Sara Blakely Habits for Entrepreneurial Success

Extends a short commute into an hour-long drive to stimulate creative thinking. Provides uninterrupted time for idea generation and problem-solving.

Practices yoga daily at 6:30 AM to center herself before managing business and family responsibilities. Enhances physical flexibility and mental clarity.

Consumes the same nutrient-dense smoothie daily containing kale, berries, nuts, and herbs. Eliminates decision fatigue around morning meals.

Carries a spiral-bound notebook to capture inspirations immediately. Prevents loss of fleeting ideas during daily activities.

Avoids coffee, opting for herbal tea or water. Maintains natural energy cycles without stimulant dependency.

Takes nightly baths to decompress and transition from work to personal time. Uses warm water therapy for stress relief.

Assigns specific focuses to different weekdays (e.g., product development Mondays). Prevents context-switching fatigue.

Insists on all-female teams for major business deals. Challenges gender norms in corporate finance environments.

Plows majority of earnings back into business growth. Maintains financial independence from external investors.

Shares business mistakes openly with staff. Normalizes risk-taking in corporate culture.

Spends 10 minutes daily imagining successful outcomes. Strengthens focus on long-term objectives.

Evaluates all business decisions through customer need lens. Prioritizes utility over profit potential.

Views 'no's as necessary steps toward 'yes'. Maintains persistence through setbacks.

Personally tests products and reads user complaints. Maintains hands-on quality control.

Develops multiple product versions before finalizing. Balances perfectionism with market readiness.

Files patents before market testing. Secures competitive advantage early.

Regularly practices pitch delivery and objection handling. Maintains frontline business acumen.

Blocks morning/evening hours exclusively for children. Prevents work encroachment on family life.

Shares personal struggles publicly to humanize leadership. Builds authentic employee connections.

Encourages calculated risk-taking without punishment. Accelerates innovation cycles.