One way to build your personal and professional brand is to commit to being you best each day. But it’s a choice you have to make.
While many wake up each morning wondering how their day will go, high achievers wake up ready to make the day great. The successful create daily habits that builds a foundation for good things to happen.
Each day that you practice your success habits, you reinforce your confidence in your ability to be your best. Just like professional athletes complete a pre-performance routine that gets their mind focused and sets the stage for success, you can do the same.
Here are five habits you can use each day that will help you be your best. If you don’t like these, create your own set.
1. Start the day with gratitude. Reflecting on the good things in your life will start the day with energy. Being grateful and recognizing you alone are not responsible for the all the good things in your life centers your mindset and puts life in perspective. It’s a way to reflect on how you have been blessed and gifted.
2. Dress for success. Take pride in the way you dress and present yourself to others. Some may think this is shallow. I contend that this is a way to take care of yourself. When you invest in dressing in a positive and attractive way you will grow in confidence. Studies also show that when you dress professionally and with style you will be perceived by others as credible and trustworthy.
3. Assess your priorities for the day. Take one minute to write down the top 4-5 things that you need to focus on that day. This is a good time to think about your personal mission statement, your vision of yourself, your goals, and ask yourself what is most important today. This activity leads you to be more intentional about your daily activities. Here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself during this time.
* What must I get done today?
* How do I want to influence people today?
* Who do I need to connect with today?
* What needs to happen to describe this day as successful?
4. Take “mini-breaks” throughout the day. Most of us are so busy during the day we forget to stop and take a break. The 15 minute break that the workforce once used no longer exists in professional knowledge-based job roles. A bell doesn’t ring to tell you to take a break. You have to make time for yourself. Research shows we are more productive and happy at work when we take a break at least every two hours. As little as 3-5 minutes of movement can be highly effective for creating additional energy and mental focus. Shoot to do this at least 3 times a day . Walk, stretch, exercise, and use the time to eat a healthy snack. This will give you a significant energy boost and create greater mental focus.
5. Connect with 5 people everyday. Connecting with people means having a relationship-building conversation with another person. These 5 people can be co-workers, employees, business associates, customers, family members, or even someone you’ve never met but want to get to know. Our lives are most successful when we make and grow relationships. These relationships start and strengthen when we make time to connect. Your goal should be for every person to walk away feeling good about themselves.
Being your best doesn’t happen by accident. It only happens with intention. Intentionally creating habits. Intentionally acting with purpose. Intentionally influencing people in a positive way. Intentionally making a difference each day.