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What Are High Performance Habits? The Science and Strategy Behind Sustainable Success

03 Oct 2025  •  Tiffany Julie

Most people think high performance is about working harder, grinding longer, or staying endlessly motivated. But real high performance is not about doing more, it is about doing what matters most with clarity, energy, and purpose. The difference between achievers who maintain success and those who burn out comes down to the habits they have trained to support that success.

High performance habits are not motivational hacks or morning routines. They are deliberate patterns of thought and behavior designed to create long-term excellence across every area of life including business, health, and relationships. These habits are backed by science, proven through coaching thousands of top performers, and refined through real-world application.

After coaching ambitious leaders across more than 80 industries and building multiple seven-figure businesses myself, I have seen that lasting success is not determined by talent or luck. It is created through the systems you live by every day. That is why my work, and the foundation of my Results Mastery Formula, focuses on training the same six core high performance habits identified in the largest study ever conducted on elite performers by Brendon Burchard and the High Performance Institute.

In this article, we will uncover what high performance habits really are, the science behind why they work, and how to begin installing them into your own life. You will also see how clarity, energy, and influence are not abstract concepts but trainable skills that compound to create sustainable success.

By the end, you will not just understand what makes high performers different. You will have the mindset and tools to become one.

Focused woman working on a laptop, representing consistency and dedication — core traits explored in the article about what are high performance habits and how they drive lasting success.

What Are High Performance Habits?

High performance habits are the repeatable thoughts, behaviors, and systems that help individuals consistently perform at their best while maintaining their well-being. These habits are not about short bursts of motivation but about creating sustainable excellence across business, health, and relationships.

The term “high performance” was popularized by Brendon Burchard through the largest study ever conducted on elite achievers, which identified six habits shared by the world’s most successful people: clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage. What makes these habits unique is that they are trainable. Anyone, regardless of background or industry, can install them with the right structure, accountability, and mindset.

At its core, high performance is the intersection of achievement and well-being. It is about achieving long-term success without sacrificing joy or health. A high performance coach helps bridge that gap by turning these habits into daily behaviors that align actions with purpose, sharpen focus, and expand impact.

Research supports this approach. Studies from the High Performance Institute found that individuals who intentionally practice these six habits report higher levels of confidence, energy, and life satisfaction compared to their peers. Neuroscience research from Harvard University also shows that consistent habit training rewires neural pathways, improving focus and emotional regulation over time.

Through High Performance Coaching and my Results Mastery Formula, I teach clients how to install these habits as systems rather than sporadic actions. Because when habits become structured, performance becomes predictable.

Habit #1: Clarity – The Foundation of High Performance

High performance begins with clarity. Without it, even the most driven people find themselves stuck in busyness rather than progress. Clarity means knowing who you are, what you want, and how you want to serve. It directs your focus, aligns your actions, and creates confidence in decision-making.

Research from the High Performance Institute found that clarity is the most consistently practiced habit among elite performers. When you know where you are going and why, distractions fade and motivation becomes self-sustaining.

A high performance coach helps you gain clarity by:

  • Identifying your core values and vision for life and work
  • Defining what extraordinary success looks like in measurable terms
  • Creating identity-based goals that align with your future self
  • Distinguishing between reactive tasks and intentional priorities

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • Can I clearly articulate my top three priorities right now?
  • Do I know what success looks like for me this year?
  • Are my daily actions aligned with my larger vision?

If your answers are uncertain, that is a sign clarity needs to be strengthened.

High Performance Tools to Build Clarity:

  • Vision Mapping: Define long-term goals and near-term milestones.
  • Decision Filters: Create rules for what gets your time and attention.
  • Weekly Reflection: Evaluate whether actions align with values and priorities.
  • Future Self Visualization: Reinforce identity-based motivation daily.

When I applied clarity systems in my own life, I scaled a business to seven figures within 14 months by focusing only on what truly mattered.

How Clarity Transforms Daily Life

Imagine starting each day knowing exactly what matters most. You move with direction instead of doubt, make faster decisions, and feel grounded in purpose. With clarity, energy is no longer scattered—it is strategic.

Habit #2: Energy – The Fuel Behind Sustainable Success

Clarity gives direction, but energy provides the power to follow through. Without it, even the most precise goals lose momentum. High performers know that energy is not something you wait for, it is something you generate. A high performance coach helps you build the physical, mental, and emotional energy needed to sustain excellence without burnout.

Research from the High Performance Institute shows that top performers are twice as likely to report excellent health compared to their peers. In another study from the University of Michigan, vitality was directly linked to higher productivity, creativity, and resilience in demanding roles. In short, energy is not just a personal benefit—it is a performance strategy.

A high performance coach helps you master energy by:

  • Designing daily routines that fuel performance rather than drain it
  • Optimizing sleep, movement, hydration, and nutrition to sustain focus
  • Teaching recovery rituals that prevent burnout and increase longevity
  • Building emotional resilience through mindfulness and stress regulation

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • Do I wake up energized and ready, or already fatigued?
  • Do my recovery habits match the level of my ambition?
  • Am I managing energy proactively or reacting to exhaustion?

High Performance Tools to Build Energy:

  • Morning Activation: Create a 20-minute ritual of hydration, breathwork, and movement to set your physiology for the day.
  • Micro-Recovery Breaks: Schedule five-minute resets every 90 minutes for breathing, stretching, or short walks.
  • Performance Nutrition: Prioritize whole foods and hydration throughout the day for sustained focus.
  • Evening Wind-Down: Establish a routine that lowers stimulation and improves sleep quality.

When I optimized my energy systems, I eliminated afternoon crashes and doubled my focus hours. My clients often report similar outcomes. One of my lawyer clients increased her billable hours while reducing caffeine use and improving sleep.

How Energy Transforms Daily Life

Imagine finishing your workday with the same mental clarity and focus you had in the morning. You leave meetings feeling composed, lead with presence, and still have energy left for what matters most outside of work. With the right systems and mindset, energy becomes renewable—and performance becomes sustainable.

Habit #3: Necessity – Turning Goals into Non-Negotiables

If clarity defines your direction and energy fuels the journey, necessity is the force that ensures you stay on the path. It is the internal and external pressure that turns “I should” into “I must.” High performers operate from a deep sense of necessity because their goals are tied to their identity, purpose, and impact on others.

Brendon Burchard’s research from the High Performance Institute found that top performers consistently scored higher in necessity, meaning they have strong emotional reasons for taking action. They do not rely on motivation alone. They connect their habits to who they want to become and why it matters.

A high performance coach helps you activate necessity by:

  • Identifying emotional drivers that make success personally meaningful
  • Reconnecting you to your purpose when momentum dips
  • Transforming external pressure into internal commitment
  • Aligning your standards and identity with your highest potential

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • Do my goals truly matter to me, or am I chasing what others expect?
  • Who relies on me showing up as my best self every day?
  • If I did not follow through, what would it cost me emotionally, financially, or relationally?

High Performance Tools to Build Necessity:

  • Purpose Anchors: Define three emotional reasons why your goals must happen.
  • Accountability Structures: Use deadlines, partners, or public commitments to reinforce follow-through.
  • Identity Statements: Affirm who you are becoming, not just what you are achieving.
  • Future Consequence Visualization: Reflect on what happens if you stay the same versus what is possible if you change.

When I reconnected my goals to a deeper purpose beyond numbers or metrics, everything shifted. I no longer needed motivation because I had meaning. My clients experience the same transformation. One client tripled her consistency after linking her health goals to being a present parent, not just hitting a target weight.

How Necessity Transforms Daily Life

Imagine waking up with an unshakable sense of purpose, where discipline feels natural because your actions are connected to something bigger than yourself. Obstacles no longer slow you down because you have anchored your performance to who you are and why it matters. Necessity is not pressure—it is power.

Habit #4: Productivity – Working with Precision, Not Pressure

Most people mistake busyness for productivity. High performers know better. Productivity is not about doing more, it is about doing what moves the needle most. A high performance coach helps you build systems that make output predictable, priorities clear, and progress measurable. The goal is not to fill your days, but to free your focus.

Research from the Harvard Business Review found that professionals lose up to 40 percent of their productive time due to task switching and distraction. High performers minimize this by structuring their time, creating focus triggers, and aligning effort with their highest-value priorities. The result is exponential progress without exhaustion.

A high performance coach helps you increase productivity by:

  • Identifying your highest-value priorities and eliminating unnecessary tasks
  • Designing time blocks that protect deep, focused work
  • Installing accountability systems that drive consistent progress
  • Using tools and routines that measure outcomes, not hours

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • Am I busy or truly productive?
  • Do I consistently complete my most important work before distractions take over?
  • How often do I end the week feeling fulfilled versus overwhelmed?

High Performance Tools to Build Productivity:

  • Priority Planning: Identify the three key outcomes that matter most each week.
  • Time Blocking: Schedule uninterrupted work blocks for high-focus tasks.
  • Attention Management: Turn off notifications and reduce multitasking to prevent attention residue.
  • Weekly Review: Reflect on wins, obstacles, and what needs refinement for the next cycle.

When I started focusing on these habits, I doubled my output while reducing hours significantly. My clients regularly report the same results through my high-performance coaching program.

How Productivity Transforms Daily Life

Imagine starting your morning knowing exactly what matters most, finishing your top priorities before lunch, and ending your day feeling complete rather than depleted. Productivity becomes effortless when supported by high performance habits. You no longer need to chase balance—it becomes built into how you work.

Habit #5: Influence – The Skill That Multiplies Success

Influence is one of the most misunderstood habits of high performance. Many assume it is about charisma or authority, but true influence is about connection, trust, and the ability to inspire others into action. Without it, even the most talented leaders struggle to create momentum. A high performance coach helps you strengthen influence so your communication, energy, and presence move people forward.

In Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Institute research, influence ranked as one of the top habits separating good performers from exceptional ones. High performers intentionally cultivate influence—they do not rely on personality, they rely on skills.

A high performance coach helps you build influence by:

  • Teaching you how to communicate vision with clarity and conviction
  • Helping you lead with empathy while maintaining authority
  • Strengthening your ability to inspire trust and loyalty in others
  • Training presence and emotional regulation so people feel seen, heard, and motivated

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • Do people leave conversations with me feeling more energized or more drained?
  • Am I influencing through pressure or inspiration?
  • Does my leadership presence elevate others even when I am not in the room?

High Performance Tools to Strengthen Influence:

  • Vision Communication: Practice articulating goals in a way that connects emotionally and logically.
  • Active Listening: Create space for understanding before offering solutions.
  • Feedback Systems: Request honest input from peers or teams to measure influence growth.
  • Emotional Regulation Practices: Manage your own state to lead calmly under pressure.

When I began refining my influence systems, my leadership shifted from managing people to inspiring them. Team performance rose, communication became smoother, and collaboration strengthened.

How Influence Transforms Daily Life

Imagine walking into a room and instantly commanding respect—not through force, but through presence. Your team, clients, and peers trust your leadership because they feel understood and inspired. At home, communication deepens, and relationships strengthen. With influence, you no longer push outcomes; you attract alignment.

Habit #6: Courage – The Catalyst for Breakthroughs

Every high performer reaches moments where fear and uncertainty test their limits. What separates the exceptional from the average is not the absence of fear but the willingness to act in spite of it. Courage is the habit that turns potential into progress. A high performance coach helps you build the mindset, emotional strength, and practical tools to take bold action even when it feels uncomfortable.

Brendon Burchard’s research at the High Performance Institute revealed that courage is one of the six core habits shared by elite achievers. These individuals consistently step outside their comfort zones, initiate difficult conversations, and make decisions that align with their highest goals instead of their fears. Courage compounds—it builds confidence, expands opportunities, and fuels momentum.

A high performance coach helps you strengthen courage by:

  • Helping you identify the fears that keep you from playing full out
  • Reframing risk as a path to growth rather than danger
  • Teaching practical tools to regulate emotion and act despite fear
  • Holding you accountable to the bold commitments that create breakthroughs

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • What opportunities have I avoided because of fear or self-doubt?
  • When was the last time I took a bold action that stretched me?
  • Am I more focused on avoiding failure or creating success?

High Performance Tools to Build Courage:

  • Reframing Fear: Replace “What if it goes wrong?” with “What if it works?”
  • Micro-Bravery Practice: Take one uncomfortable action each day that moves you forward.
  • Visualization for Confidence: Mentally rehearse difficult conversations or actions before taking them.
  • Support and Accountability: Surround yourself with people who expect your greatness, not your excuses.

When I started taking consistent courageous actions like launching new offers, speaking on virtual stages, and expanding my reach, everything in my business and life accelerated. My clients experience the same transformation. Another client doubled his income and influence simply because he stopped waiting for “the right time.”

How Courage Transforms Daily Life

Imagine living each day without letting fear dictate your choices. You speak your truth, make bold decisions, and take action even when uncertainty is high. Instead of holding back, you step forward with confidence, knowing growth always requires risk. Courage does not eliminate fear—it transforms it into fuel for progress.

How High Performance Habits Work Together

Each high performance habit—clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage—functions as part of an interconnected system. Alone, they create meaningful improvement. Together, they create transformation.

High performers do not rely on motivation or luck. They design habits that work in synergy: clarity directs energy, energy fuels productivity, productivity builds influence, and courage keeps momentum alive when challenges arise. A high performance coach helps you install this system intentionally, so your results become predictable instead of reactive.

Think of it like this:

  • Clarity gives you direction.
  • Energy gives you the stamina to follow through.
  • Necessity provides emotional drive to stay consistent.
  • Productivity ensures your focus is on what matters most.
  • Influence allows you to lead, inspire, and multiply your impact.
  • Courage empowers you to act boldly when uncertainty strikes.

When these habits integrate, your performance no longer depends on how you feel that day—it runs on structure, purpose, and consistency.

Performance Coaching Prompt: Self-Assessment

Ask yourself:

  • Which of these habits feels strong for me right now?
  • Which one is holding the others back?
  • If I mastered just one habit this quarter, how would my results change?

A high performance coach helps you answer these questions with clarity, then builds the systems, accountability, and mindset needed to strengthen every area of your performance.

Clients who apply all six habits consistently report breakthroughs that ripple across every area of life—higher income, improved health, stronger relationships, and deeper fulfillment. One client described it best: “It’s not that life got easier. It’s that I got better.”

Ready to Build Your Own High Performance Habits?

High performance is not reserved for a select few. It is available to anyone willing to master the habits that create sustainable success. The difference between those who plateau and those who continually rise is not talent or luck. It is the systems they live by, the discipline they uphold, and the clarity that guides their actions every day.

Through my Results Mastery Formula, I have helped leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries across more than 80 industries install high performance habits that completely transformed their results. They gained clarity, energy, and consistency that compounded into measurable breakthroughs in business, health, and life.

High performance coaching gives you the structure, accountability, and mindset to make those same transformations possible. It helps you identify the patterns holding you back, replace them with powerful new habits, and create a life that feels aligned, focused, and deeply fulfilling.

If you are ready to stop working harder and start performing smarter, to move from burnout to balance, and to create success that is both sustainable and joyful, now is the time to take the next step.

Book your High Performance Consultation Call today and experience what happens when clarity, focus, and accountability come together. This single conversation could be the start of the transformation that shifts you from effort into excellence and from success into lasting fulfillment.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • High performers practice habits that create consistency and control over their results. These include starting each day with clarity on priorities, maintaining strong energy through movement and nutrition, focusing deeply on meaningful tasks, and ending the day with reflection. They manage their mindset, environment, and calendar intentionally so success becomes repeatable rather than reactive. Over time, these habits compound into predictable growth and higher fulfillment.

  • High performance habits create structure that aligns daily actions with long-term goals. Instead of relying on motivation, individuals use systems and triggers—such as morning routines, planning sessions, and reflection practices—to stay focused and consistent. Over time, these habits rewire the brain for greater focus, confidence, and resilience, turning effort into sustainable achievement. When practiced consistently, they bridge the gap between potential and measurable results.

  • No. Productivity hacks offer short bursts of efficiency, while high performance habits create sustainable excellence across all areas of life. These habits integrate mindset, energy, and focus with systems that make performance consistent. Where hacks optimize output temporarily, high performance habits build identity, discipline, and fulfillment that lasts far beyond a to-do list. The goal is transformation, not temporary progress.

  • Start by assessing where you struggle most—clarity, energy, productivity, influence, or consistency. The High Performance Institute framework highlights these as core areas of growth. A self-assessment or consultation with a high performance coach helps identify your biggest gaps. The goal is not to master all habits at once but to strengthen the one that creates the greatest ripple effect across your life and performance.

  • Anyone can develop high performance habits. Studies in neuroscience and psychology show that performance is learned through repetition, accountability, and feedback. While personality may influence how habits form, success depends more on consistency than traits. With the right tools, systems, and mindset, anyone can reprogram behavior to operate at a higher level. High performance is not born—it is trained through deliberate practice and intention.

  • Research from the European Journal of Social Psychology shows that it takes around 66 days to form a new habit, depending on complexity and consistency. High performance coaching accelerates this process through structure, feedback, and accountability. With regular practice, many clients experience noticeable improvements in clarity, energy, and focus within the first month. The key is repetition and alignment with long-term goals.

  • Common habits that sabotage performance include multitasking, lack of sleep, inconsistent routines, unclear priorities, and poor stress management. These behaviors drain energy and fragment focus. High performance coaching replaces them with structured systems—like time-blocking, morning routines, and energy management—to eliminate friction and maintain consistent momentum. Identifying these patterns early allows individuals to shift from reactive habits to proactive mastery.

  • High performers protect energy by treating it as a system. They focus on sleep, movement, hydration, and recovery with the same intention they give to work. They schedule micro-breaks, use breathwork or mindfulness to reset, and design environments that minimize fatigue. Instead of pushing harder, they manage energy cycles strategically. This allows them to sustain peak performance without sacrificing health or fulfillment.

  • Brendon Burchard’s high performance model is research-based and behaviorally driven. It focuses on six habits—clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage—identified in the largest study ever conducted on high performers. Unlike traditional coaching that may focus solely on mindset or goals, this method integrates proven systems, measurable metrics, and psychological tools to create lasting transformation. It blends science, strategy, and accountability for measurable growth.

  • Yes. Research from the High Performance Institute shows significant gains in confidence, productivity, and well-being among coached individuals. Clients often report measurable results such as doubling business revenue, improving health markers, or achieving long-term goals faster. The true value lies in building habits and systems that make success sustainable, not situational. Over time, these results compound, creating exponential growth and deeper fulfillment.

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Tiffany Julie
  • For high-achievers who want to master their mindset, optimize habits, and create lasting success from the inside out. This transformational performance coaching is focused on YOU—your energy, focus, confidence, and capacity to lead a purpose-driven life. 
  • For driven entrepreneurs and CEOs ready to scale with strategy, systems, and self-mastery. This is my signature 1:1 business coaching experience designed to help you unlock peak performance in business, money, and leadership. 

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Tiffany Julie is a top high-performance coach, 7+ figure entrepreneur, and creator of the Results Mastery Formula. Through this proven framework, she helps ambitious leaders reprogram their mind, master performance habits, and amplify their magnetism so they can create extraordinary success. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo Finance, and she has been recognized as a top business and performance coach by The London Times, LA Weekly, and the Coach Foundation.

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