What does it mean to be a successful woman? Does it involve having a high paying job? Being financially independent? Owning fancy cars or running your own business? Or is it simply having a healthy family? Achieving true happiness? Finding your purpose or living a more meaningful life?
Everyone has different definitions of success, but whatever it means to you, there are certain habits all successful people share that help them achieve success both in their personal and professional lives.
1 – She challenges herself
A successful woman doesn’t settle in the monotony of day to day life. She is always striving for more in each area of her life whether physically or mentally and is constantly pushing herself to new heights. She accepts challenges with confidence and goes after them with fearlessness, setting the bar even higher each time.
2 – She practices gratitude
Gratitude is like medicine for the heart. It brings you joy, keeps you grounded and gives you a fresh perspective on life. A successful woman is grateful for what she has and doesn’t take anything for granted because she knows that nothing lasts forever. Practicing gratefulness could be writing down 10 things you’re grateful for or telling yourself positive affirmations in the mirror each day. Either way, a successful woman carves time out of her day to reflect on what she’s grateful for.
3 – She sets goals and sticks to them
To quote Tony Robbins: “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” A successful woman knows what she wants in life and how to get it. She sets goals for herself and creates an action plan to achieve them. She measures her success, adjusts her plans accordingly, and then sets even more goals.
Related read: How to set goals that you’ll actually achieve
4 – She minimizes distractions
Distractions only keep you from staying on track and focusing on your goals. They divert your attention away from the task at hand, causing you to be less productive and motivated to get things done. A successful woman knows this and puts away distractions during work hours. Sometimes that even involves saying no to commitments like social time with friends so she can get her work done.
That’s how successful people maintain their success. They show up for themselves in every area of their life and aren’t afraid to say no when needed.
5 – She prioritizes the most important tasks first
Effective time management plays a key role in being successful. A successful woman knows how to prioritize so she can spend her time on the most important tasks throughout the day. This streamlines her workflow, which makes everything flow more smoothly and allows her to get more done. That way she can make time for what matters most.
Related read: How to use task batching for maximum productivity
6 – She is constantly working on self-improvement
A successful woman knows that being healthy goes well beyond the physical and that mental health is also very important. She practices self care daily, whether through meditation, yoga, journaling, walking, etc., and is constantly working on evolving into a better version of herself. This allows her to clear her mind, find balance and stay focused on her goals.
7 – She never stops reading and learning
Knowledge is power, and a successful woman knows that in order to succeed in life, you need to be well educated. Whether it’s in business or day-to-day life, a successful woman isn’t afraid to research, read up on unfamiliar topics and ask thoughtful questions.
She makes an effort to stay informed and loves learning new things. She knows that there is something to be learned from everybody and if there’s anything she doesn’t completely understand, she’ll go out of her way to educate herself.
8 – She makes health and exercise a priority
Being healthy isn’t limited to just going to the gym and eating right. It’s a balance of the mind, body and soul. It’s a lifestyle that encompasses our being and overall way of life.
A successful women prioritizes her health by nourishing it with healthy foods, exercise and regular self-care. This keeps her mind clear, focused and productive throughout the day. Whether it’s running, doing yoga, going on a walk, writing in a journal, or taking a bubble bath, successful women have a healthy mind and body and understand that both are connected.
9 – She’s a morning person
A habit that all successful people share is waking up early. This makes you much more productive throughout the day. Your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day and allows your brain to energize before the afternoon. Successful women know this and use the morning to their advantage. Whether it’s to plan or crunch out projects before the upcoming workday, the mornings are successful women’s weapon for achieving more.
10 – She dedicates time for getting her life organized
A successful woman takes one day out of the week for picking up what fell behind – dishes, laundry, etc. – and to prep for the week ahead (planning, meal prepping, etc.)
She’s stays on top of things, remains organized and maintains a tidy environment. She knows that a clean atmosphere has a huge effect on your mental health which is why she does daily tasks to ensure that her home and office are always well-kept. That way she has more time to focus on her most important tasks throughout the day.
Related read: 21 Sunday habits for a productive week
11 – She knows when to step away from work
A successful woman knows that there’s a time for working really hard and then there’s a time for unwinding after a long work day. She knows that work isn’t everything, all the time, and that it’s okay to make time to enjoy yourself.
Of course there will be days where she’ll need to prioritize work and that’s okay, but there will be also days for her to prioritize self-care, and that’s okay, too.
12 – She perseveres in the face of adversity
We all have times where something bad happens that kicks us in the gut, but a successful woman doesn’t let anything stop her from going after what she wants. She doesn’t accept failure, she doesn’t let the weight of the world bring her down. Instead, she goes after what she wants with full force and pushes through until she comes out on top. Like a pheonix rising out of the ashes, successful women don’t break in the wake of adversity, instead they only get that much stronger.
13 – She takes the initiative
The phrase “I can’t” isn’t even a part of a successful woman’s vocabulary. Even if she doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing, she still takes the initiative and makes things happen anyways. She figures it out, finds solutions to issues and doesn’t give in to limiting beliefs. She’s a go-getter, a hustler, and is always the first to jump up if a promising opportunity arises.
14 – She surrounds herself with positive, like-minded people
A successful women knows the power of surrounding yourself with people who lift you up and encourage you. She only allows positive people in her life who motivate her to do better and leaves no room for negative people who may hold her back. That way she can grow with the people around her and learn from their experiences.
15 – She’s kind and compassionate
A Successful woman knows the power of kindness and uses it. She knows that being nice goes a long way in this world and makes an impact on the people around her. The old view of being ruthless in order to succeed is long gone. Successful women are generous, helpful and giving while expecting nothing in return.
16 – She makes time for herself
Although successful women are hustlers, they also know when it’s time to unwind and rejuvenate after a long workday.
You cannot take care of everyone else without taking care of yourself first, and a successful woman puts this into practice. This could mean meditating, journaling, doing yoga or traveling to a new destination. The point is that she recognizes the importance of self-care and practices it daily.
Related read: 50 simple ways to practice self-care
17 – She communicates clearly
Communication is an important skill that will take you far no matter what direction you go in life. A successful woman communicates clearly and isn’t afraid to articulate her ideas. She talks with confidence and doesn’t let the opinions of others weigh her down. Effective communication is a key component of success and a successful woman not only knows this, but puts this into practice.
18 – She’s financially savvy
Financial stability has a huge impact on your life and plays a key role in your future. A successful woman knows this and stays on top of her finances with smart money management.
She is educated on her finances, understands exactly where all of her money is coming from and isn’t surprised when an unexpected bill pops up.
Relate read: 11 important money habits every twenty-something should know
19 – She’s a good listener
Having good listening skills are at the heart of great communication. A successful woman listens with intention, not for her own benefit, but to truly understand other peoples point of view. She wants to learn from others, be inspired by them and, in turn, positively impacting the lives of those around her.
20 – She loves the journey more than the result
Although success is largely results-based, a successful woman loves the journey more because it’s what allows her to bloom and grow. Plus, what’s the fun in getting results if you don’t love the journey? The journey is what gives motivation and purpose to her work. It encompasses the learning moments, the good or bad, and the change that molds her into who she is today. And, it’s what helps her evolve into an even better version of herself.
21 – She’s not afraid of failure
A successful women doesn’t let the fear of failure stop her from achieving her goals. She doesn’t even allow thoughts of self-doubt to cross her mind. She goes after what she wants, weighs the risks vs rewards, makes a decision and moves forward with confidence.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it – 21 habits of successful women! Before I sign off, I want to remind you to not feel down if you haven’t accomplished all of these yet. It takes time and everyone’s situation is different.
Don’t fall into the comparison trap. It only robs you of your happiness and holds you back from going after what you want in life. Everyone has their own unique gifts to share with the world, so don’t be afraid to let your voice be heard and to let yourself shine.
These are fantastic habits!
These are great habits!! I’m glad that I’ve already been integrating these into my day to day life.
This is a great compilation! I really love #2 Practice Gratitude and #7 Never Stops Reading and Learning! I practice gratitude regularly and find that to be a huge factor in my growth and mental health! But I need to work on reading and learning more. Any good book suggestions?
I signed up for the emails and I never received Day #5. Does anyone else have this one and can share? Thank you