10 Ways to Get Ahead of 99% of People

10 Ways to Get Ahead of 99% of People (That You Wish You Knew Sooner)

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Most people are stuck on autopilot—waking up, clocking in, clocking out, scrolling, sleeping, repeating. They aren't lazy; they just don’t know what they’re missing.

They were never taught the real moves that separate the top 1% from everyone else. Schools don’t teach it. Most jobs don't require it. And society certainly doesn’t encourage it.

The truth is, getting ahead isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter in the right areas.

It’s about making small, strategic choices daily that compound into massive advantages over time. It’s about doing the things that feel invisible now but become undeniable later.

If you're reading this, chances are you don’t want average. You don’t want to blend in.

You want to dominate. You want to build a life most people only dream about. And you’re tired of wasting time on the wrong advice.

Good. Because this post is not about the typical “wake up earlier” or “drink more water” advice you see everywhere.

These are the moves that create separation—the ones that, if you start now, will put you so far ahead that you’ll barely recognize yourself a year from today.

Getting ahead starts with mindset but it ends with action. Every hack, strategy, or habit you’re about to read is practical. No fluff. No abstract theory.

Just pure, battle-tested ways to level up your money, mind, health, relationships, and overall success.

You’ll realize most people aren’t failing because they’re not talented or hardworking. They’re failing because they’re distracted. They’re comfortable.

They’re stuck optimizing things that don't matter, while ignoring the things that do. They spend more time arguing on social media than building real skills.

They chase quick dopamine hits instead of long-term wins. And they pay for it with their future.

Meanwhile, the 1%—the ones who rise, build, and dominate—understand the game differently. They see where the leverage is.

They know the cost of wasted time. They stack small wins until the gap between them and everyone else is so wide it’s laughable.

This isn’t about being better than other people for the sake of ego.

It's about being better than your old self every day. It’s about knowing you squeezed everything you could out of your potential.

And if you take these 10 lessons seriously, you’ll never see life the same way again.

It won’t always be easy. Some of these will feel uncomfortable at first.

But that's the point. Growth lives just outside your comfort zone, and every move you make away from the herd puts you closer to the life you actually want—not the one you settle for.

Ready to find out what most people never will? Let’s get into it.

1. Start Before You’re Ready

Most people are stuck in a waiting game they don't even realize they’re playing.

They tell themselves they’ll start when they’re ready — when they have more time, more money, more experience, more confidence. They’re waiting for the “perfect” moment.

Here’s the truth: that moment never comes.

The top 1% — the creators, builders, entrepreneurs, leaders — they didn’t wait. They didn’t have it all figured out when they started. They weren’t “ready” by any traditional standard.

They just moved. They took the first step, however awkward and unpolished it looked. And by moving, they built momentum. They learned faster. They adapted in real time. They failed, yes — but they failed forward. They turned uncertainty into action.

Action breeds clarity. Sitting still breeds fear, doubt, and overthinking. If you study any successful person closely, you’ll notice a pattern:

They started when it felt too early.

They doubted themselves but acted anyway.

They trusted that they could figure things out after they were already in motion.

Inaction is the slowest form of failure. Waiting doesn’t protect you from mistakes or embarrassment — it just guarantees that you won’t grow.

It keeps you stuck in your head, playing out hypothetical futures while real opportunities pass you by.

Every day you wait is another day someone else gets ahead — not because they’re better, but because they had the guts to start messy.

What to do today

Stop waiting.

You have an idea, a project, a dream you've been carrying around — you know exactly what it is. The one you keep saying you’ll get to "someday" when everything lines up perfectly.

Forget someday.

Pick that idea.

Pick today.

Take one small step toward it right now.

Sketch the rough outline.

Write the first messy paragraph.

Launch the unfinished version.

Make the awkward phone call.

Post the thing you’re scared to post.

It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be beautiful. It just has to be.

When you move, the path reveals itself. You meet people you wouldn’t have met otherwise. You notice opportunities you couldn't have seen from the sidelines.

You gain energy you didn’t even know you had access to.

Momentum beats perfect planning every time.

Think of it like this:

You don’t learn to swim by reading about swimming. You get in the water.

You don’t become a great speaker by sitting alone and imagining the perfect speech.

You stand up and stammer through the first one.

You don’t build confidence first and then act. You act first — confidence follows.

Every rough draft teaches you something.
Every bad first version gives you feedback you can use.
Every small move compound into bigger moves.

But none of that happens if you wait. A mindset shift that will change everything. When you start before, you’re ready, you build a mindset that compounds over your whole life:

You trust yourself to figure it out, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

You build real resilience, not just the theory of it.

You become someone who creates instead of someone who only consumes.

And people notice.
Opportunities find you because you’re visible, active, moving.
Relationships deepen because people respect those who do instead of just talk.
Confidence grows because you earn it through action, not imagination.

Real talk:

You will stumble. You will cringe at your early work. You will wish you could skip the messy middle.

But you can’t skip it — and you shouldn’t want to.
The messy middle is where the magic happens.
It’s where you sharpen your instincts.

It’s where you discover what you’re capable of. It’s where you build the muscle memory of starting — over and over — without needing permission or certainty.

Thought:

Starting before you're ready isn't reckless. It's the most practical thing you can do if you actually want to build a life that’s different from everyone else's.

You don’t need another year of preparation.
You don’t need another round of self-doubt.
You don’t need anyone’s permission.

You need to move.
Momentum is more powerful than planning.
Start today. Start scared. Start messy. Start.

2. Build Discipline, Not Motivation.

Motivation is a mood. Discipline is a habit. Most people stop when they're not "feeling it." Successful people keep going, especially when they aren't.

People ask, "How do you stay motivated?" The answer is: I don't. I stay committed. Motivation is fleeting. Discipline is designed.

How to build it

Create one daily non-negotiable. Walk 10 minutes. Read 5 pages. Wake up at the same time. Start small. Consistency wins.

Use the 2-minute rule: make your habit so small you can’t say no.

Want to build a writing habit? Write 50 words a day. Want to work out? Do 10 pushups. Build identity, not just results.

3. Read Books, Not Just Tweets.

Social media is mental junk food. It’s fast, addictive, and often leaves you more distracted than informed.

In contrast, reading books is like strength training for your brain. It builds deep thinking, patience, focus, and real problem-solving skills — qualities that are rare and valuable today.

Most people skim headlines, tweets, and posts all day, but never sit down long enough with one idea to truly understand it.

Reading, real reading, compounds insight over time. It sharpens your mind the way consistent exercise strengthens your body.

If you want better focus, better judgment, and a better mindset, you have to train for it — and that training happens one page at a time. Tweets entertain. Books educate.

The people you admire for their wisdom didn’t get it by scrolling; they got it by sitting quietly with good books for years.