Habits of Profoundly Influential People

The habits of profoundly influential people help them to become more persuasive and powerful, both in their careers and throughout the other areas of their life. Adopting them yourself may involve making changes to your daily routine and lifestyle, as well as the way that you interact with the world—however it's certainly worth it! Try to use these habits of profoundly influential people for yourself to advance in the business world, as they are tried and tested by those who have found success.

They Develop Focus and Clarity of Mind

If your mind is constantly wandering, or you find yourself distracted by the mundane and everyday aspects of life—such as the latest office drama, or a must-see show that you have to catch up on—then this could well be the most important starting point. People who are driven towards success know that they must be able to focus their mind onto the thing that is truly important to them. This means zeroing in on career goals and learning to silence the noise of irrelevant thoughts.

This also applies to interaction with others, as influential people will use this focus to help others get to the point. When they speak, it is to deliver something that adds real value, and is focussed in on the topic at hand. Small talk is an easy way to pass the time, but it will rarely help you to win influence or respect.

They are Open to Criticism and Clashes of Opinion

People are never going to agree with an idea universally, and people who hold a lot of influence know how important it is to welcome ideas that clash with their own, as well as critical opinions. This doesn't necessarily mean going along with the other person's conflicting idea, but rather showing that you are open to their thoughts even when they are not the same as your own.

This is one of the key habits of profoundly influential people, as they know that encouraging debate in this way can give far better end results, as multiple perspectives will almost always produce something better than one mind alone. And, even if you don't end up using the criticism or opinions that are brought to you, people will hold you in much higher regard if they feel that you listened and went with a reasoned, rather than emotional, decision.

They Curb Their Emotional Responses

Related to the previous point, knowing how to limit emotional responses means being able to keep outpourings of emotion out of the workplace, instead giving a measured response. A simple strategy for doing this is taking time away from an emotionally charged situation before giving a response or making a decision that is based upon it. This is a vital skill for building strong relationships, since it stops negative words being exchanged in the heat of the moment which cannot be retracted after things have cooled down.

They Know Their Own Mind

Being independently minded is something which we're all encouraged to do as children, but it is all too easy to fall into the trap of following trendy thought processes or being infected by "the latest thing." This is something which influential people avoid, spending time thinking about their own values, beliefs, and knowledge and using this as the basis on which to live their lives.

Using knowledge and factual information, rather than the opinions of others, to make up their minds can lead to a far more consistent outlook—and consistency has frequently been recognized as one of the core factors needed for success. One of the core habits of profoundly influential people, being able to think for yourself is a skill that can be developed with self-reflection and introspection.

They are Happy to Throw a Spanner in the Works

This doesn't mean being contrary simply to stir things up, but rather having the courage and clarity to speak up if something isn't right. Whether this is an old-fashioned process which needs revisiting, and ethical consideration to be discussed or an experiment to try, it can be incredibly beneficial to shake things up every now and again, ending up with improved results for everybody involved.

Of course, getting others to be receptive to change also means that influential people must know how to approach it tactfully. Asking people to try doing things in a new way doesn't have to mean criticizing their current approach.

They Love what They Do

A firm belief in their career path, and their own ability to excel in it, is another important thing which influential people almost always have. This often translates into a love, or passion, for the sector that they are working within, the role that they are providing or the team that they are working with. In short, it is all about being able to turn up to work every day with a smile and a positive outlook.

Armed with self-belief as well as belief in others, people with this sort of positive mind-set are able to inspire excellent work; they also have the drive to grow, and to achieve things that others may not have thought possible.

They Connect with Others

A habit of profoundly influential people that should not be overlooked is their tendency to look outside of themselves for inspiration. These people know that working with others is an essential step towards success, and they network accordingly. They can then use these networks to meet even more people, expanding their sphere of influence by ensuring that they are always interacting with others, both in their field and in the wider world.

Making strong connections does require a little bit of effort, as it's important to offer something to those that you are hoping will become part of your business network. This means joining conversation, sharing your own insights, and offering help, advice or knowledge where it is appropriate.

They Don’t Rest on their Laurels

People who are influential at work or in their personal lives know that the best opportunities have to be sought out and actively worked for. Influencing others to adopt new practices, use new technologies, or consider new ways of thinking about the world means first finding those things when they are still in the very early stages. This may mean conducting research, or it may simply mean keeping their eyes open to the new ways in which people are interacting with the world: in either case, though, it means keeping their minds open to the changes that are already happening in the world.

These people are not happy to wait until something appears on their social media feed to find out about it; instead, they go out into the world and find them! And once they're done with one project, they quickly start hunting for the next.

They Know How to Make Something Exciting

Last on the list, but at least as important as all the other things that we've shared, knowing how to make something seem exciting or intriguing is very important when getting others to take note of it. One of the habits of profoundly influential people is learning how to share an idea concisely, stirring the emotions and maybe even using elements of storytelling to ensure that it sticks in the mind.

Some people are lucky enough to be born with this skill. However, anybody can learn it by practicing public speaking, learning about using engaging language, and observing how other influential people stir up the crowd. By making something seem exciting, you encourage others to start sharing it, and this makes your circle of influence expand beyond those that you know personally.

If you're already practicing these habits then you are probably having a lasting effect on the people that you meet—if not, there is always time to adopt them, and start becoming a more influential presence at work, and in the other parts of your life. A lot of the habits that we've looked at are linked through certain key principles, such as openness in communication, a desire to hear multiple points of view and a focus on change and innovation rather than leaving things the way they are. These are the key qualities that influential people share, and which mark them apart from the rest of the crowd.

We hope that you've found this list informative—and that it will be helpful in your own professional and personal development. Understanding the core habits of profoundly influential people is certainly the most important step for anybody who wants to know more about how some individuals are able to spread their ideas and values throughout the masses.