Here’s why odd rituals actually work for successful people

Do rituals work? The answer to this question is it depends on who you ask. But for these successful people, doing some odd rituals actually help them stay ahead. Here’s why.

According to Inc., some of the most successful people are doing their rituals no matter how odd they may seem. This is typical in elite athletes, where players are known to keep a strange habit or routines to get their minds psyched up or ready in big games. The article cited Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, ice skating partners and Olympic gold medalists, as an example. The duo shares a ritual hug to integrate their breathing before performing their routine.

People are creatures of habit; they like to do what works and do away with things that don’t help them win or get better. If something works, is there a need to fix it?

Having a solid routine, however, is not limited to athletes. Jazz musician Pat Metheny has received 18 Grammys throughout his career, and after his performances, he would write a lengthy diary entry detailing how his day went and how he can improve. This may seem like a nuisance to others, but it does not faze successful people. After all, if it helps them succeed, other people’s opinions will remain opinions.

As humans go to the next level, their rituals also change. When they no longer work as motivators, innovations happen, and rituals change. It all boils down to having that mindset, that drive to propel to success.

Rituals are different for everyone. What works for a champion golfer may not work for his fellow golfer as every mind is wired differently. Each of us has a reason and motivation in achieving our goals.

As Business Insider reported, successful people have different definitions of success, and they don’t count power or money as part of it. For most of them, it involves personal happiness and positive impact on the communities, however ideal that may seem.

For billionaire, Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank host Mark Cuban, measuring success is simple. “To me, the definition of success is waking up in the morning with a smile on your face, knowing it’s going to be a great day. I was happy and felt like I was successful when I was poor, living six guys in a three-bedroom apartment, sleeping on the floor,” he said.

On the other hand, for legendary basketball coach John Wooden, being successful means going against yourself and being better, not against other people’s definition of success. “Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable,” he explains.

Some may claim that these people can afford to be philosophical about success because they are rich enough to afford it. But in reality, money should not be the sole measurement of success in life. Having lots of money without a purpose is tragic. What matters is how it is used to improve oneself or other people.

At the end of the day, it is more than the accomplishments but how people remember you on your last day. As the late Stephen Covey aptly said: “If you carefully consider what you want to be said of you in the funeral experience, you will find your definition of success.”