The difference between mediocrity and mastery often boils down to a handful of habits—specifically, five transformative skills that can make you millions. Success isn’t reserved for the smartest or the luckiest; it belongs to those who master the art of showing up for themselves and for others. Soft skills like these are the foundation of every high-performing entrepreneur’s journey.
The catch is that many entrepreneurs overlook the impact of soft skills. They chase shortcuts and quick wins, while the truly successful focus on mastering the fundamentals that quietly drive massive results.
If you’re ready to move past the noise and focus on what actually works, then dive into these five practical, high-impact skills that can shift your entire trajectory—starting today.
Skill #1: Show Up 10 Minutes Early
This goes beyond simple punctuality. Those extra minutes give you a chance to gather your thoughts, assess the room, and enter any situation calm, collected, and ready to lead.
More than that, showing up early sends a message. It tells people you value their time, which earns you immediate respect. Respect, in turn, builds trust—the currency of any successful relationship. Whether it’s a pitch meeting, a networking event, or even a casual coffee chat, being the person who’s prepared and relaxed makes you memorable in the best way.
So, how do you build this habit? Start by reverse-engineering your schedule. If you need to be somewhere by 9:00, plan to arrive by 8:50. Factor in possible delays and give yourself a buffer. Prepare the night before—lay out what you need, review your notes, and eliminate the morning rush. These small adjustments mean you’ll show up not only early but in control.
Those ten extra minutes often make all the difference. I’ve walked into meetings where others are frazzled from traffic or last-minute prep, while I’ve had the chance to think through my opening points or quietly observe the dynamics of the room. That calm confidence gives you a real edge.
Success starts before the clock strikes the hour. Show up early, and you’re already halfway there.

Skill #2: Maintain High Energy for High Results
Energy is your invisible advantage. It shapes how you show up, how decisions get made, and how people respond to you. High energy doesn’t mean bouncing off the walls. It means being fully present, sharp, and ready to perform at your peak.
Think about it: low energy drains your productivity and credibility. People notice when you’re dragging through a meeting or struggling to stay focused. On the flip side, high energy attracts attention and commands respect. It’s a signal that you’re not just participating – you’re leading.
Maintaining high energy starts with the basics. Prioritize quality sleep, eat foods that fuel you rather than drain you, and move your body regularly. But it’s not just physical; mental habits matter, too. Set an intention for your day: what’s your purpose, and how will you show up for it? Even a quick morning routine, like deep breathing or visualization, can set the tone for sustained energy.
Energy is also a competitive differentiator. Research consistently shows that leaders with high energy levels inspire better performance from their teams. People want to follow someone who brings enthusiasm and focus to every interaction. It’s contagious!
In my experience, energy often determines outcomes. I’ve been in high-pressure negotiations where everyone was running on fumes, and the person with the most energy naturally took control. Their clarity and confidence became the driving force in the room.
Here’s the truth: people can’t help but mirror the energy you bring. If you’re flat, so is the room. If you’re sharp, the room sharpens. Master your energy, and you’ll find it’s the quiet force behind extraordinary results.
Skill #3: Adopt a Growth Mindset
Setbacks aren’t roadblocks, they’re stepping stones. The willingness to see failure as an opportunity, rather than a dead end, is what separates the stagnant from the successful. This is the essence of a growth mindset: the belief that you can learn, adapt, and improve with every challenge you face.
Think about Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx. She openly credits her success to her upbringing, where failure wasn’t shamed, but celebrated. Each “failure” became a lesson, a skill-builder, a springboard for her next move. This perspective doesn’t just make you more resilient; it primes you for long-term success by turning obstacles into opportunities.
So how do you develop this mindset? Start by reframing setbacks. When something doesn’t go as planned, ask yourself: What can I learn from this? Journaling is a great tool for this – write down what happened, why it happened, and what you’ll do differently next time. Negative feedback? Treat it as free advice for your improvement, not a personal attack.
The truth is, setbacks are inevitable. But the willingness to grow through them defines your potential. A growth mindset isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. If you can embrace the lessons hidden in every challenge, there’s no limit to how far you can go.

Skill #4: Cultivate Genuine Curiosity
There are naturally curious people, but this is also a skill you can cultivate. And it is worth doing so as it is one of the most powerful skills that can make you millions. In a world that moves faster every day, the ability to ask “why” and “how” is what keeps you ahead of the curve. Curiosity fuels innovation, drives problem-solving, and helps you uncover opportunities others overlook.
Think about how curiosity has led to some of the greatest breakthroughs in business. Steve Jobs famously credited his fascination with calligraphy as the inspiration for Apple’s revolutionary font design – a detail that set Apple apart. In every industry, the most successful leaders are the ones who ask questions, explore new ideas, and refuse to settle for surface-level answers.
Cultivating curiosity starts with simple habits. Ask better questions, not just “what happened?” but “why did it happen, and what can we do about it?” Step outside your comfort zone and explore fields unrelated to your own; cross-pollination of ideas is often where innovation is born. Adopt a beginner’s mindset when facing new challenges. Being curious about what you don’t know is a strength, not a weakness.
Curiosity is about unlocking possibilities you didn’t even know existed. When you stay curious, you stay sharp, adaptable, and ahead of the pack. It’s a competitive advantage that pays dividends for a lifetime.
Skill #5: Be Coachable—Learn and Adapt Quickly
Being coachable means staying humble enough to acknowledge you don’t know everything and adaptable enough to act on feedback. It’s what separates those who plateau from those who continue to evolve, no matter how much they’ve already achieved.
Jeff Bezos built Amazon on the foundation of being endlessly adaptable. Early on, he listened intently to feedback, whether it came from customers or his team. That openness allowed him to pivot quickly, experiment boldly, and fine-tune what eventually became one of the most valuable companies in the world.
So, how can you cultivate coachability? Start by seeking out coaches who’ve been where you want to go and aren’t afraid to challenge you. When you receive constructive criticism, pause before reacting defensively. Instead, ask yourself: “What’s the truth in this feedback, and how can I apply it?” And after you listen, implement. Acting on guidance quickly not only sharpens your skills but also earns you trust and respect from those around you.
Personally, I’ve seen how being coachable can transform outcomes. I once received tough feedback on a project I was deeply invested in. Initially, it stung. But instead of clinging to my ego, I decided to use the insights to overhaul my approach. The result is a reworked strategy that delivered better results than I could have imagined.
Coachability isn’t about admitting weakness; it’s about maximizing potential. It’s the skill that keeps you evolving, improving, and growing, long after others have hit their ceiling. Among the skills that can make you millions, this one stands out as the bridge between knowledge and action.

Are you ready to work on these skills?
Success doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built on intentional habits and key skills that set extraordinary entrepreneurs apart. Showing up early makes you prepared and composed, while maintaining high energy keeps you sharp and engaging. Adopting a growth mindset allows you to turn setbacks into stepping stones, and cultivating genuine curiosity helps you uncover hidden opportunities. Finally, being coachable ensures you’re always learning, adapting, and leveling up.
These are important concepts to learn, but they won’t work unless you put them into practice. The good news is that you don’t need to master all five at once. Start with just one. Maybe you focus on showing up 10 minutes early to your next meeting or asking more insightful questions during your next brainstorming session. Small steps create big results.
So, which of these five skills will you start working on today? The choice is yours—and it could be the decision that changes everything. Because at the end of the day, success isn’t so much about luck or talent, but about building the habits that lead to greatness. Will you take the first step?

Larry Vivola is a successful business coach who coaches entrepreneurs anywhere in the world via Zoom. If he’s not coaching he’s making meatballs and entertaining friends and family!