11 Little-Known Traits of Highly Successful People

December 27, 2019 8 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The following article is based on excerpts from Ben Angel’s book, Unstoppable: A 90-Day Plan to Biohack Your Mind and Body for Success. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound. And stay tuned for The Unstoppable Journal, the only journal of its kind based on neuroscience, psychology and biohacking to help you reach your goals. (Coming January 2020.) 

There are more than 148 million online articles around the habits of highly successful individuals. Most of these articles  focus on the psychological aspects of their habits, not necessarily the biochemical basis for why they’re a peak performer in the first place. This makes the assumption that, biochemically, we’re all on the same level as people like Tony Robbins, the Dalai Lama or even Richard Branson, and that if you were to apply these habits in your daily life, you would get similar outcomes. But there are flaws in this thinking. 

If you were to study a peak performer and look at their biochemistry, you would most likely find that they’re sufficient in vitamins D and B and that their serotonin, dopamine and GABA levels are all within the normal range. Now, the reality is that we are all biochemically unique. How one person deals with stress compared to another person is completely different. If you were to take a peak performer and deplete them severely of vitamin D or serotonin and dopamine, they would potentially be unable to cope and think clearly. That individual would most likely become depressed and experience anxiety and higher levels of stress. That’s why I’m going to share 11 special traits any successful person needs in order to become a peak performer in all aspects of their life. 

Related: 13 Ways to Supercharge Your Focus, Increase Motivation and Boost Drive

Visualization

Visualization is a powerful daily practice that you can use to give your brain a road map for success. Studies by the Journal of Consulting Psychology have shown that the brain can’t distinguish between a real memory and an imagined one. This means when you vividly imagine something coming to fruition, you can create new neural pathways that are going to give your brain a real clear point of focus. Visualize how an interview or speech will go, and your brain will understand the fluidity of that situation like it already happened. You can learn more about these types of visualization in my video here. 

Binaural Beats

Binaural beat therapy is booming in productivity circles and can be done anywhere and anytime with a set of earbuds or headphones (unless you’re driving), and it can do wonders for your performance by boosting energy and quality of life. Studies have shown it can reduce stress and anxiety and increase focus, concentration and motivation, as well as improve confidence and psycho-motor skills just by listening to the beats for 20 minutes or more. 

Meditation

It’s no wonder mega-performers in Silicon Valley and elsewehre put meditation into their employees’s daily routines. Research has shown meditation practices may have positive effects that enhance multiple dimensions of job performance, including work engagement and job satisfaction. But the benefits of meditation don’t stop there. There are so many physical upsides as well, such as increased positive emotions, better immune health and instantly improved ability to regulate your emotions. And in time, you’ll discover decreased inflammation at the cellular level and decreased symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. Pretty great for something you can do for free.

Nootropics

Peak performers realize that in order to stay at their best, they must also keep their brains at its optimum functioning. Nootropics are drugs, supplements and other substances — natural and synthetic — that enhance cognitive function, memory, creativity, energy and motivation. (Though please note that studies show you need to already be healthy in order to add these to your regimen.) I will share information on various types of nootropics in my upcoming daily journal. 

One example of a nootropic I tried was a Ketone Ester, a pure fuel source developed by DARPA to enhance soldiers’s performance during demanding missions. HVMN’s products are to humans what jet fuel is to a gulfstream, and who wouldn’t want to feel like a sleek, streamlined jet taking on their day?

Blood Tests

Athletes, coaches, trainers and anyone interested in achieving optimal performance can use blood testing to predict a problem before it is too late to fix it, sometimes even before it happens — and it doesn’t mean trips to the doctor’s office. From the comfort of your own home, you can now send in your home-specimen kit to a safe and informative lab to find out your biomarkers. 

A biomarker is a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition. Biomarkers are often measured and evaluated to examine normal biological processes, pathogenic processes and interventions. What’s exciting now is that studies are roving biomarkers can determine psychological disorders as well.  

Exercise

Different physical exercises can bring specific mental gains, from dealing with cravings and reducing stress to improving memory — everything required to close our identity gap. Findings in The Scientific Guide to An Even Better You include:

• Lifting weights, which assists the prefrontal cortex of the brain, complex thinking, reasoning, multitasking and problem-solving.

• Yoga, which helps the frontal lobe and assists to integrate thoughts and emotions.

• High-Intensity interval training, which ocuses in on the hypothalamus and appetite regulation, cravings and addiction.

Sleep Habits

We all know how hard it is to focus when our sleep is disturbed; hence, proper sleep habits are a crucial step in preparing for success. Peak performers ensure this most important part of the day is protected by routinely practicing a few precepts that make a huge impact. Reducing blue light from screen time, lowering evening room temperatures, detaching from social media and and reducing stimulants are just a few of the steps I share in my book that can help you regain your quality sleep time.

Nutrition

Piggy-backing on blood tests, highly effective people have an efficient nutritional plan in place. They don’t jump from diet to diet, and they realize we are all bio-individual, so what works for one might not work for another. Using biological information about nutritional deficiencies and correcting any deficits, these top performers learn that inflammatory foods such as sugars and other offenders can negatively affect their output. Great fuel means great performance. 

Biohacking

Highly effective people have a knack for not leaving any stone unturned. Getting to the root cause of any issues or concerns is paramount as they strive to use the latest tools and resources at their disposal. Learning what other peak performers are doing to stay at the top of their game and researching the newest developments in biotechnology and brain-based therapies balances out their knowledge. Utilizing the field of Functional Medicine, doctors can revolutionize what they can do by understanding the whole body and its needs. 

Related: Why Guided Meditation Is Essential for Every Entrepreneur 

Wearables

Most elite athletes or gurus in the health and wellness industry are frequently hooked up to some type of device that gives them real-time data on how they are performing in any situation. Thanks to several of these biotechnology tools, I gained a better understanding of what my body does during times of stress or sleep. I was also able to double my workout performance and deepen my ability to meditate. I share several of them in this video.  

Journaling/Reflection

According to the Journal of Work-Applied Management, “People consciously reflect in order to understand events in their lives, and as a consequence hopefully add and enhance meaning.” In my upcoming daily journal, I’ll be asking readers to take a few minutes a day to journal before going to bed to set up the following day for success and to reflect on how their day went for them. But it doesn’t just cover the work mindset. My Unstoppable Journal is based on research that shows that critically reflecting, and sharing outcomes, can be frightening and cause feelings of vulnerability. However, it also leads to growth and discovery, especially when analyzing the biological aspects of your health and wellbeing. 

These traits are not just meant for an elite group. They are for all of us in order to obtain an unstoppable life!

Are you ready to become unstoppable?

Visit www.areyouunstoppable.com and take your FREE 60-second online quiz now. By answering a series of simple questions, my software will analyze your results and provide you with a comprehensive report that will indicate your identity type and lead you to the tools and tips you need to close that gap between who you are and who you could be. Take the quiz to get started!