Could there be a link between running in the rain and becoming successful in life?
Probably not directly, but it is a habit I have chosen to adopt.
One of my favourite sayings is “Go the extra mile, it is never crowded”.
I grew up playing Aussie Rules Football and played with some of the most successful players of the modern era.
From Brownlow Medal winners to Grand Final winners and coaches, every single one of them went the extra mile, they had success habits.
From meticulously selecting their diet to after-hours training sessions they were willing to always do the extras, the little things to put them ahead of the pack.
At that time and until this day, my success habit became running in the rain.
The reason was that I knew most people were more at home in the comfort of their warm beds and I knew this could be my edge.
Imagine you are running a marathon and your training schedule consisted of a total of 100 training runs.
If it rained for 255 out of those 100 sessions and you stayed in bed, you would reach the start line underprepared.
As the saying goes and if you ever run in the rain, take a look around….. it is never crowded!
And so, it is with most things in life, to be successful you have to be willing to do things that others will not.
That separates the hugely successful from the average person.
Rich Habits
Tom Corley has done a great amount of study and research on these Success Habits with some of the most successful people in America.
While habits are wide and varied, from making their own bed to continually self-educating, to saving and investing a certain percentage of their income, they commit and go the extra mile and form Rich Habits.
Habits that everyday people tend to avoid or are unwilling to commit too consistently for the longer term.
- Also read:6 priceless investing lessons from influential billionaires
- Also read:Redefining Richness: Why Time Matters More Than Money
- Also read:Conquer Your Monsters: Busting the Top 10 Fears Holding You Back
- Also read:Booms, busts and investor psychology – why investors need to be aware of the psychology of investing
- Also read:10 BIG Benefits of setting up an SMSF or a Family SMSF
It would therefore make sense that the higher the level of success, the more the individual has been willing to sacrifice and go the extra mile.
Toms's book Rich Habits, along with the book co-written by Michael Yardney Rich Habits, Poor Habits, outlines some of the key habits that make a difference
They are both highly recommended if you want to take simple steps towards success.
I used to think it would be a one-off event that would lead to wealth or success, but now I understand it is a series of smaller consistent steps and commitment that will get me there.
Mentor
One of the most common Rich Habits is having a mentor, or as Michael Yardney calls it an unreasonable friend.
Like an Athlete with a Coach, successful people often have a figurehead that assists and holds them accountable to ensure they are consistently heading in the right direction.
Even the most successful people drift off course, lack motivation or get lost in the day-to-day of life.
That’s where their mentor is there to help them stay on track and remember where they should be heading.
They provide direction and ensure that results are achieved in the shortest possible time.
Summary
So, while running in the rain is unlikely to make you wealthy or successful, it demonstrates a mindset or a habit that the average person is not willing to commit to.
It is these types of habits that will propel you to make small steps toward achieving a level of success or wealth.
If you only commit to what the average person would commit to, it is highly likely that you will only end up where the average person ends up.
You need to create the mindset and then the habits that go above and beyond what the average person is willing to do.
If you can do this, only then will you find yourself creeping towards the level of success you are wanting to achieve.
The most common success habit is to have a mentor, someone who keeps you accountable and on track and maximises your results.
What are your success habits?
