8 Unsexy Habits for Success

The most successful people are successful because they commit to their goals.

They do the boring, un-sexy stuff, day in and day out. 

They put their ALL into the seemingly "small" stuff that isn't really small at all.

Because it’s not the sexy stuff that actually leads you to your goals. 

I was listening to a podcast recently where a very wealthy entrepreneur was sharing the “secrets” to his success. 

Clearly, the interviewer was hoping for some earth-shattering list of secrets… 

But there were none. 

All of the secrets were simple. 

Things that anyone could do.

And sure, they might be considered “boring” by your standards… 

But things that move the needle often are. 

So, I started thinking: 

If someone asked me about my secrets to success, what would I say? 

And I landed on 8. 

8 habits that might not be sexy or exciting, but have been key to my growth.

8 habits that helped my company, Dashdot become the 12th fastest-growing company in Australia. 

8 habits that aren’t just “nice to have.” 

In my opinion, they are absolute truths for success.

Habit 1: Set Big Goals (and Focus on Them Daily)

When people think about goal-setting, they often think of New Year’s Resolutions. 

Things like “lose weight,” or “drink less” 

These are fine goals to set… 

But they’re not big goals. 

Big goals are the ideas that — when you say them out loud — they seem a bit… “out there.” 

“I want my business to make at least $50k a month.” 

“I want to live on the beach in Thailand.”

“I want to retire my parents early.”

But the reality about reaching that level of success is, you can’t get there without setting a big goal in the first place. 

The kind of goals that actually move the needle. 

(Research as far back as the ’80s shows that, “specific and challenging goals led to higher performance than easy goals, "do your best" goals, or no goals.”)

So, how do you set those big goals? 

First, you decide what you want. 

(And if you need help with that — start here.)

Now you know what your goals are, you have to begin integrating them. 

Start writing your goals out daily — yes, on actual paper. 

Stick them up around your house and remind yourself what you’re working toward. 

And make note of the steps you’re taking to achieve your goals…

Because maintaining momentum is how you keep moving forward. 

So find a way to preserve momentum, and do it every day.

Habit 2: Exercise Daily

Look, I’m saying this as someone who used to be unfit.

I was so out of shape that I had to make a change if I wanted to keep moving towards my version of success.

The question is… 

Is success really success if you’re not the best version of yourself?

Regular exercise has been a major key to my success as both an entrepreneur and a former alcoholic because it:

• Keeps me physically healthy.

• Keeps me mentally healthy.

• Keeps me in a routine that works.

And, as it turns out, exercise is 1.5x more effective than counselling or medication for your mental health. 

So figure out what works for you…

Maybe it’s 3-hour weights sessions. 

Maybe it’s a 30-minute walk at lunch.

Climbing, hiking, fitness classes, dancing… 

Honestly, it doesn’t really matter…

Because prioritising exercise isn’t really about what you choose to do…

It’s more about choosing to do something and committing to it regularly. 

And, for a lot of folks, committing to exercise doesn’t actually start with exercise itself.

It starts with a mindset shift about physical activity in general. 

“I hate that I have to exercise.” → “I’m grateful to move my body in a way I love.”

“I don’t have time to exercise.” → “I’m thankful for the time freedom to exercise when, where, and how I want.” 

“Working out is a chore.” → “Working out is how I stay at my best mentally and physically.”  

So, if you haven’t been moving your body enough lately…

Reframe how you think about it. 

Find something physical you like to do. 

Then commit.

Habit 3: Eat Healthy

Whether you’re working a 9–5, or living the entrepreneurial life… 

Things get busy. 

Fast. 

And when life gets busy and stressful, good eating habits are the first things to go.

We turn to quick-and-dirty meals instead of eating food we know will make us feel good…

And it’s only sustainable for so long before we start feeling the impact. 

Junk food is linked to a bunch of awful things like memory problems and depression… 

And while I’ll always advocate for a balanced diet (whatever that means for you...)

Eating unhealthy meals 24/7 isn’t good for anyone, period. 

So, while I’m not a nutritionist — and I won’t pretend to be — I feel my best when I take a deliberate, focused approach to eating.

And what works for my body is 80% nutrition-packed meals that fuel my body and my mind…

And 20% foods and treats that fuel my happiness and well-being. 

But, more importantly… 

You have to make time to eat regularly and stay properly hydrated. 

It’s easy to get lost in a task, or a meeting, or a project and “forget” to eat. 

To scarf something down over the sink because you’re “too busy” to have a proper meal. 

To hit 5pm and think “Hmm, did I drink any water today?” 

You can’t be successful if you’re not taking care of yourself. 

And you can’t take care of yourself if you’re not fuelling your body properly.

So, while “healthy” eating may be subjective… 

It’s key to figure out what healthy eating looks like for you—and stick to those choices.

And for the love of all things good and holy… 

Drink some damn water. 

Habit 4: Sleep Well

I’d be lying if I said I’ve always committed to regular, consistent sleep.

And I imagine you would too. 

Using the late-night hours to “get ahead...” 

Staying up late to be “more productive...” 

And then you wake up the next morning feeling like shit. 

Sacrificing sleep isn’t how you achieve success. 

And a bad night's sleep massively impacts your ability to reach your goals. 

Most notably, it impacts your:

• Creativity 

• Problem-solving 

• Decision-making

And, what do you need to continue working towards success? 

• Creativity 

• Problem-solving 

• Decision-making

See the issue?

To fix your bad sleeping habits, you need to figure out what’s causing the issue.

Doom-scrolling into the early hours of the morning? 

Put your phone in a different room before bed. 

Restless because of your racing mind?

Try a quiet, calming routine before bed, like meditation. 

Distracted by lights, noises, or phone notifications? 

Set up a sleep-conducive environment for yourself (cold, dark, quiet) 

If you’re not sleeping well, it’s time to do something about it. 

Habit 5: Learn Something New Every Day

Successful people see learning as a lifelong commitment…

And they commit to learning something new every single day.  

Adding learning to your daily routine is good for so many reasons.

It keeps you motivated and engaged… 

It keeps you adaptable and open to change…

But most importantly, it keeps your mind healthy and young.

Because when you stop learning, your mind begins to deteriorate. 

Your brain becomes senescent way before its time.

And the worst part about your mind turning to mush?

You could have easily prevented it. 

Learning opportunities are literally everywhere. 

It can be as simple as striking up a conversation with a stranger. 

In a single conversation, you can learn from them…

You can learn about them…

And you might take home something new that piqued your interest.

So, what do you do with that newly gained nugget of knowledge?

You continue learning.  

Head to YouTube…

Read a blog from an expert…

Listen to an audiobook…

Whatever works for you and your learning — do it…

Because the possibilities to expand your mind are limitless. 

(And 99% of them don’t require a classroom or a textbook.) 

With learning opportunities everywhere you look…

And a mind that’s ready and eager to keep growing… 

There’s really no excuse not to learn new things. 

Ask yourself, “What am I curious about?”

“What topics am I excited to learn more about?” 

You’ll be more stoked about what you’re learning if your curiosity led you there.

That’s how my business started…

I followed my curiosity which led me to learning about real estate and the problems that needed solving.

So don’t let your brain get old. 

Learn something new everyday…

Because you have no idea where your new-found knowledge will lead you. 

Habit 6: Practice Metacognition

I want you to think about the last time your mind was totally consumed by a thought or idea. 

Did you stop and think about why that happens? 

Why you think the way you do? 

It’s okay if you haven’t (most people don’t.)

But this practice of thinking about thinking — called metacognition — is a critical part of your road to success. 

It’s asking yourself:

• Why am I thinking the way I’m thinking?

• Why am I doing the things I’m doing?

• Why am I acting the way I’m acting?

In short, it’s ‘thinking about thinking’.

Metacognition is how you become self-aware…

How you recognize your thought patterns…

And how you discover your deepest needs, wants, and desires. 

At first, metacognition sounds convoluted and intimidating. 

But it’s not that difficult in practice.

Some of my favourite ways to practice are journaling, meditation, and check-ins with myself and my partner.

 Each metacognitive practice is a chance to: 

1. Name what you’re thinking and feeling.

2. Try to explain the “why” behind it. 

3. Identify gaps in your knowledge/ chances to learn.

By practicing metacognition, you become more familiar with the inner workings of your own mind. 

You start to notice patterns, ideas, and barriers that show up time and time again…

And you have the opportunity to use those patterns to your advantage. 

To address barriers and find ways to overcome them.

Successful people question themselves (and achieve greater success) because they’re getting to the answers faster. 

The answers about what they want, why they want it…

And the deliberate, intentional steps to get there.

The ability to think about thinking is a skill that sets successful people apart. 

So start practicing now.

Habit 7: Develop Discipline

This might be the “unsexiest” habit of them all…

But discipline is a must for achieving success. 

And, despite what you might think, self-discipline isn’t all that complex. 

At its core, discipline is simple:

It’s about showing up for yourself (and your goals) every single day. 

When things get tough, discipline means you focus and keep going. 

When an idea isn’t working out, discipline means you reassess and you keep going. 

When you don’t feel like showing up, discipline means you do it anyway, and you keep going. 

If I had to pick one thing as the greatest contribution to my personal transformation…

It would be discipline.  

From spending my days partying to growing a successful, impactful business…

From turning nothing into my first $1 million (and now, over $20 million…)

From swapping alcohol and drugs for a fulfilling life… 

I owe it all to developing a consistent schedule and committing to daily practices…  

To discipline.

Habit 8: Find Joy in the Hard Things

I won’t lie to you, sometimes the journey to success sucks. 

It’s challenging… 

It tests you… 

It’s tiring… 

But there’s something beautiful about the difficulty. 

Something inspiring about persevering, no matter how hard it is.

Something almost divine about being put through the ringer, and coming out the other end a better person.

(If I were a cheesier person, I might say something about a caterpillar emerging as a butterfly… but I won’t.)

Shit’s going to hit the proverbial fan…

You’re going to be put in challenging situations... 

And the cold, hard reality is: you have no control over what happens. 

So if hard things are necessary to achieve success… 

You better learn to love the process.

The only thing you have control over is your mindset.

You get to control how you perceive the maintenance you need for success.

You get to choose to live every day with joy and excitement, no matter how monotonous or “boring” your tasks are.

And, the attitude you choose can make or break your journey to success.

So, you could let the hard stuff kick you while you’re down…

Or you could find joy in the process that’s getting you closer to your goals. 

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. 

But there’s only one right answer if you want to be successful... 

To embrace every single day with joy and appreciation, no matter how much “maintenance” you’ve got on the agenda. 

Complaining doesn’t get you results. 

Gratitude is the attitude for achieving success. 

Absolute Truths

The idea of “success” may appear like a sexy journey... 

Money, happiness, and excitement at every turn… 

Living every day zooming down the fast lane…

But… that’s just not reality. 

From the inside looking out, success is a journey filled with hard work and commitment. 

Prioritising maintenance every single day…

Committing to the tasks that seem “small...”

And watching those “boring” tasks lead you straight to success. 

So, my 8 habits might not be sexy or exciting…

But they’re my absolute truths for success.

And, if you’re ready to show up and put the work in… 

They can be your truths, too. 

Stay awesome, stay powerful. 

P.S Any habits to your success that I missed? 

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