Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs are known for paving their own paths and not following conventional wisdom. They thrive on doing what others don’t, and exhibit the ability to try new things and prove there’s always another option.

But it shouldn’t be surprising that all successful entrepreneurs have at least a few traits in common. Most notably, they’re adept at spotting bad habits and quitting them before they take hold.

Hobbies Successful Entrepreneurs Avoid

When you look at successful entrepreneurs, you pick up a glowing sense of confidence. And while you might not be able to identify the root of their assurance, it’s fairly clear that they have a firm grasp on what it takes to block out the noise and stay productive.

Let’s look at a few bad habits that successful entrepreneurs tend to kick to the curb.

1. Staying Up Late Watching TV

Another bad habit that entrepreneurs try to avoid is watching TV at night. There’s nothing inherently wrong with watching a show or two, but it can keep you up at night and disrupt your sleep patterns.

Sustained periods of high-quality sleep are one of the most important things an entrepreneur needs. Restorative sleep promotes focus, enhances productivity, increases energy, elevates mood, and leads to better overall health.

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid watching TV in bed. Not only do the bright lights from the television inhibit your body’s secretion of melatonin, which signals to your body that it’s time to sleep, but you’re also more likely to stay up an extra 30 minutes or hour to finish watching something.

2. Surrounding Themselves With Negative People

You are a product of the people you surround yourself with. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn has that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

If that’s true, why would you risk interacting with people who don’t push you in a positive direction? “There is energy in everything, and that includes human beings. As such, it’s fairly easy to absorb negative energy when you are around toxic people who are always complaining, procrastinating, and making excuses,” life coach Carmen Sakurai says.

“Instead, successful people surround themselves with other positive and proactive people who inspire them to achieve great things and live full out.” Successful entrepreneurs make an effort to surround themselves with positive people who bring something good and inspiring to the table.

3. Caring What Others Think

It’s part of human nature to care what others think. We all have an internal voice that tells us we need the approval of others.

For some of us, this voice is extra strong. But if there’s one thing successful entrepreneurs are able to do, it’s put on blinders and focus on themselves, their businesses, and the people whose opinions truly matter.

There will always be people who will say you’re doing things wrong. Sometimes they might even be right, but if you’ve already surrounded yourself with strong people, then you can feel confident about your choices.

Confidence is one of the single greatest assets you can have. It means learning to believe in yourself and not falling for the dicey opinions of people who don’t matter.

4. Overcommitting to People

Because we are people pleasers by nature, we often find ourselves overcommitting to tasks and people we really don’t have time for. This is an especially challenging issue for entrepreneurs who are focused on networking and forging connections.

The best entrepreneurs learn how to say no when they recognize that a particular event or invitation is unlikely to benefit them in any way. It’s not always easy to reject someone, but once you do it a few times you’ll realize that it isn’t as painful as you might have initially feared.

The average person is surprisingly accepting of a polite rejection. Once you’ve learned how to say no, graciously but firmly, you’ll discover you have a much more open schedule that can be devoted to meaningful obligations.

5. Drinking Too Much

Entrepreneurs often face a lot of stress. This naturally creates a need for some sort of release at the end of the day.

Although there are plenty of healthy releases — for example, exercise, pursuing a hobby, or spending quality time with friends and family — there are also a number of unhealthy ones. Among the most obvious are alcohol and drugs.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink at the end of a hard day, but alcohol easily becomes an issue when you depend on it to wind down or go to sleep. Furthermore, it can lead to health issues that prevent entrepreneurs from maximizing their potential productivity.

“Diseases to which alcoholics are susceptible include cancer, cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, fetal alcohol syndrome, and many more,” Transformations Treatment Center explains. “Mental and emotional problems may be exacerbated — excessive consumption of alcohol and depression often go hand in hand.”

Because alcohol can be addictive, some entrepreneurs choose to avoid it altogether. The long-term risks far outweigh the immediate and superficial benefits.

6. Gossiping and Belittling

Everyone knows someone who gossips. (One hopes that person isn’t you.) While gossip can be fun and exciting in the moment, the truth is that while you’re tearing down someone else’s reputation, you’re simultaneously damaging your own.

Remember, gossipers always gossip. In other words, if you’re known for spreading rumors about people, even your closest friends will worry about you spreading rumors about them when they’re out of the room.

Successful entrepreneurs only speak positively about other people, or they wait until the other individual is present to defend themselves. This prevents a smart entrepreneur from saying things that shouldn’t be said, and simultaneously elevates your image in the eyes of peers.

Do You Have What it Takes?

Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. If you’re going to be a successful one, you have to learn which habits to eliminate and which ones you should hold onto.

After kicking the preceding habits to the curb, thousands of individuals have built successful careers and businesses. Do you have what it takes to achieve that kind of success?