I love a good success story. To hear how some people have been able to pull themselves out of horrendous conditions and build themselves into business moguls, sports heroes, etc. will never get old.

But have you ever sat back and thought about how many of these stories have numerous similarities?

Think about it. You have this individual that was forced to grow up in a totally unfair situation that caused them to have to persevere through things that would have destroyed most people. Things like a single parent that was addicted to drugs, poverty-stricken conditions, physical & mental abuse, etc.

No child should have to grow up in these conditions. It puts them at an unfair advantage right out of the gate. However, some people have managed to rise above these conditions and create a life that most people could only dream about.

But how?

Unfortunately, most people that are forced to endure this type of upbringing never make it out. However, the ones that make it out develop sharper edges during the journey. The constant pressure that they were under made them tougher, stronger, wittier, and more resilient.

As for people that grew up like me, it can be hard to compete with people that have that type of edge. I grew up in a somewhat comfortable environment. I don’t take for granted the fact that I had wonderful parents. We were far from rich, but my brother and I never lacked any necessities.

I was fortunate enough to go to college and even land some pretty good jobs and start a family. I have nothing to complain about, but I couldn’t help but think about what it would be like to do more.

As much as I loved hearing success stories about people that persevered, there were just as many success stories from people that had similar upbringings as mine or better.

So how did they do it?

How is it that their edges were just as sharp as the people that struggled when they came from good, and in some cases, privileged upbringings?

As I dug a little deeper, I discovered that the people at the top are constantly looking for ways to elevate. Though their upbringing doesn’t compare to the trauma that the people I wrote about earlier had to endure, they share many habits that help sharpen their edge.

How To Sharpen Your Edge

Successful people share many habits. Many of the habits force them to be in uncomfortable situations. Some of them include:

  1. A morning routine that starts super early
  2. Consistent workout regimen
  3. Meticulous self-care practices
  4. Consistent sleep schedule
  5. Eat an 80/20 diet
  6. Heavy readers of different types of content
  7. Carefully curated inner circle

These habits and many others require you to challenge yourself and go that extra mile. Incorporating habits like these not only sharpen your edge but separates you from the average Joe.  

If you’d like to watch the video on this, check it out here https://youtu.be/7IbUENuRqZE