start againAfter four cycles or Pomodoros, take a longer (10 minutes) breakAdding breaks in intervals helps you focus on the task in front of you for those 25 minutes without distractions or interruptions
The extra focus helps you to work more effectively while still allowing for rest that prevents you from getting burnt out
Daily RoutinesGetting into your groove each morning sets the tone for a successful dayA proper morning routine followed by a nightly routine to wind down promotes steadiness and consistency, which aid you in your achievement effortsFor example, a morning routine can consist of a regularly set alarm, workout regimen, and structured breakfast
Your nightly routine can include a personal activity to help you relax after the day’s labor and goals to promote productivity, such as staying off your phone right before bedAs you settle into routines, you’ll improve your productivity habits in betweenYour routines act like two strong bookends that keep the rest of the day in placeGetting ahead begins as soon as your alarm goes off
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2Know When to Give UpYou can’t win them all, and you shouldn’t expect to
You can learn a lot from missing the mark, but the important skill here is knowing when to throw in the towelYou can exert a lot of time and energy that would be better spent doing something elseAn example can be found in the form of musiciansSongwriters go through dozens of song ideas trying to find the perfect tuneNot all of them will make the cut
If they focus for too long on a project that’s going nowhere, their productivity will hit a wall and they won’t be able to release any new musicBy knowing when to give up, you open yourself to new opportunities to move forwardYou prevent yourself from falling into a rut that stops you from becoming a high achiever3
Focus on StrengthsEven the most successful people aren’t good at everything
Each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses to take into accountMaximizing your strengths while overcoming your weaknesses is a balancing act required for high achievers[1]Too many people get hung up on their weaknesses that they fail to capitalize on their strengths
Stick with what you’re good at and allow those skills and talents to lift you and help you get aheadTake professional athletes for example
Not every athlete can perform each facet of their sport at the highest levelMany of them became professionals because they focused on their strengths for the benefit of the team
Their teammates in turn cover their weaknesses with their own strengths, which is also what happens in families, work teams, and other organizations you’ll be a part of in life
4Ask for HelpYou don’t have to do it all alone
You can still be labeled a high achiever even when you ask for help from othersThis isn’t a sign of weakness
Asking for help is simply you recognizing that you can do more and go further with the help of others than you could on your own
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You can ask for help in a variety of ways from a myriad of people
You can network with business professionals who can give you career advice or ask your family and friends to support you with a new business
[2] Getting ahead by yourself is unnecessarily difficult when there are people who can help you5Learn the Importance of Hard WorkYou can’t reach world fame simply by having a great idea or possessing incredible raw talent
Behind every genius, top-charting musician, and professional athlete is a person who spends hours each day perfecting their craft and putting in the work to succeedUnfortunately, you won’t wake up one day as a high achieverBehind every success story, you’ll find countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears that led high achievers to where they stand todayTo reach their level, you must be willing to put in that same effort
Take a look at the Olympics held every four yearsDuring these events is probably the first time you’ve seen or heard of any of the athletes competingHowever, each one spent years practicing their sport to be able to perform on the largest stage of the competition[3]6
Take Care of Your BodyAnother key to getting ahead in life is taking care of your bodyYou might look at high achievers and notice their net worth, brilliant minds, or trophy casesWhat you might not notice immediately is that most, if not all of them, also take the time to care for their bodies
As important as it is to pursue education, master skills, and attempt new things, none of that will matter as much if your body is falling apartProper diet, exercise, and sleep are all crucial for a well-maintained bodyLook at some of the greatest CEOs, and you’ll notice that many of them make sure they set aside time for daily exercise and do their best to get a good night’s sleep
Given how busy they are all the time, it should make quite a statement that they deem these things to be of utmost importance
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Some people are born with or develop physical limitations that make it more difficult to maintain their bodies, needing medication, physical therapy, or other extra assistance than othersDon’t let this slow you downLook at some of these high achievers for inspiration:
Stephen Hawking – one of history’s most brilliant minds and world-class physicist who was confined to a wheelchair with limited mobility for most of his life
Stevie Wonder – a brilliant musician and performer without sight
Franklin DRoosevelt – served as President of the United States despite difficulties with polio
These are just some of many motivating examples you can find of humankind becoming high achievers regardless of their limitations7
Make SacrificesYou can’t reach the top without making sacrifices along the way
You have to give up those guilty pleasures every once in a while, like fast food, sleeping in, and those extra episodes of late-night binge-watchingHigh achievers drop these conveniences to accomplish their lofty goalsWhile sacrifices will need to be made, don’t neglect yourself of life’s joys entirelyYou should still maintain happiness and mental well-being on your journey to becoming a high achieverSo while you may need to cut back on some things, a few TV shows and large fries here and there can be justified
Final ThoughtsThere you have it—the 7 secrets of high-achieversYou can use these tips so you can start getting ahead in your life
Ready to achieve your highest potential? The secrets are out
Now it’s up to you to put in the effort and make your dreams a reality
More Tips on Getting Ahead in Life
The Secret Of Getting Ahead Is Getting Started
Embrace Your Obstacles to Get Ahead in Life
How to Persevere (And Get Ahead!) When the Going Gets Tough
Featured photo credit: Emma Simpson via unsplashcom
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Reference [1] ^ Forbes: How to Focus on Your Strengths Instead of Your Weaknesses [2] ^ Personal Branding Blog: How to Grow a Professional Network That Supports Your Business Goals [3] ^ Lifehacker: It Doesn’t Take 10,000 Hours to Become an Olympian function footnote_expand_reference_container() { jQuery(“#footnote_references_container”)show(); jQuery(“#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button”)text(“-“); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container() { jQuery(“#footnote_references_container”)hide(); jQuery(“#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button”)text(“+”); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container() { if (jQuery(“#footnote_references_container”)
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