The idea of being “successful” is indeed a matter of personal judgment. There are timeless truths and habits that helps one achieve success, regardless of one’s personality or industry he/she works in, or a point in history.

The world’s top leaders and professionals employ unique ways to boost their productivity. Then be it Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, Mahatma Gandhi or Barack Obama there are 5 simple habits that sets them apart from the crowd and makes them the best in their craft. Many of these can be easily integrated into our daily lives.

Here’s how:

1. They have their priorities clearly defined

Instead of gossiping with people, successful world leaders tend to invest heavily on learning new concepts or grooming a new skill. They’re never interested in watching television but reading an autobiography is always on top of their priority list. Instead of indulging into junk food they prefer to hit to hit the gym. It’s their work where they find fun in, unlike others who work hard to enjoy the weekends. World leaders work for the society, for the larger good of the people around them. They know their priorities and know where to deviate their resources on. In short, they are fully aware of their goals and are driven by the passion to pursue them.

2. Don’t settle and embrace the failures that come your way

“Be hungry, be foolish”, this was the motto Steve Jobs swore by. World class leaders are never satisfied with what they receive. No matter if it is a victory or a failure. If you win this time, you’ve got greater responsibility to keep the show alive. If you fail, even better, cause that’s the lowest you could go. The next thing will definitely be a something better. Going that extra mile in everything they do is what they concentrate on.

True leaders know that one can never grow if one stresses on being in a comfortable position every time. Moving out of your comfort zone and pushing your limits makes you expand your limits, transforms you mentally and makes you ace what at first looked something unachievable. This also implies the fact that they are never afraid to face their fears and overcome them.

3. Wake up early

According to research, people who tend to rise early are more motivated and energized to pursue their lives in comparison to those who get up late from their beds. No wonder this is the secret to the enthusiasm of world leaders towards their work.

Waking up early isn’t an easy to go habit, though. But it certainly can be dealt with by various means. This includes using no-mercy alarm clocks instead of Android or iPhone alarms and avoiding the snooze button to go back to sleep for 5-10 minutes. Make it a point not to use any screen or light at least one hour before bedtime. Light affects your circadian rhythm and melatonin production, the hormone responsible for inducing sleep. Many world leaders also believe in scribbling down their To-Do list just before they get into bed. The first task in this list should leave you excited enough to get out of the bed early in the morning.

4. They are excellent in planning out their time

The one thing that highly successful leaders invest in is TIME. Knowing that not everything is urgent all the time gives them an edge in productivity. Highly productive leaders are committed to making the most of every moment. They have a sight of where they’re going with their daily efforts. They keep an eye out to what’s stopping them from reaching their goals and what they need to do to take action and move the needle forward. By keeping track of how they spend their time, they determine when they’re off course and then they initiate steps to get back in control.

Since time management is the prime focus here, world leader tend to rely heavily on numerous time management tools and hacks. Batching similar tasks together and executing each of these batches in decreasing order of priority on one such practice. Multitasking every once in awhile is also on top of their minds.

5. Develop a success oriented mindset

The productive world leaders understand their thinking has an impact on their ability to get the best results versus the time spent on a task. When you allow your thoughts to be consumed with negative feelings like guilt, worry, anger, doubt and fear, you take your focus off your goals and don’t achieve as much as you want. Since you are in complete control of your thoughts and how you spend your time you’ve got to keep you thinking high spirited. Always concentrate on your goals, what you intend to accomplish versus your potential failure. You’ll reach your goals faster and gain control over your time.

These are habits that mark the World leaders in history. While these may not produce instant results, but certainly over a period of time you’ll get the best out of yourself if implemented these habits consistently. It’s time to take action. Begin with adopting some of these habits and see your productivity go higher, time management problems getting solved and gain more time for your highest priorities and goals.