You’ve probably heard it: “If you want to be successful, you have to do what successful people do.” But blindly following them could stagnate your growth.
Here is why this advice deserves to be reconsidered.
Success Is Not an Individual Process
Successful routines are tailored to unique goals, lifestyles, and circumstances. Meditating at 5 in the morning or writing in a journal every morning can be perfect for a CEO, but they can be detrimental to your productivity if you try to stick to them.
The Drawbacks of Imitation
Mismatch with Your Life: Your schedules may not allow for strict schedules and organization of the day. For instance, with work and/or family responsibilities, there might be no possibility of going through a multiple-step morning routine.
Ignoring Your Strengths: Imitating others can lead to ignoring what would come naturally to you, such as working best during the night.
Unnecessary Stress: Benchmarking your behaviors can result in guilt or feeling inferior, which is unhelpful for the motivation.
What Science Says
Effective habits align with your goals and energy cycles. Do not seek to replicate success; begin with something simple and modify as you go along. For instance, studies show that even short time spent on practicing mindfulness or keeping an eye on the most important tasks can increase performance without a prescriptive framework.
Build Your Own Routine
Set Priorities: What’s essential for you? These are the habits to develop around such.
Experiment: Do things like meditating, stretching, or planning a task, but don’t be afraid to stop doing something that does not help.
Stay Flexible: There is nothing wrong with switching things up now and then—life changes, so should your habits.
Final Thoughts
It is said that a person who wants to succeed must learn what kind of person he is, rather than mimic someone else. Everyone needs and wants different things, so create a routine that serves your purpose and doesn't overcomplicate it. Your path is yours to create.

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