The secret of great men are hidden in their daily routine- Mike Murdock.

We know them when we see them. They possess carriage that draws people naturally. I call them exceptional people. Their behavior and demeanor set them apart from the majority of people. They didn’t just jump to that lofty height; their position today was as a result of the disposition they have maintained over a period of time. They have a set of habits that daily monitor their progress. If you inculcate these habits, you too can experience grace that trail after these people.

In this article, I will outline 5 things exceptional people do daily, if you are reading this, you are sure on your way!

1.They pray daily.

They are not religious, they are only being wise. Prayer is important to exceptional people. They realize the need for supernatural guidance in their daily affairs. So, “they do the first thing first” in the words of Stephen Covey.  In prayer, they exchange their limited strength to the unlimited strength of God; they table before Him issues of concern and seek His perspective on difficult decisions.  There is also psychological reason why they do this, through prayer, exceptional people prepare and strengthen their psychological readiness for the day. They go out from their closest with positive affectivity that draws good things to them as they begin the day.

2.Read or listen to inspiring material.

They know the impact of energy. They are aware that energy both negative and positive is generated.  Positive energy drives productivity. Negative energy drains productivity and stifles creativity. Exceptional people generate positive energy consciously. They are intentional and deliberate about it. So they fill their minds every morning with uplifting thoughts and inspiring content that empowers their minds to ward off negative thoughts and dis-empowering beliefs that could stifle their creative capacity for the rest of the day.

 3.They Plan their day.

They are incredibly organized. Exceptional people believe that a great day doesn’t just occur; it has to be planned for. So through planning they obey one of Covey’s  7 habits of effective People, “seeing the end from the beginning.” Planning enables them to work with the end in mind.  This is why exceptional people get more done than ordinary people. They apportion their time to important things. They don’t necessary do a lot of things; they only do a lot of things that are important. They don’t only plan their day, they stick to their plan. Exceptional people believe that a day not planned is a day lost.

4.They Create a “Thinking Time”

They work smart. While ordinary people rely heavily on their muscles to get things done, exceptional people rely more on their brains. So, they carefully plan a “Thinking time” to their day. This is important to them. This habit allows them to think through issues, deliberate generate creative ideas and take purposeful action.

5.They are not too serious.

They get more done relaxed than being tensed. They believe that positive affectivity drives productivity. Abraham Lincoln was quoted to say to one of his staff “if you are too serious, you are not wanted here” Exceptional people don’t see work as hard, they see work as fun. They work from informed and enlighten position. They also deliberately create non-threatening work environment for employees to experiment, make mistakes, learn and relax. They hardly break down because they don’t take themselves and their work too serious. They expect to make mistakes, laugh at themselves and learn from their mistakes. Maybe, that is why they are exceptional.

Everybody can become exceptional, even you, if you do what they do.

You may also be interested in this: Why Do xtra-ordinary People Live an Ordinary life?

About the Author

Dr. Duyilemi Akindele Felix is a renowned  writer and International Inspirational Speaker. He is a popularly sought after Speaker in Corporate Organizations, Schools, Seminars and Churches. He has written a number of inspirational books including "It’s In You" "Pick Up Your Broken dreams" "Wake Up Your Destiny" and others. He spends his time reading, writing and speaking. Reach him on [email protected]

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