High Performance Habits: What Top Achievers Do Differently
- Dr Paul McCarthy
- Nov 9, 2025
- 15 min read
Why do some people excel while others just survive? The results surprised me after spending three years and nearly a million dollars on what could be the largest study of top performers. Success isn't really the problem - it's about lining up your actions with your goals .
Top performers consistently beat normal standards over long periods . My research of people from 190 countries showed something unexpected. Your gender, race, age, or personality traits barely matter for lasting success . The real difference comes down to six specific habits that set star performers apart from everyone else. These habits help people succeed in any field - from Fortune 50 CEOs to Olympic athletes to everyday parents .
What are these 6 high performance habits? How can you make them part of your daily life? This piece breaks down Brendon Burchard's groundbreaking work into a detailed summary. You'll find out why top performers outshine their peers with less stress . You'll also learn how they stay focused on their goals, skills, and ways to help others.
The blueprint used by the world's most successful people lies right here. It will help you push past your limits and raise your game.
Why top achievers struggle despite success
Success stories often hide a silent threat. The top achievers we admire—those who excel in their fields—face a paradox that few talk about openly. Their remarkable achievements don't always bring lasting satisfaction. Many develop a complex relationship with success itself.
The hidden burnout behind achievement
Top performers usually show a perfect exterior, but a troubling reality lies beneath. Their burnout rarely shows up as a sudden breakdown. It shows up as success that no longer feels satisfying. They mask their deep exhaustion with productivity and feel emotionally flat despite their wins [1].
This type of burnout tricks people because high achievers rarely say they're "burned out." They just don't feel like themselves anymore. They lose their excitement and feel flat about things they used to love [1]. Their bodies send the first warning signs through chronic headaches, sleep problems, and tiredness that rest won't fix [1].
The situation gets worse because most successful professionals don't see their burnout coming until it's too late [1]. They keep performing well on the outside while feeling numb and lost inside [1]. Many struggle alone because they think something's wrong with them—they "have everything" but still feel empty [1].
Why grit and passion aren't enough
Angela Duckworth's groundbreaking work on grit—the mix of perseverance and passion for long-term goals—has been seen as the secret to success [2]. But newer research shows it's not that simple [2]. Duckworth herself now says: "This work shows us that grit is not the only determinant of success" [2].
Studies in peer-reviewed journals point out big problems with the concept of grit:
Research shows that self-efficacy (believing in yourself) links more strongly to good grades than grit does [3]
Perseverance alone predicts achievement better than perseverance and passion combined [3]
Adding passion actually weakens how well perseverance predicts achievement [3]
Iowa State University's Marcus Credé found that Duckworth's questions mostly measure conscientiousness, not a separate trait [3]. A newer study, published in 2018 by Professor Allan Wigfield, showed other soft skills predict academic success better than grit [3].
The need for a new operating system
High achievers need a better framework—a personal operating system. This system should balance four vital elements: priorities, roles, time, and energy [4].
Business leaders often ignore their body's signals—racing heart, muscle tension, short temper—which can lead to lasting health problems [4]. Many high achievers use systems that drain them instead of supporting them. People do their best work with clear direction, and without it, everyone risks burning out [5].
Taking time to review and adjust your personal approach makes a difference. Leaders who upgrade their systems work more efficiently and drive change better [4]. A reliable operating system does more than guide your success—it helps line up your work with your bigger mission [6].
The 6 high performance habits play a vital role here. Instead of just relying on grit or passion, top performers build specific habits that work in any discipline. These habits create a detailed system covering energy management, clarity, influence, and courage—elements that research now proves essential for lasting success.
The 6 high performance habits that change everything
Researcher Brendon Burchard found a powerful pattern after studying extraordinary performers for decades. His team ran one of the largest surveys on high performance and found that six specific habits set top achievers apart from others, whatever their industry or background [7].
What are the 6 high performance habits?
These six habits that change lives fit into two categories: personal and social. They create a detailed system to achieve lasting success:
Seek Clarity - Top performers don't stumble upon clarity by chance. They look for it more often than others [8]. They focus on understanding what they want for themselves, their skills, and how they can serve others. This helps them avoid distractions and stay true to what matters.
Generate Energy - Top achievers know how to manage their mental, physical, and emotional energy [8]. While most people run out of steam during the day, high performers take short mental breaks. They release tension from one task before starting the next.
Raise Necessity - This habit turns great performance from a choice into a must [1]. High performers link their work to a deeper purpose and identity. Excellence becomes as basic as food and water to them.
Increase Productivity - High performers focus on prolific quality output (PQO) [1]. They don't just stay busy - they create quality results that last. They know which results matter and work toward achieving them.
Develop Influence - Top achievers shape how others think and act [9]. They show others better ways to think and push them to grow. This raises standards for everyone around them.
Demonstrate Courage - High performers take action even when scared. They take risks when needed and stand up for themselves and others [9]. They see struggles as part of the trip and face them head-on.
How they were found and confirmed
These habits came from research that lasted over a decade. Burchard's team at the High Performance Institute ran one of the largest longitudinal studies on lasting success, including [7]:
Looking at hundreds of thousands of student comments
Talking to hundreds of top performers
Testing thousands of workshop participants before and after
Getting data from thousands of coaching clients
Reading academic papers across many fields
The team made sure their findings were solid. They measured over 100 performance variables through almost a dozen large surveys (each with over 3,000 people) [7]. These six habits related to long-term success, happiness, income, GPA, and other good life outcomes [7].
Why they work across all industries
These habits work everywhere for a simple reason: high performance doesn't depend on natural talent or background. The research shows success doesn't relate much to age, education, income, race, nationality, or gender [10]. Anyone can learn and use these habits, no matter where they start.
There's another reason - these habits touch on the basics of human performance that surpass specific skills. To cite an instance, knowing how to create energy helps whether you're a CEO, athlete, artist, or parent [9]. Looking for clarity helps professionals in any field pick priorities and cut out distractions.
Leaders who use these habits are by a lot more likely to lead high-performing teams. Their teams have more top performers and nowhere near as many low performers [11]. These practical habits work in both personal and professional life, creating one approach to achievement in all areas.
Clarity and Energy: The foundation of high performance
Two foundational pillars stand above all others in high-performance architecture: clarity and energy. These two habits are the foundations of all other high-performance habits. They create a powerful combination that pushes top achievers forward while others stall or burnout.
How clarity drives focus and meeting goals
Clarity goes beyond just having goals. You need deep self-awareness and a roadmap to success. A clear mind helps you make decisions with confidence and conviction. You won't feel burdened by uncertainty or indecision [12]. Your focused direction helps you cut through daily distractions and spend time on what matters most.
Jonathan Grumet's research expresses "the art of subtraction" as a tool to learn about clarity. List your responsibilities, then remove tasks that don't bring joy or meaning. This helps you find purpose anchors to build a meaningful life [13]. The process shows the difference between society's expectations and what truly energizes you.
A clear mind works like a compass that guides your actions toward meaningful goals. You can prioritize tasks better and improve your productivity when you know what you want to achieve [14]. Peter Drucker said it best: "There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all" [14].
Why energy is your most valuable asset
Success requires working smarter by managing your energy, not just your time. Time has limits, but energy can be renewed [15]. The day won't give you more hours, but you can raise your energy to make each moment count.
Top performers know that energy isn't just physical stamina. It has mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual well-being [3]. A balance of these energy sources helps you perform better and maintain it longer.
Research shows you can't perform like an elite athlete with the energy levels of a raisin [16]. Many driven professionals plan their minutes carefully but ignore the fuel they need to perform well. Your output becomes average at best when your mind and body are tired, even with perfect planning [15].
Daily practices to boost both
These proven practices will raise both clarity and energy:
For mental clarity:
Mindfulness through meditation reduces mental clutter and helps neural efficiency [17]. New 2023 research suggests it improves brain function and creates neuroplasticity [17].
Quiet time before 8 a.m. gives you space to think—clarity starts with silence [4].
A journal helps organize thoughts, spot patterns, and create mental space [18].
For energy optimization:
Quality sleep of 7-9 hours helps your brain work properly [3]. Even slight sleep loss reduces your thinking and decision-making.
Smart food choices matter—processed foods drain you while whole foods fuel you [3].
Proper hydration is key—losing just 1-2% of body water can affect your attention, memory, and mood [5].
Focus blocks like Pomodoro (25-minute deep work sessions) help you work better [3].
Quick movement breaks every 60-90 minutes reset your focus and energy [3].
Knowing your energy cycle helps peak performance. Track when you feel most productive in an energy journal [6]. Schedule your hardest tasks during high-energy periods instead of saving them for later [6].
Your energy is your most valuable asset. Clear thinking through daily practices builds the foundation for all other high-performance habits. This approach optimizes productivity and creates lasting success without the burnout that affects many high achievers.
Necessity and Productivity: Turning pressure into progress
Pressure can be a powerful catalyst when you channel it the right way. The next two high performance habits - necessity and productivity - turn outside demands into inner drive and meaningful results. These habits are the engine that pushes top achievers beyond short-term motivation into consistent excellence.
How to raise your internal standards
Your performance changes quickly when you raise your standards. Top performers create necessity by turning what others see as "shoulds" into absolute "musts." Tony Robbins calls this "the moment your destiny is shaped" - you simply won't accept anything less than your biggest goals.
Everything starts with a simple question: how do you see yourself? Most people live with limiting beliefs that are 10-30 years old. These beliefs put an invisible ceiling on what they can achieve. You need a new identity that matches higher standards to break through.
Necessity comes from inner conviction, not outside pressure. Raising your standards means making a deep commitment to control your life's quality. Your behavior changes right away - what you once saw as optional becomes non-negotiable.
The best performers know better standards start with goals that excite you for years. They're deeply personal and bold. Your ability to push through challenges depends on how strongly you connect with your purpose.
Using deadlines and purpose to stay on track
Deadlines don't have to cause stress. They work as excellent productivity tools when you use them right. Research shows realistic deadlines boost performance, reduce procrastination, and help you focus by keeping you accountable.
Parkinson's Law explains this boost in productivity - work fills whatever time you give it. Tasks often stay unfinished without deadlines, but time limits create motivation and spark creativity.
Big projects become less daunting when you break them into smaller tasks with their own deadlines. As Henry Ford said, "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."
Good deadlines need more than just an end date. Leaders who have clear goals and the right tools build cultures where people thrive. Studies by Gallup and Workhuman show that recognizing employees strategically leads to better performance.
Setting deadlines isn't about adding pressure - it creates a framework that lets you focus on what matters most.
Focusing on high-leverage output
Top performers stand out by working on tasks that create the most value. Leverage means getting more results from less effort - it's about working smarter, not harder.
Three questions help you find high-value tasks:
What if this was simple? (How can I spend less time?)
What if this was huge? (How can I create more value?)
What else could I be doing? (What am I giving up?)
Andrew Grove puts it well: "The art of management is selecting and concentrating on one, two, or three high-leverage activities and ignoring the rest." The best activities affect many people, change behavior long-term, or reach large groups with crucial information.
Workers spend 25-40% of their time on low-value, repetitive tasks that don't help much. Top performers either get rid of these tasks or hand them off. They put all their energy into work that creates real value.
The real difference lies in creating quality output instead of just staying busy. Find out which results matter most in your field and focus your energy there. Necessity drives your standards while productivity shapes how you execute - together they turn pressure into remarkable progress.
Influence and Courage: Leading with impact
Real influence comes from connection and courage, not position or title. The final two high performance habits—influence and courage—turn good leaders into exceptional ones. These leaders revolutionize their organizations because they know how to inspire others and face challenges head-on.
How high performers influence without authority
Leaders who excel understand that genuine influence rarely comes from formal power. Command-and-control leadership has given way to flatter organizational structures. People who excel at persuading others without authority perform better than their peers.
High performers build influence through relationships. Your network becomes your net worth when it comes to informal influence [19]. They create meaningful connections with colleagues and build trust that amplifies their persuasive power.
Expertise becomes another powerful source of authority. People naturally want to listen to you when you're knowledgeable in your discipline or industry, even if they don't have to [20]. This earned credibility proves especially valuable when you need others to help accomplish goals.
Top achievers excel at understanding what drives others. They point out potential outcomes specific to each person and activate what persuasion experts call the "Hope Trigger" [19]. Their requests connect to others' personal goals, which makes compliance natural.
The role of courage in everyday leadership
Leadership courage isn't about grand heroic gestures. Small acts of bravery that most people avoid make the difference. You need to have difficult conversations, address performance issues directly, and name the "elephant in the room" even without all the answers [21].
This everyday courage shows up as being willing to say "I don't know" without doubting yourself [21]. You approach professional opportunities like a child learning to ride a bicycle—you expect falls yet keep going [22]. Top performers know that falling off the bike helps master any new skill.
Effective leaders control emotions—even difficult ones like anger—to create positive change. Scott Edinger notes that you can use this emotion productively. Let it convey severity while you engage employees in problem-solving together [22]. The key is to use emotional honesty to motivate rather than intimidate.
Speaking up and standing out
You need exceptional courage to speak truth to power. Research shows employees often hold back concerns because they fear being ignored or labeled troublemakers [23]. Early feedback prevents small issues from becoming major problems.
Organizations with "speak-up cultures" show better learning, adapt to change faster, and perform better [23]. These environments need psychological safety—team members must feel free to express themselves without fear of judgment.
Top performers stand out by practicing disciplined consistency. They arrive on time, keep their word, and come prepared [24]. This reliability builds trust and creates a difference in a world where many fail to follow through. They also listen actively and work toward deep understanding beyond just hearing words [24].
Successful people make their life their message. Their character and spirit stay consistent in every situation, which lets their influence spread naturally as their words match their actions [24].
How to implement high performance habits in 2025
You need a strategic plan to turn the 6 high performance habits from theory into daily practice. Research shows that tracking your progress will boost your success rate. This is particularly true when you write down or share your results with others [25].
Using the high performance habits tools
Brendon Burchard's research has led to several proven tools that help build high performance habits. The High Performance Indicator Assessment shows which habits need work to tap into your full potential [2]. You'll also find useful resources like the Clarity Chart for staying focused, Performance Prompts for reflection, and the Influence Model to boost your impact [2].
These tools create consistent neural pathways—neurons that fire together wire together. Over time, they turn temporary behaviors into permanent identity traits [26]. Unlike quick fixes, these frameworks tackle both immediate achievements and long-term lifestyle alignment.
Tracking your progress with assessments
Turning dreams into reality needs monitoring. Research proves that frequent progress tracking boosts your chances of hitting goals [25]. Your tracking should focus on specific outcomes to work effectively:
If seeking behavior change, monitor the actual behaviors (like eating habits)
If pursuing outcome goals, track the outcomes directly (like weight) [25]
The High Performance Indicator Assessment measures six areas: clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage. These measurements are great standards for improvement [27].
Avoiding common pitfalls and plateaus
High performers face obstacles too. Many rely too much on technology but don't deal very well with deeper organizational problems [28]. Some create rigid systems that can't adapt to change [29]. Others ignore the human side of performance [29].
Smart variations in your approach, like cross-training, help break through plateaus [30]. Adding explosive or high-resistance interval training can improve performance after 8-12 sessions [31]. Studies show that intensity-focused training beats duration-focused approaches when pushing past plateaus [31].
Note that progress isn't always straight forward. Tracking helps you stay on course even when things slow down temporarily [1].
Conclusion
As we continue learning about high-performance habits, we've found that extraordinary achievement doesn't happen by chance. Success comes from intentional actions that line up with your deepest purpose. These six habits—seeking clarity, generating energy, raising necessity, improving productivity, developing influence, and showing courage—create a detailed system for lasting excellence.
These habits work well across industries, backgrounds, and demographics. Your gender, race, age, and personality traits have little effect on long-term success. These specific behaviors set top performers apart from others consistently.
Success alone isn't enough—proper alignment makes the difference. Many high achievers succeed but face burnout because their systems drain them instead of sustaining them. This explains why some successful professionals feel empty despite their wins. The six habits solve this challenge and create both productivity and fulfillment.
You might ask which habit needs your attention first. Start with clarity and energy since these basic elements drive everything else. Your best plans will fail without mental focus and physical vitality. Recording or sharing your results will boost your chances of success significantly.
Note that high performance isn't about being perfect—it's about making progress. Small improvements add up over time and transform temporary behaviors into who you are. The world's most successful people hit roadblocks just like everyone else. They just handle challenges differently.
Life gives us a choice: we can drift along or craft excellence purposefully. These habits offer more than career success. They create a path to a life filled with meaning and lasting achievement.
Build these habits into your daily routine instead of waiting for motivation. Small, steady actions create remarkable results as time passes. High performance isn't something you do sometimes—it becomes part of who you are.
Key Takeaways
High performance isn't about innate talent or demographics—it's about mastering six specific habits that create sustainable success while preventing burnout.
• Clarity and energy form the foundation: Actively seek clarity about your intentions and deliberately manage your mental, physical, and emotional energy as your most valuable asset.
• Transform pressure into progress: Raise your internal standards by making excellence a "must" rather than a "should," and focus on high-leverage activities that create maximum impact.
• Lead through influence and courage: Build authentic influence through relationships and expertise, while demonstrating everyday courage by speaking up and addressing difficult situations directly.
• Track progress consistently: Monitor your development across all six habits—studies show frequent tracking dramatically increases your likelihood of achieving goals.
• Start with small, consistent actions: High performance becomes identity through daily practice, not occasional bursts of motivation—neurons that fire together wire together.
The research is clear: achievement without alignment leads to burnout, but these six habits create both extraordinary results and lasting fulfillment across all areas of life.
References
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