Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with some incredible leaders. These people have achieved at the very highest levels, in their industries and professions.

Today, I’d like to share 10 habits, which are common to all of them.

Here they are in no particular order:

1. They encourage others. They leave people better than they find them.
2. They show, rather than tell. They know that talk is cheap and that anyone can say anything. So they lead by example, unlike these guys who are total fakes!
3. They don’t compare themselves to their competitors. They compare themselves to the work they did yesterday, and then commit to do better today.
4. They turn up, even when it’s easier not to. This commitment to being reliable is both rare and highly valued.
5. They are self-starters. They don’t seek external motivation. They just do what needs doing.
6. They are eager to take responsibility. They step up, when others step back.
7. They are intentional decision makers. Once they have the information required, they make a decision. Leaders know that there’s nothing to be gained by inaction.
8. They keep their promises. They know that making promises, then delivering on those promises, is a powerful way to develop loyalty and trust.
9. They spend their prime-time with family, friends or learning…not watching TV. Leaders are educated consumers of information. In other words, they are extremely careful about how they feed their mind.
10. They never gossip. Period.

Bonus: Here are 21 Powerful habits behind highly successful business owners!

What do you really want from your business?

Every working day, I help people answer that question. I then help them build the business they have always wanted. Today, I’m going to share a part of the process with you. I’m also going to share my own personal story with you.

Let’s begin

A great way to start, is to answer some ‘ideal world’ questions. This will show you what you really want to achieve, professionally and personally. It provides you with clarity. And clarity is essential if you want to map out what your ideal business will look like.

For example: In an ideal world…

• How many hours would you work each week?
• How much would you earn?
• What type of clients would you work with?
• What type of home would you live in?
• Where would you live?
• What school would your children or grandchildren attend?
• How many weeks would you spend travelling the world each year?
• Which charities or causes would you support?

When working on this with clients, I sculpt the questions around what matters most to them. So, feel free to add your own questions to that list.

What type of business supports YOUR ideal lifestyle?

It’s important to understand the unbreakable connection between your business and your lifestyle or quality of life.

• Your business determines how many hours you have available to spend with those you love.
• Your business determines how much money you have and thus the choices that are open to you.
• Your business determines where you live, both in location and the type of home you can afford.
• Your business always has a direct impact on your stress levels and therefore your health.

Now, take a fresh look at your current business. Is it providing you with everything on your list?

If not, change your direction.

How it worked for me

Will this process set you on the right path, to live an exceptional lifestyle and grow a great business?

Yes! So long as you do it correctly, with the right support from someone who’s already achieved it.

I went through this process myself and created my ideal business. Here’s a VERY brief overview of some of the things I needed to change and how I did it:

I made the decision 12 years ago, when my wife became pregnant, that I wanted to be there for her and our child. No more crazy hours. No more travelling around the country working. This meant completely changing my business model, which consisted of endless travel and minimum 12 hour work days.

So, I took my business and made it 100% digital. I stayed in the same profession. I used the same skills. I simply created a proven strategy, which allowed me to work in a far more effective, enjoyable and rewarding way.

I moved all my face-to-face client work to teleconferencing and video conferencing. I did the same for all of my meetings. I set boundaries on how many hours I would work and when those hours would be. So, I’ve been around every morning to have breakfast with my family and also every evening for dinner.

Pretty much everyone told me that none of that could be done. Not only were they wrong, I soon started earning more money than ever before. That’s because I was now able to work with clients worldwide. From my home in a beautiful, small rural village, I work with clients all over the USA, Europe and Australia. And they all benefit from the same service and the same reduced fees, as I have almost zero overheads and pass the savings on to my clients. Win win.

All this was only possible, by mapping out my ideal business and creating a strategy that would support what’s most important to me.

And today I get to help other business owners do the same.

I help my clients get clear on what they want to achieve, then show them how to make the improvements required. For the past 12 years, I’ve shown business owners, step-by-step, exactly what to do to escape the limitations of their current business, so they too can build a great business and live the life they deserve. A life that lets them enjoy financial security. A life that inspires and energizes them.

Hard work alone is not the key to success. If it was, our grandparents would all have been millionaires.

Working long hours is not the key to success either. If you row your boat in the wrong direction, the longer you’re rowing, the further off course you will end up.

If you’d like me to show you exactly what to do, read this. I look forward to hearing from you.