5 Daily Habits of Great Leaders
They finish the job- Done is better than well done. Finishing is better than starting. Too often as leaders we get involved in so many different areas and projects because we believe we can add value. And we’re probably right. But because we’re involved in so many things we can’t finish anything. Make a commitment that you won’t start any new project or task or take on any more meetings each day without taking care of the ones you’ve already committed to. Your calendar dictates your priorities. When you’re asked to do something or be involved in a project write out all of the time commitment it is going to take. Include the time it will take you to research, to meet with people, to plan it, execute it, etc. If it can’t fit in your calendar then say no. Great leaders finish the job. But in order to finish one job you have to say no to many other jobs.
They exercise- To be great leader we need stronger hours each day, not more hours. We underestimate the massive impact that exercising has on our body and our mood, not to mention our confidence. All of that can lead to stronger hours. The daily discipline of doing something hard separates great leaders from good leaders. Do you have to work out to be a great leader? Of course not. But 76% of self made millionaires and business leaders exercise daily. Exercising helps our memory and makes our brain function at a higher level. You’ll also sleep better. Saying you are too busy for exercise is like saying you are too busy to stop for gas because of how far you want to drive. Make time for exercise because you are busy. Exercise will make the rest of your day more productive, and it will help you be more creative and effective.
They create- Being creative is simply defined as creating something to make life better for others. Each of us have that opportunity daily. Weather you sell insurance or you’re a doctor or you’re a preacher you have something that others can use. Every single thing you create can help someone. Creativity is a practice not a product. Seth Godin says, “The practice is agnostic about the outcome. The practice remains, regardless of the outcome.” Your job is to show up daily and create. Your creativity is a gift to the rest of the world. Seth Godin describes it as turning on a light switch. When you do that not only does the light help you see, but it helps others see as well. Great leaders have great things inside of them and create and share daily.
They make time to think- That may be a walk by themselves with no music or phones. Or maybe it’s carving time out each morning for prayer and silence. Maybe it’s scheduling 10 minutes on the calendar in the afternoon to just sit and think. By giving our brain time away from the noise and connectedness we’re able to reset and begin to think clearer and more freely. Great leaders understand that white space to think happens by design, not default.
They read - Warren Buffet reads 500 pages a day. Mark Cuban reads 3 hours a day. Bill Gates reads 50 books a year. The average American only reads 1 book a year. CEOs of Fortune 500 companies read an average of four to five books a month. To be a great leader you have to be relentless in your pursuit of knowledge. There is always more to learn. There is always new ways of doing things. According to research done by Google there have been almost 130 million books printed since the invention of the Guttenburg press. Great leaders take advantage of learning what others have already figured out and applying it to what they’re currently trying to figure out.