10 behaviors that separate high-achievers from everyone else, according to psychology

Gemma Clarke by Gemma Clarke | June 7, 2024, 3:21 pm

I’m deeply interested in self-mastery, so I’m always eager to learn about the habits and behaviors of high achievers.

And the fact that you’ve clicked on this article shows you are, too!

I regularly watch interviews and listen to podcasts to learn what sets successful people apart from the rest.

One thing I’ve noticed high achievers claim is that they’ve gotten to where they are today because of their actions rather than talent or skills alone.

What’s more, the same behaviors and habits come up time and time again.

So, if you’re serious about smashing your goals and becoming the best version of yourself, adopt these 10 behaviors…

1) Having a morning routine

When writing his book “15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management,” Professor Kevin Kruse interviewed more than 200 high-achievers, from billionaires to Olympic athletes and entrepreneurs. 

A recurring theme highlighted by Kruse in his interviews was the paramount significance of maintaining a consistent morning routine.

While the contents and length of the high-achievers morning routines differed, there were several similarities. 

The most common activities that successful people did in the morning were:

  • Exercise
  • Meditation
  • Reading a self-improvement book or listening to a podcast
  • Eating a healthy breakfast
  • Journaling

Moreover, all the high-achievers said they stuck to their morning routine no matter what. 

Regardless of how busy their day is, they make time for their routine, knowing that is the key to starting the day with the right mindset.

Science backs this up, too.

Research suggests a consistent morning routine can:

  • Enhance focus and productivity
  • Reduce stress
  • Increase energy levels and overall well-being

In one study, participants who followed a morning routine rated themselves as more productive (92%) than those who did not (79%).

2) Setting goals

Another thing that sets high-achievers apart from everyone else is this – they are driven by clear objectives

They are never just going through the motions. Instead, they are always working towards a specific goal.

High achievers create a roadmap for success by outlining their aspirations and continuously striving toward them.

So, if you don’t set goals, this is one of the first things you should change!

However….

It is crucial to set goals correctly to maximize the likelihood of reaching them.

Successful people set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that provide direction and motivation. 

Moreover, psychological research links goal-setting with higher achievement. Studies have found that setting goals can:

  • Enhance performance
  • Increase motivation and productivity
  • Foster a sense of purpose

But here’s the thing…

High achievers don’t just set goals, and that’s it. They constantly review them and track their progress to ensure they are moving in the right direction.

In fact, many high-achievers review their goals daily when they do the following…

3) Planning their days

High achievers start every day with a plan.

They have a specific goal, intention, or priority in mind, which is typically associated with a larger goal.

For example, they might look at their goals in the morning and ask themselves, “What can I do today to move one step closer to my goal?”

Once they’ve determined their one action, they create an effective daily plan to pursue only tasks that will move them in the direction they seek.

By planning their days this way, they are always ‘moving the needle.’ 

As a result, they reach their goals much faster than everyone else.

But of course, planning is easy – following through with the plan is more complicated.

So, how do high achievers ensure they consistently achieve their daily goals or intentions?

By doing the following behavior…

4) Avoiding distractions

In today’s digital age, distractions are everywhere, but high-achievers are adept at staying focused. 

How? 

Because they recognize the detrimental impact interruptions can have on their productivity.

Researchers at the University of California conducted a study to determine how getting distracted impacts our productivity. 

Their findings were pretty shocking!

They found that, on average, it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to recover from a distraction and refocus on a task!

So, as an example… 

If you checked a notification or message on your phone three times while working, you’d lose over an hour of precious time!!

High achievers don’t have any time to lose. They know that to achieve their goals, they must make every second count – yes, every second!

So they turn off notifications, keep their phone off their desk, and only check their email at designated times.

The result?

Laser-like focus and peak performance.

Let’s talk about another way high achievers eliminate distractions and prevent procrastination…

5) Delegating tasks

Another thing that separates high achievers from everyone else is their understanding of the importance of delegation.

When I first learned about delegating, I was blown away.

I’d always had the mindset of doing everything myself and assumed that is how you achieve success.

But it’s not.

By delegating smaller tasks to other people, you leverage your strengths and maximize efficiency. 

This is because delegating frees up your time, allowing you to focus on high-priority activities. 

As human behavior specialist Dr John Demartini says, effective delegation fosters teamwork, enhances productivity, and reduces burnout. 

And on the subject of burnout, here’s something else that high-achievers regularly do to protect their time and energy…

6) Saying no (setting boundaries)

When it comes to success, pleasing people will not get you anywhere. In fact, it will significantly hinder you.

Every time you say yes to something you don’t 100% want to do, you allow someone to steal your time and energy—time and energy that you could have used to achieve your goals.

That’s why high-achievers don’t hesitate to say no to something that doesn’t serve them. 

They will politely but promptly decline any commitments that don’t align with their goals, preserving their resources for activities that matter most.

However, as life coach and leadership speaker Sahar Andrade explains, many people feel bad about saying no out of fear of what others will think of them.

Yet psychology shows that setting boundaries positively affects relationships, building trust and respect.

7) Creating opportunities (rather than waiting for them)

If you take away one thing from this article, make it this…

High achievers don’t wait for opportunities to come knocking—they create them. 

High achievers know that success relies on them. It will only happen if they make it happen. 

By seizing initiative and embracing calculated risks, successful people open doors to new possibilities and propel themselves forward.

Success requires an entrepreneurial mindset. To achieve your biggest dreams, you must constantly seek ways to innovate and add value. 

How?

Here’s one way…

8) Always networking

As an introvert, I struggle with networking, yet I know it is necessary to get where I want to go.

Because here’s the thing.

Big ideas require multiple minds.

If you want to achieve something big, you will likely need help. 

No matter how many different skills you possess, you will eventually require someone else’s expertise.

This is why you’ll notice high-achievers are always talking about their projects or starting conversations with strangers.

They are not trying to brag; they are networking.

You never know when an opportunity could arise. The person you share an elevator with could be a potential investor for your new project.

So, if you want to get your dreams off the ground, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel, you must do what successful people do and invest time and effort in building and nurturing your network.

9) Prioritizing growth

Another thing that is essential for success is a growth mindset. 

According to the Oregon State University, having a growth mindset allows you to:

  • Embrace and adapt to challenges
  • Persist through obstacles and foster resilience 
  • Learn from criticism
  • Use the success of others as inspiration

High achievers prioritize personal and professional growth. They are constantly seeking ways to expand their knowledge and skills.

Many successful people do this by learning something new every day. 

This could be:

  • Reading industry news
  • Staying up to date on relevant business trends
  • Learning a new skill that contributes to their career

Scientific research on learning shows how important it is to continuously seek new knowledge. 

When we learn new skills, the white matter in our brain increases, creating new neural pathways that improve our performance, enhance our creativity, and increase mental flexibility.

Another aspect of a growth mindset is being able to do the following…

10) Seeing failures as lessons

Most people view failures as the end of the road. 

If they encounter a setback, they will tell themselves it’s too complicated or impossible and give up on their dreams.

As a result, they never achieve their goals.

High achievers, on the other hand, view failure as a stepping stone to success.

Their growth mindset allows them to view setbacks as valuable learning experiences and opportunities for improvement.

So when they encounter a setback, they look for the lesson in the experience rather than giving up.

By uncovering the lesson, they learn what they must do differently next time to prevent it from happening again. 

This allows them to reclaim control over the situation, which is how successful people can bounce back from adversity stronger than before. 

Final thoughts 

As psychology shows, success is a combination of mindset, habits, and interpersonal skills. 

From morning routines to networking, these behaviors form the blueprint for success. 

By adopting these traits and integrating them into your life, you can unlock your potential and join the ranks of the high achievers you aspire to.