The 9 Things I Do Daily to Succeed. #4 Will Surprise You. - Trish Blackwell

Someone recently asked me what makes me tick. You know those kinds of conversations, the type of conversation where someone wants to find out what’s wrong with you…why you are so crazy. In my case, they simply wanted to know why I get up every day and do what I do. They wanted to know where my motivation came from and what drives me to strive to be consistent on the follow-through with which I live my life.

The answer is simple: I do what I do daily because I know that life is lived – and destiny determined – in the day-to-day decisions and habits we have.

I learned something a few years ago that changed everything for me. I learned that success leaves clues. I learned that if you want to be successful you need to study what other successful people do. And so I have made myself a student of others. I posted a podcast this week that digs into the ins and outs of designing your life. You can listen to that by clicking [HERE] if you missed it earlier. Designing your life starts with designing your day. Your world is what you design it to be. Your perspective and how you see the world significantly affects how you experience the world. Never forget that you are the product of your decisions, so make up your mind to be all that you can be.

There are nine things I am committed to doing every day that work for me and help me to be the very best version of myself each and every day. Your personal list of what makes your day successful may be different than mine, in fact, it should be because we are all different. Whatever habits your list includes, make sure you have a list. The nine habits I am sharing with you are my daily compass. They guide me and they help me grow each and every day.

Here are the nine things I do every day to keep my momentum moving forward towards my dreams:

#1: I create a to-do list every night for the next day.

Creating a to-do list for the next day helps me sleep better, keeps me focused on my priorities, and prevents me from feeling overwhelmed when there seems to be too much to do. I always make my to-do list with three different categories of priorities: “A” priorities, “B” priorities, and “C” priorities. As long as the “A” priorities are completed the next day, the day is a success.

#2: I tackle an easy task first in the day and then jump immediately to my most challenging or dreaded task and get it done.

Getting something done motivates me to continue the trend, and there’s nothing better than getting your hardest challenge of the day done in the beginning of the day.

#3: I prioritize my basic needs and set myself up mentally and physically for success by honoring my WLWB (When Life Works Best List)

My WLWB list is a compilation of the things that I should do in my ideal day to feel good all day. For me this means waking up and stretching (I like to do 5 Sun Salutations as soon as I get out of bed), drinking lots of cold water (I drink over a gallon of water per day), going for a run in the morning, having time to enjoy and savor my coffee (dark, bold brews only) and doing a small quiet time / reading period before getting started with the rest of my day.

#4: I do one thing every day that scares me.

Yes, I stole this advice from Eleanor Roosevelt, and yes, I really do try to do this every day. Sometimes what scares me is seemingly insignificant (like an awkward conversation I’ve been avoiding) and sometimes it seems big (like doing my first big jump off a ramp on my snowboard), but no matter the size of the challenge, doing one thing every day that scares me always pushes me to know that I can face fear and win. Today I faced Chinese Cupping Therapy and won, although I have some pretty sweet bruises that might say otherwise. You might be surprised to hear me say that I feel fear on a daily basis, or you might be encouraged, because I think we all do. I feel fear, and then I face it because I believe that everything we do in life is either out of fear or out of love. I want to always live out of love, so I am committed to knowing that fear can be conquered, and love always wins.

#5: I write everyday in some capacity. I have always loved words and I know that gratitude is the attitude that will accelerate your altitude, so I write in my gratitude journal daily.

I love words and I love life. Taking the time to write in my gratitude journal slows me down enough to appreciate both, and it’s true that gratitude transforms your attitude and takes you to a place of perspective that sees life with love from every angle. You can never go wrong by keeping a gratitude journal.

#6: I look for ways to be time-effective, in particular, I schedule my tasks as batch work.

Batch work has saved me hundreds of hours over the years. I batch tasks together that are similar and by doing so, my ability to focus is accentuated. As a result, I am able to get more done in less time because I minimize the amount of distraction that could side-track me. Simply put, batch work allows me to have more free time.

#7: I have a tendency to try to do too much, so I have a goal everyday to do nothing for a short period of time. This enables me to prioritize quality time with others and to just relax.

I learned the value of slowing down from my husband. Slowing down and giving myself permission to do nothing has been a challenge for me, but one that I am embracing each and every day. Doing so recharges my batteries and minimizes my “energy crashes” that I used to have when I didn’t give myself permission to relax.

#8: I celebrate the small victories of each day by selecting three daily focuses to accomplish.

Keeping three daily focuses as your priority allows you to resist the temptation to take on too many tasks at one time, to practice saying “no” and to celebrate present successes instead of dwelling on future goals.

#9: I am a better person every day that I invest in myself intellectually or spiritually.

When I exclude this investment from myself, I feel off, or not quite myself. By investing in myself intellectually or spiritually every day (through reading, TED talks, lectures, sermons, etc), I am becoming a better version of me.

That’s it! Those nine daily habits have made me become the person I am today, and they are helping me become more and more like the person I aspire to be tomorrow. Design your day with intention. Go ahead and comment below and let me know what YOUR daily must-do habits are to set yourself up for success!