Simple habits that make you happier and more fulfilled.

High achievers are great at crushing to-do lists but often struggle to feel the day and experience joy.

Making the shift from high achieving to high performing means you are extremely productive and successful yet also live with fulfillment, meaningful relationships and well-being. 

High performers are set apart by their habits -- not personality or natural strengths.

High performers establish mindset and self-celebration techniques to ensure they stay elevated even during challenging times and uncertainty. 

Here are a few happiness habits that you might want to add into your routine.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle

1. The Five Minute Journal 

Many people have built wildly successful businesses or achieved a prized promotion after climbing the ladder, yet they're miserable. When people never slow down to reflect and generate gratitude, it's easy to feel empty inside.

Positive psychology proves that creating a positive pattern of thinking can help you thrive. With The Five Minute Journal, you spend a few minutes in the morning writing a positive intention for the day and expressing gratitude. At night, you reflect on the day’s highlights and think of ways you could have made it even better. 

Most people know they should practice gratitude, but don’t do it regularly. This journal will prompt you to establish the habit with ease. It takes only 5 minutes a day.

“Oh, I don’t have time.” is a common excuse for starting any new habit. But if you don’t have 5 minutes, then you don’t have a life. So get a life. ツ

2. The High Performance Planner

Brendon Burchard created this daily planner after spending 20 years in personal development and learning the science-backed habits practiced by the world’s highest performers. I love The High Performance Planner for many reasons. Here are a few. 

The morning mindset prompts: 

• You start the day with intention, focus and excitement.

• You think about the people you need to connect with and lead, so you show up and serve.

• You list your MVPs (most valuable priorities) for the day, making it easier to say “no” to distractions and other people’s emergencies later on.

• You think about what could trip you up or stress you out -- and how your best self would handle it. (This is gold!)

The evening journal: 

• Reflecting on the day helps you celebrate wins, capture learning moments, appreciate connections with people and recognize the abundance in your life.

• The daily habits scorecard rates your clarity, energy, productivity, influence, necessity and courage. As it’s often said, what you don’t measure, you don’t manage. Scoring yourself creates heightened self-awareness and accountability.

Other parts of the planner: 

• Each day has blank space at the bottom, which I use as a “capture list” space and a “wins list.”

• Blank pages at the back of the planner are great for journaling, reflecting and brainstorming.

• The planner is for two months, and I save mine when filled. Then it's easy to reflect back on my challenges, growth and ideas throughout the year.

Using the planner is an incredibly powerful way to be engaged and purposeful.

3. Keep a daily "wins" list 

If you're climbing Mount Everest, it doesn't happen in 24 hours. You take steps up the mountain each day as you work towards the top. (FYI, it takes successful climbers about two months to make it up Mount Everest.) 

Accomplishing big goals feels great, but it’s not something you do every single day. 

What really happens on a daily basis? You take one degree shifts and make smaller wins.

It’s easy to ignore those little (yet important) wins and let day after day pass without celebrating yourself. That chips away at your mindset and drags your confidence down. 

This is especially common for high achievers, who are really hard on themselves and don't often celebrate small wins. They usually complete a task and immediately move to the next, without taking a breath. 

Create a habit of noticing and acknowledging your wins by tracking successes throughout the day. Use a piece of paper, journal, planner, spreadsheet or anything you prefer for jotting down quick wins.

Remember that wins aren't always work-related. Did you stay patient with the long line of traffic (didn't flip the bird)? Did you remember to call your mom? Did you put your phone away during dinner with the family?

WINS!

If it feels hard to start the habit, set a timer on your phone each afternoon with a note of "What has been GREAT today?" and that will prompt you to think of a win.

Celebrating yourself will boost your confidence and joy. You'll also start to capture memories and self-growth shifts that you can reflect on later in the month or year.

4. Spend more time in nature 

You knew this was coming, from the nature nerd ... Spend more time in nature. 

Nature makes you happy. It reduces stress and anxiety, and boosts feelings of calm and joy. (This BBC Earth Real Happiness Project video gives a great two-minute overview. Plus, baby animals.) 

Create a habit of spending at least 10 minutes a day outside. Perhaps go for a walk instead of reaching for your afternoon coffee. Not only will the exercise and fresh air give you a boost of energy, but you’ll feel happier. 

Over time, add in more 10-minute nature breaks or stretch the walk to 30-60 minutes a day. As you increase the time spent outdoors, you increase the benefits received.

Gratitude often comes more easily when you’re outdoors because that’s where you can slow down and feel a sense of wonder and awe about the world around you.

Conclusion

More than 2,000 years ago, Aristotle said we are a product of our habits and that excellence results from our habits. It's ancient wisdom worth remembering today.

Small shifts in your daily actions can make a big impact in how you experience life.

As you adopt these new rituals, make sure to celebrate yourself for making positive shifts towards high performance and a fulfilled life.