Ever wondered why some people succeed more quickly than others? What are the secrets of their success? How are these people able to sustain their high performance and success for decades? Are they born with unique talents or special gifts? Can I be a high performer too?

Over many years, researchers have shadowed and studied the lives of hundreds of successful and high-performing individuals across the world, and to our relief have discovered that success is rarely the result of anything you can’t acquire in your adulthood. Whew! High-Performance is simply a result of attitude, resiliency, commitment, and habits.

Let’s take a look at 7 practical and real-world ways you can adopt what high-performers do to apply in your professional and personal lives.

Have Goals and Review Them Daily

Numerous studies have shown only three percent of the population set goals and only about one percent actually write them down. In other words, 97% of the population doesn’t set any goals. They are very casual about life and allow it to just happen to them. If you are in this group, you don’t have a set of concrete goals, and you don’t review them regularly. If you want to move up into the realm of high performance, do not underestimate the power of goal-setting. Spend 5-10 minutes each day to review and remind yourself of your goals.

Seek Clarity

High-performing individuals always seek clarity. That doesn’t imply they always get clarity. But that does not stop them from constantly seeking clarity. In his book, High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, Brendon Burchard brings this point out beautifully. Seeking clarity helps high performers minimize distractions and get laser-focused on what matters.

Develop a Morning Ritual

Average people start their day by checking WhatsApp, email, and social media. Newspaper is often the first reading they do in their day. They find themselves struggling throughout their day. They find themselves constantly reacting to the daily situations and circumstances they get themselves into. Robin Sharma says, “The first hour of your day will define the rest of your day.” High performers use this one vital secret to ensure they stay in charge of their life. They reserve the first 60 minutes of their day for personal preparation. The morning ritual that every high-performing individual develops for himself or herself has a profound impact on how they move throughout the day. This could involve exercise, reading, meditation, journaling, and reflection.

Be Consistent

High performers don’t work sporadically. They are consistent in their efforts. They work on their goals even when they don’t feel like it. They realize that if you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never do anything. They make consistency a daily exercise. They show up.

Take Setbacks in Stride

Those that struggle tend to be easily sidelined by obstacles and setbacks. In the era of instant gratification, we often overestimate what we can do in a short time and underestimate what we can do in a significantly longer period of time. When it comes to high performers, they don’t sulk during setbacks. They don’t sit around and wait for the world to pick them up. They pick themselves up and make the most of their abilities. They maintain resiliency and a perspective of possibility. They take failure as feedback and step up in their game.

Invest in Personal Growth

Average people stop studying after college or university. They move around as a know-it-all person. They start earning and they start spending. They get the salary and fulfill their duties of getting what needs to be got for home. But not the high-performers. High performers are constantly upgrading their knowledge and skills, and investing in personal growth. While average people look at personal growth as an expense, high-performing individuals look at it as an investment.

Get a Coach

Even the high performers know that they need a coach. They have coaches that help them get more out of themselves than they ever could on their own. But for average people, average life is a priority. They don’t realize that a coach is someone who sees eye-to-eye with their goals and can set them up for success by keeping them motivated, on task, and accountable. High-performing individuals understand that coaching is a necessity to help them accelerate their growth and take their potential to the next level.