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Success Isn't About Lightning Strikes – It's About Building the Right Bloody Habits

Here's something that'll make you uncomfortable: you're probably sabotaging your own success every single day without even realising it.

I've been coaching executives and business owners across Australia for the past 17 years, and I've noticed something fascinating. The people who consistently achieve their goals aren't necessarily the smartest or most talented in the room. They're the ones who've mastered the art of turning positive behaviours into unconscious habits.

But let's be honest – most habit advice is complete rubbish.

The Myth of the 21-Day Habit

Everyone bangs on about forming habits in 21 days. Where did this come from? Some plastic surgeon in the 1960s noticed his patients took about 21 days to get used to their new appearance. Somehow this became gospel for all habit formation. Absolute nonsense.

Real research shows habits take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form, with an average of 66 days. And that's for simple habits like drinking a glass of water after breakfast.

Success habits? They're more complex. They take longer. But here's what nobody tells you – they're also more rewarding once they stick.

What Actually Works (From Someone Who's Seen It All)

Start ridiculously small. I mean embarrassingly small. Want to read more business books? Don't commit to reading for an hour daily. Commit to reading one paragraph. That's it. Sounds stupid? Good. Stupid works.

I had a client in Brisbane – brilliant engineer, terrible at networking. Instead of forcing him to attend three events per week, we started with him commenting on one LinkedIn post daily. Just one comment. Three months later, he was naturally engaging with industry leaders and landed his dream role at Boeing.

Anchor your success habits to existing routines. This is where most people stuff up. They try to create habits in a vacuum. Doesn't work. You need triggers.

Take my morning routine. Right after I brush my teeth (existing habit), I write down three priorities for the day (new habit). The tooth brushing triggers the planning. Simple. Effective. Been doing it for eight years now.

The Psychology They Don't Teach in Business School

Here's something controversial: motivation is overrated. Seriously. Motivation gets you started, but it's habits that keep you going when you feel like absolute garbage.

I remember working with a startup founder in Melbourne who was burning out badly. Kept talking about needing more motivation, more inspiration. Wrong approach entirely. We focused on systems instead.

We created a decision-making framework that removed the emotional component from daily choices. No more decision fatigue. No more relying on feeling motivated. Just follow the system.

Six months later, his company's revenue had doubled. Not because he suddenly became more motivated – because he'd systematised success.

The compound effect is your secret weapon. Most people want instant results. They'll work their arses off for a month, see minimal progress, then give up. Big mistake.

Success habits work like investing. The first few years feel like you're getting nowhere. Then compound interest kicks in and suddenly everything accelerates. Same principle applies to personal development.

The Australian Way: Practical Over Perfect

Look, we're not Americans. We don't need to optimise every bloody thing to the nth degree. Sometimes "good enough" consistently is better than "perfect" occasionally.

I've got a mate who runs a successful accounting firm in Perth. His success habit? He calls one potential client every day at 2 PM. Not five calls. Not a complex sales funnel. One call. That's it.

Been doing it for six years. Built a seven-figure business. While his competitors are obsessing over the latest sales technology, he's actually talking to people.

Track the process, not just the outcome. Everyone focuses on results – revenue, weight loss, promotion. But results are lag indicators. What you really need to track are the daily actions that lead to those results.

The Three Non-Negotiable Success Habits

After working with hundreds of professionals, I've identified three habits that separate high achievers from everyone else:

1. Daily reflection. Spend 10 minutes each evening reviewing what worked, what didn't, and what you'll do differently tomorrow. This isn't touchy-feely journaling – it's strategic analysis.

2. Proactive learning. Read, listen, or watch something relevant to your field for 30 minutes daily. Not random content. Focused, purposeful learning. The professionals who consistently advance their careers never stop learning.

3. Network maintenance. Reach out to one person in your network each day. Not to ask for anything. Just to maintain relationships. Building these connections systematically has opened more doors than any other single habit.

Why Most People Fail (And How to Be Different)

The biggest mistake I see? People try to change everything at once. New Year's resolutions are a perfect example. Exercise more, eat better, read more, network more, save money, learn a language.

Guess what happens by February? Nothing. They're back to old habits.

Choose one success habit. Just one. Make it so easy you'd feel stupid not doing it. Do it for 90 days minimum. Then add another.

Be specific about when and where. "I'll exercise more" is not a habit – it's a wish. "I'll do 20 push-ups in my office at 3 PM every weekday" is a habit.

Your brain loves specificity. It reduces cognitive load and makes the behaviour more automatic.

The Unexpected Truth About Willpower

Here's something that might surprise you: successful people don't have more willpower than everyone else. They just use it more strategically.

Willpower is like a muscle – it gets fatigued with use. That's why you can resist the biscuits all day but demolish a packet after dinner. Decision fatigue is real.

Smart people automate as many decisions as possible. Same breakfast every day. Same workout time. Same planning routine. This preserves mental energy for the decisions that actually matter.

I know a CEO in Sydney who's worn the same style of shirt for 15 years. Not because he lacks imagination – because he's saving his decision-making energy for running a $50 million company.

The Role of Environment (Often Overlooked)

Your environment shapes your behaviour more than you realise. If you want to develop success habits, you need to engineer your surroundings to support them.

Want to read more? Put books everywhere. Kitchen counter, bedside table, car. Make it easier to pick up a book than your phone.

Want to exercise? Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Put your running shoes by the front door. Remove friction from good behaviours and add friction to bad ones.

I restructured my entire home office to support focused work. Phone charges in another room. Books within arm's reach. Standing desk to keep energy levels up. Environment matters more than motivation.


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The bottom line? Success isn't about grand gestures or lightning-bolt moments of inspiration. It's about showing up consistently, even when you don't feel like it. Especially when you don't feel like it.

Start small. Be patient. Trust the process. Your future self will thank you.