“Rich Habits” it’s a term that Thomas C. Corley invent, after spending five years studying 177 self-made millionaires. Corley says, “From my research, I discovered that daily habits dictate how successful or unsuccessful you will be in life,” he writes in his book “Change Your Habits, Change Your Life.” “There is a cause and effect associated with habits. Habits are the cause of wealth, poverty, happiness, sadness, stress, good relationships, bad relationships, good health, or bad health.”

Here are the most important Rich Habits you can take up to reach and maintain your wealth potential:

1. They read consistently.

Rich people read every day, not just for entertainment purposes but to increase their knowledge or improve your lifestyle. Corley found that they tend to read four types of books: educational career-related material, biographies of successful people, personal development and history.

  • 88% of wealthy read 30 minutes or more each day for education or career reasons vs 2% for poor.
  • 63% of wealthy listen to audio books during commute to work vs. 5% for poor people.

2. They exercise.

Richard Branson says he exercises daily – anything from yoga to rock climbing, running to weightlifting – in order to improve his mental performance and productivity. “Cardio is not only good for the body, but it’s good for the brain. It grows the neurons (brain cells) in the brain … Exercise also increases the production of glucose. Glucose is brain fuel,” Corley reports.

  • 76% of wealthy exercise aerobically 4 days a week. 23% of poor do this.

3. They avoid toxic people.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”  It’s very important to avoid negative people and influences – successful people know that. Corley writes: “The rich are always on the lookout for individuals who are goal-oriented, optimistic, enthusiastic, and who have an overall positive mental outlook.”

  • Of wealthy, successful people, 86 % associate with other successful people.
  • 96% of struggling financially people stick with others struggling financially.

4. They get up early.

“Getting up at five in the morning to tackle the top three things you want to accomplish in your day allows you to regain control of your life. It gives you a sense of confidence that you, indeed, direct your life,” Corley writes.

  • 44% of wealthy wake up 3 hours before work starts vs.3% for poor.

5. They find and check in with mentors.

“Mentors regularly and actively participate in your growth by teaching you what to do and what not to do. ”  He continues ” They share with you valuable life lessons they learned either from their own mentors or from the school of hard knocks.”

  • 93 % of wealthy who had a mentor attributed their success to that person.

6. They pursue their own goals.

Gary Vaynerchuk once said that “How you make your money is more important than how much you make”. After years of researching almost 180 self-made millionaires Corley came up with the same conclusion: “Odds are, if you are not making sufficient income at your job, it is because you are doing something you do not particularly like. When you can earn a sufficient income doing something you enjoy, you have found your main purpose.”

  • 80% of wealthy are focused on accomplishing some single goal. Only 12% of the poor do this.
  • 81% of wealthy maintain a to-do list vs. 19% for poor.
  • 67% of wealthy write down their goals vs. 17% for poor

7. They limit watching TV.

“Instead, these successful people use their free time engaged in personal development, networking, volunteering, working side jobs or side businesses, or pursuing some goal that will lead to rewards down the road,” Corley writes. How much of your valuable time do you lose watching TV or using the Internet recreationally?

  • 67% of wealthy watch 1 hour or less of TV every day vs. 23% for poor
  • 6% of wealthy watch reality TV vs. 78% for poor.

8. They avoid overspending.

“Wealthy people avoid overspending by paying their future selves first.” Successful people have a habit of saving and budgeting what they spend.  “Among those who are struggling financially, almost all are living above their means. They spend more than they earn, and their debt is overwhelming them.” Corley writes.

  • They save 20% of their net income and live on the remaining 80%

9. They are positive.

Corley found out that successful people rather than seeing problems as difficulty, they see problems as opportunities – opportunities to learn, grow, improve.  Corley notes: “If you stop to listen to your thoughts, to be aware of them, you’d find most of them are negative. But you only realize you are having these negative thoughts when you force yourself to be aware of them. Awareness is the key.”

  • 84% of wealthy believe good habits create opportunity luck vs. 4% of poor.
  • 76% of wealthy believe bad habits create detrimental luck vs. 9% of poor.

10. They give back.

One of the 6 rules of success by Arnold Schwarzenegger says: “Whatever path that you take in your life, you must always find time to give something back. Reaching out and helping people will bring you more satisfaction than anything else you’ve ever done.” Thomas found that 79% of wealthy people network and volunteer a minimum of 5 hours a month. Corley notes: “You want to focus on helping only those who are pursuing success, are optimistic, goal-oriented, positive, and uplifting.”