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As a young man, it’s essential to practice certain habits that will help you succeed in life. Really, we are what we continually do.
These habits help to develop your character, build resilience, and ultimately, define who you are. The earlier a young man does this, the better.
From exercise and goal setting to gratitude and self-reflection, these habits have helped me to stay focused and achieve more success; and they can do the same for you. Without further ado, here are 9 essential habits every young man should incorporate into their daily routine.
01 Goal-Setting
If there is one habit all young men should incorporate, it is goal-setting. If you don’t know where you want to go, you’re not going to get there.
By setting goals, you will not only be able to better focus on what you want out of life, but you’ll also be able to create a plan on how to get there. What are your passions in life? What do you want to achieve? What are your long-term goals? What are your short-term goals?
Once you identify what you want out of life, you can begin to set goals related to them. Life is not a straight road; you will fail and have setbacks but by setting goals and making a plan to achieve them, you’ll feel more empowered, focused, and confident. You’ll be less likely to get caught up in distractions, and more likely to stay committed to what you set out to do.
If you’ve never set goals before or have failed at this in the past (we all have), using Tim Ferris’s Dreamline, as featured in The 4-Hour Work Week, to set goals can be really helpful. You can find a sample and the blank worksheet for free at the links below.
Dreamline Blank Download and More Tools
02 Exercise
Look, I am not going to dwell on this as you’ve probably heard it time and time again but it’s for good reason; exercise is magic.
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to experience the benefits of exercise. If you want to improve your mental health, your relationships, your grades, and your overall well-being, exercise is a great place to start.
Exercise has been shown to reduce stress, increase self-confidence, improve mental clarity, and improve relationships.
No more excuses, make it part of your daily routine and reap the benefits.
03 Gratitude
Being grateful for what you already have will help to increase your overall happiness, while also building your character.
People who regularly practice gratitude are happier and more optimistic, while also feeling more connected to others.
This habit is also relatively easy to implement, as all it takes is a few minutes every day to write down what you are grateful for. Simply write down three things that you are grateful for. There is no right or wrong way to do this. You can focus on the people, places, or things that you are grateful for in your life.
Once you have written down three things, make an effort to reflect on these things throughout your day.
04 Financial Planning
It is never too early to start thinking about your financial future. The sooner you start saving money, the easier it will be to make it a part of your daily routine.
If you are just starting out in life, it is important to make saving money a priority.
This can be done in a few ways.
At a simple level, you can set up a savings account to automatically transfer a percentage of your income each month. There will be rainy days so having at least six months of income saved up and available is a good idea.
Better yet, educate yourself on investing and experience the magic of compound interest. Time is your biggest asset here; the earlier you start, the more you will earn. You can use a compound interest calculator like this one to plan your savings.
Whatever you decide to do, make it a priority to put some money aside in some form. You will thank yourself in the future.
05 Reading
Reading provides your brain with a workout, which can help to improve your mental clarity, your ability to think creatively, and your vocabulary.
Reading is also a form of meditation, as it helps to calm your mind. There are many different types of books you can read. Fiction, non-fiction, self-help books; whatever you prefer.
If you are at a loss as to where to start, we’ve already posted a full article on the books we think every young man should read. These won’t disappoint.
Anyway, what is important is that you read regularly. Reading for just a few minutes every day can lead to major benefits.
06 Tidying Up
You may not realize it, but the way you organize and tidy your room can have a great influence on your mindset and as a result your productivity and happiness.
Look, most people are not artists who thrive in chaos; it is important to keep a clean and organized room, as it is a reflection of the state of your mind. Not only is it easier to find what you are looking for, but it also makes you feel better when you are in a clean environment.
Having a clean and organized room will help to improve your mental clarity, while also reducing your stress levels. If you are just starting out, don’t feel like you have to organize your entire room in one day. Start with one corner and work your way out. There is no rush, and the more you do this, the easier it will become.
For me, this is particularly important for my workspace and it’s the place you might want to start with too. As an entrepreneur balancing many things at once, it is imperative that my desk is clean and free of clutter to allow me to think clearly. I have consciously reduced the things I keep on my desk over the years to the point where now, it is simply a laptop and a mouse(I can’t give that up yet). Every evening when I tidy up before logging off.
07 Self-Reflection
This one might seem a little new age, but it’s actually been around forever. Remember, the Stoics were huge fans of self-reflection!
Quite simply, self-reflection is the act of thinking about your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your values and beliefs. This can be done through journaling or writing down your thoughts in a notebook.
Regular self-reflection can help to increase a person’s ability to identify their strengths and weaknesses. It can also help you to identify your core values and beliefs.
This can be extremely helpful for young people who are still in the process of discovering who they are. Self-reflection is a useful tool for learning more about yourself and identifying areas of improvement.
It is also a great way to remain focused on your goals. You can make journaling or writing in a notebook part of your daily routine and set aside a few minutes each day to focus on what is important to you.
08 Time Management
Time management is a skill that can be applied to just about any area of your life. If you want to become successful, it is crucial. You must be able to effectively utilize your time in order to achieve your goals and dreams.
A great way to improve your time management skills is to set goals (as mentioned previously) and then create smaller and smaller achievable steps to achieve those goals. While it won’t always work out, it’s a good idea to give yourself a deadline for each to-do item.
Dividing your day or even week, if possible, into slots can also be a great way to improve your time management.
Having good time management skills will help you to become more productive, less stressed, and ultimately, more successful. This is a skill that can be learned but will take practice and commitment.
09 Practicing A Hobby
Hobbies are important for a number of reasons. Not only do they provide you with a creative outlet, but they can also help to relieve stress and improve your mental health.
Really, the benefits of having a hobby are endless. They can help to keep you focused, reduce your stress levels, improve your mental clarity, and even make you more creative. They can also provide you with a sense of purpose, as you can often find yourself forgetting about your problems when you are focused on your hobby.
For me, it’s golf. It helps me to zone out from work tasks and be in the moment.
That said, the type of hobby you choose is not important. What is important is that you find something that you enjoy doing. There are endless options out there, so it is important to find something that appeals to you.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many benefits to incorporating these 9 habits into your daily routine.
They will help to develop your character, build resilience, and ultimately, define who you are.
The earlier a young man does this, the better.
From setting goals to practicing a hobby, these habits have helped me to stay focused and achieve more success; and they can do the same for you.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. If you have any other habits that have helped you, we’d love for you to share them with other readers in the comments!
