This is optimal living daily episode 798. 12 things successful people do differently. Part three by Mark Schurrenoff of markandangel.com. And I'm Justin Molick, your very own personal narrator.
Welcome to the v-podcast where blogs are read to you so that you can take a break from staring at a screen. Second audiobook, but with a bunch of different authors covering different topics and completely free of charge. And that's thanks to some very generous patrons of this show. And today is part three of three, so if you're new here, or skipping around to be best to start with parts one and two, those are episode 796 and 797.
And without other weight, let's finish up this post as we optimize your life. 12 things successful people do differently. Part three by Mark Schurrenoff of markandangel.com. Number nine, they measure and track their progress.
Successful people are not only working in their job and business, they're also working on it. They step back and assess their progress regularly. They track themselves against their goals and clearly know what needs to be done to excel and accelerate. You can't control what you don't properly measure.
If you track the wrong things, you'll be completely blind to potential opportunities as they appear over the horizon. Imagine if while running a small business, you made it a point to keep track of how many pencils and paper clips you've used. Would that make any sense? No, because pencils and paper clips are not a measure of what's important for a business.
Pencils and paper clips have no bearing on income, customer satisfaction, market growth, et cetera. The proper approach is to figure out what your number one goal is and then track the things that directly relate to achieving that goal. I recommend that you take some time right now to identify your number one goal, identify the most important things for you to keep track of, and then begin tracking them immediately. On a weekly basis, plug the numbers into a spreadsheet and use the data to create weekly or monthly trend graphs so you can visualize your progress.
Then, fine tune your actions to get those trends to grow in your favor. Number 10, they maintain a positive outlook as they learn from their mistakes. Successful people concentrate on the positives. They look for the silver lining in every situation.
They know that it is their positivity that'll take them to greatness. If you wanna be successful, you need to have a positive outlook for life. Life will test you again and again. If you give in to internal negativity, you'll never be able to achieve the marks you have targeted.
Remember, every mistake you make is progress. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you're one step closer to your goal. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you're too scared to make a mistake.
So don't hesitate, don't doubt yourself. Don't let your own negativity sabotage you. Learn what you can and press forward. Number 11, they spend time with the right people.
Successful people associate with people who are like-minded, focused, and supportive. They socialize with people who create energy when they enter the room versus those who create energy when they leave. They reach out to connected influential individuals who are right for their dreams and goals. You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with.
If you hang with the wrong people, they will negatively affect you. But if you hang with the right people, you'll become far more capable and successful than you ever could have been alone. Find your tribe and work together to make a difference in all of your lives. Tribes by Seth Godin is a great read on this topic.
Number 12, they maintain balance in their life. If you ask most people to summarize what they want out of life, they'll shout out a list of things like, fall in love, make money, spend time with family, find happiness, achieve goals, et cetera. But sadly, a lot of people don't balance their life properly to achieve these things. Typically, they'll achieve one or two of them while completely neglecting the rest.
Let me give you two examples. I know extremely savvy businesswoman who made almost a million dollars online last year based on the success of a business every entrepreneur I know looks up to her. But guess what? A few days ago, out of the blue, she told me that she's depressed.
Why? I'm burnt out and lonely. I just haven't taken enough time for myself lately and I feel like something is missing in my life. She said, wow, I thought, one of the most successful people I know doesn't feel successful because she isn't happy with how she has balanced her life.
I also know a surfer who serves all day, every day on the beach in front of our condo complex in San Diego. He's one of the most lighthearted, optimistic guys I've ever met, usually smiling from year to year. But he sleeps in rusty Vanny cones with another surfer and they both frequently panhandle tourists for money. He has admitted to me that the stress of making enough money to eat often keeps him up at night.
So while I can't deny that this man seems happy most of the time, I wouldn't classify his life as a success story. These are just two examples of imbalanced lifestyles that are holding people back from their full potential. When you let your work life or social life, family life, et cetera, consume you and all your energy is focused in that area is extremely easy to lose your balance. While drive and focus are important, if you're gonna get things done right and be truly successful, you need to balance the various dimensions of your life.
Completely neglecting one dimension for another only leads to long-term frustration and stress. For some practical guidance on balancing your life, I recommend Zen and the art of happiness. You just listened to part three of the post titled 12 Things Successful People Do Differently by Mark Schurnoff of markandangel.com. Have a very happy Friday and start your weekend.
Thank you for being here every day and subscribing to the show and I'll be here over the weekend reading to you as usual, where you're optimal life awaits.