While there is no clear-cut recipe or pathway to achieving success, most people who are highly successful have habits which they attribute to playing a significant role in achieving greatness.

Adopting the following five habits of success will not guarantee that anyone instantly becomes successful. However, adopting them will help make a positive difference to one’s personal and professional lives.

They Are Exceptionally Organised

Something that is shared by the overwhelming majority of successful people is that they are highly organised in all facets of their life, both personal and professional. For business people, being organised involves constantly planning projects and tasks as well as prioritising each task they need to complete.

It is no surprise that the most successful people are also among the most organised. People who are organised perform better at work, have greater control over their lives, and have more energy, which goes a long way when it comes to achieving professional success.

They Set Goals

One particular trait of successful people is that they tend to be extremely goal oriented and regularly set goals for themselves. According to one major study, 80% of wealthy people displayed a habit of regular goal setting, while the habit was demonstrated by just 12% of those less well off.

Setting regular daily, weekly and longer-term goals – and writing them down – is likely to increase motivation and the drive to achieve those goals. This makes it no surprise that wealthy people set goals and ensure that they achieve them day in and day out.

They Make Sure to Get Enough Rest

While successful people are renowned for being extremely hard workers and early risers, that does not mean that they don’t wind down. In fact, activities such as meditation are practised by many of the world’s most successful professional figures, and the majority of big businesspeople state they sleep at least seven hours per night.

As a good night’s sleep is linked to better cognitive thinking and memory, it is easy to understand why the world’s most successful people value it. After all, those who work hard use a lot of mental and physical energy, and therefore need the appropriate amount of rest to be on the ball consistently.

They Wake Up Early

Research has shown that many successful people wake up at least two or three hours before their workday officially starts. What they do with that time is different – no one task stands out.

However, the majority of those who woke up early stated that they did such things like exercise and planning the day, as well as engaging in hobbies such as reading and spending time with their pets. By waking up early and being active, people are energized and motivated to make the most of their workday, which may help to explain the success of those who rise at the crack of dawn.

They Read Extensively and Often

Globally renowned Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling famously said, “Read as much as you possibly can. Nothing will help you as much as reading.” Such sentiments have also been echoed by the world’s most well-known investor, Warren Buffett, who said the most important habit he ever picked up was reading regularly.

Successful people don’t read just anything they can get their hands on, however. The majority of successful people read as a means of educating themselves, so non-fiction, biographies and self-help books tend to dominate their book collections.