07 Smart Habits of the Most Successful Leaders

It's easy to get caught up in the energy and uncertainty--living moment to moment.

Even among the panics and joys of your enterprise's life, you can be constructing the bedrock of all your later success.

Here's how:

1. Prioritize what's truly important.

When you know what's important to you, you know what to spend your time on. Say no to distractions and busy work, and yes to things that keep you focused and help you succeed.

2. Build on strengths.

You likely know your strengths already--but if not, start assessing them now. They will differentiate you from the rest of the pack, allowing you to create a clear direction and move forward to producing the right results.

3. Be tenacious.

Perseverance is part of every great success story. As Steve Jobs said, "I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance." If something isn't going well, keep at it. Because every great enterprise has its roots in tenacity.

4. Make the commitment.

If something is going to get done, it is ultimately up to you. Even the things you delegate can be handled in a way that hands along a commitment and not just the task. The little choices you make every day lead to the final results you are working toward to be successful.

5. Keep learning.

Whether you're failing or succeeding, there are lessons all around you if you pay attention and keep your mind open. You can learn from them and make sure they don't happen in your professional and personal life again.

6. Be decisive.

Waffling and second-guessing accomplish nothing but wasting time. By all means, plan, analyze, and be thoughtful and intentional about what you do--but when the time comes to make a decision, make it firmly. Don't look back or second-guess yourself. Because every great enterprise needs a decisive leader.

7. Take care of yourself.

When you honor your relationship with yourself, you give yourself what you need. And from there, you can reach to help others get to what they need, and then together you can accomplish great things together.

As with any business, the best way to start out is to focus on the fundamentals. Start today to incorporate these key principles into your enterprise--and your life--and see what a difference this year will make.