Today's Do Hard Things Today podcast provides a look at the key characteristics that enable individuals to achieve their goals and reach their full potential. By establishing standards, minimizing distractions, embracing lifelong learning, welcoming adversity, and maintaining consistency,  anyone can cultivate the mindset and habits of successful people.

1. Establishing Standards

The key is setting high personal standards and refusing to compromise, even when it is difficult. Jed Blackwell shares his experience as a journalist, where he established strict journalistic standards early in his career and was unwilling to deviate from them, even when it meant walking away from a job. Successful people apply this principle across all areas of their lives - physical, professional, spiritual, and personal.

2. Quieting the Noise

The podcast discusses the challenge of managing the constant distractions and "noise" that modern life presents, such as emails, social media, and other digital stimuli. Successful people are able to minimize these distractions and focus on what is truly important. This may involve setting boundaries, such as closing the door to avoid interruptions, and limiting time spent on non-essential activities.

3. Being a Lifelong Learner

The hosts emphasize the importance of being a lifelong learner, constantly seeking to expand one's knowledge and skills. Successful people are humble enough to learn from others, even those in different fields, recognizing that there is always room for growth and improvement. The podcast cites statistics showing that the average millionaire reads significantly more non-fiction books than the general population.

4. Welcoming Adversity

The podcast argues that successful people view adversity as an opportunity for growth and development, rather than something to be feared. They understand that overcoming challenges is essential for reaching one's full potential. The hosts use examples from sports, such as Kobe Bryant's response to his Achilles injury, to illustrate this mindset.

5. Consistency

The hosts conclude that the "secret sauce" of success is consistency - the disciplined execution of fundamental tasks and routines day in and day out. They contrast this with the misconception that successful people achieve extraordinary feats, emphasizing that it is the consistent application of the basics that truly drives success.