“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” 

Momentum is created or destroyed every day with the first few decisions you make.

If you learn to master your day, you’ll learn how to master your weeks, months, years, and life.

Not everyone consciously crafts their routines to maximize their time. That’s why people are interested in the routines of successful people: we think following the same steps will bring the same results. But blindly following someone else’s routines won’t make us as successful as them.

Rituals are repeated behaviors (like routines). However, they’re deeply personal and are imbued with deeper meaning beyond just a sequence of actions. They mark a change, a switch in task or moment of importance.  And it’s those symbolic actions performed at key moments that help us move through the day smoothly.

Start the day with your #1 priority.

Getting up early isn’t enough. You need to put first things first. When you put your top priorities first, then you ensure they make it into the bucket of your day. After your main priorities have been completed, the rest will fill the gaps.

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."

"Saying no is its own leadership capability. It is not just a peripheral skill. As with any ability, we start with limited experience."

• It gives you structure, builds forward-moving habits, and creates momentum that will carry you on the days when you feel like you don't have the strength to carry yourself.
• Following a daily routine can help you establish priorities, limit procrastination, keep track of goals, and even make you healthier. 
• It lowers your reliance on willpower and motivation.

... to get you into a positive mood for the day ahead. Put your mind in a good state right away, because left unchecked it will try to tell you the things that are wrong.

Pick a phrase or question that resonates with you. It could be as simple as smiling and saying "thank you" out loud, acknowledging that you have been gifted with another day.

Everywhere around us, whether it's stock markets, the weather, and life in general, we are constantly subjected to ongoing cycles.

• In Businesses, it helps to know the state of the industry, the number of years in business, product acceptance, and current trends.

• In careers, we can be aware of our network strength, experience, emerging innovations, and skill relevance.

• With regards to our energy, we can be aware of how we are feeling, what is our current lifestyle, our food intake, and the current season.

Understanding that we are in a cycle helps us make better decisions.

As nothing in life is static, with change being the only consistent attribute, we must respect the cyclic nature of everything, and if we are aware where we are in the up and down motion, we can make better decisions.

Most people keep planning, visualizing and imagining their future life as if they are watching some other person live it. That person is you. If you intentionally live each day, perfecting and maximising your vision of the future, instead of killing time or just living a bread and butter, day-to-day existence, you steer your life towards the direction you want.

We need to act like the person we wish to become, as we are what we do all day.

• Nutrition: We are what we eat, and having a good nutritious diet, full of green vegetables, nuts and seeds goes a long way. Avoid processed foods at any cost.
• Oxygen: or fresh air is a primary need of the brain. Any daily exercise routine is best for brain health.
• Information: The brain needs information to process, preferably high quality and diverse. Active learning, along with continuous mental challenges that get the cylinders firing is the way to nourish the brain and form connections. True learning reframes our entire mental model and helps the brain evolve.
• Love: What keeps us happy and healthy is good, loving relationships, and the care and touch of loved ones.

Who we know and what we do influence what we'll become: What we do puts us around people. And the people we surround ourselves with help set the baseline for what we think is ok, what we think is possible and what we’re exposed to.

You don't have to know personally those you admire. From influential contemporary figures to historical ones, you can still follow them afar. History, for instance, has great individuals who stand as timeless examples of what it means to be impressive.