The way I feel about my twenties, is get into a course, qualify with a trade or a degree. Play as much sport as possible and spend time socializing with friends. But is that all? This is the time to really build good sustainable habits, habits that will set you up for the next phase of your life.

Habits that lead to huge results

The more you invest, the more you "have." And in theory, the more you have of that skill, the better you are.

Where a lot of people go wrong, whether it be with their own goals or even the simplest of tasks that tend to occupy a workplace, is they feel like the penny doesn't matter. We think that the tiniest of tasks or habits don't matter.

Every little choice does matter. If you want to make big changes in your life, or accomplish big goals, or do big things, then you have to realize the importance of the tiny details along the way. After all, a journey is comprised of a 1,000 little steps.

The top seven habits to have in your twenties

1. Wake up when you say you're going to wake up.

Setting the alarm is only half the battle. The real purpose of setting an alarm and then getting out of bed when it goes off is to keep that first promise of the day. When you set that alarm the night before, you are making a promise that you will get up at that time. If you then wake up and ignore it, you are starting your day on the wrong foot. You've broken the first promise to yourself.

This isn't about getting up on time. This is about practicing the habit of doing what you say you're going to do. And what better way to practice than first thing every morning?

You will never be 100% ready to change. Don't wait for the 'perfect' time. It will never come. Start today.Positive Habits      Building the running habit -

How you start your Monday morning could well be affecting the success of your entire week. Create the correct life habits for first thing on a Monday morning and you will be on your way to achieving great things this week. These are the Monday morning habits of successful people.

2. Write down 10 ideas per day.

Carry a journal with you, or make use of the notepad on your phone and, throughout the day, jot down ideas that come to mind. There is something about writing your ideas down that makes the brain feel like the idea was acknowledged. Do this for a couple days and you'll see. You'll be swimming in great ideas.

Writing is a habit that I have come to love and appreciate everyday. This is a time to spend reflecting on yesterday, planning tomorrow and enjoying today. This is where you can gather your thoughts, show gratitude and express yourself. Take a look here for reasons why it is good to make writing a habit.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I can't stress this enough. There is always time to eat, and if there isn't time to eat then something is out of balance and you've got bigger problems coming. The reason why making time to eat is so important is because personal health comes above everything else. If you don't, then at some point you're going to have to play damage control and that's going to be even more of a challenge. It's a lot easier to be preventative with your health rather than to be reactionary. During breakfast, use that time to read. During lunch, use that time to catch up with someone, maybe make it a business lunch. During dinner, see your loved ones, your friends and family. It isn't that big of a time investment, but it goes a long way to keeping you healthy and free of stress.

Without my health, I am of little use to anyone; my family, my work, my community, and the list goes on. So, I have a big responsibility and interest in staying healthy. These are the top five health habits.

4. Read for 30 minutes every day.

People vastly underestimate how quickly you can get through a book. Twenty to 30 minutes of reading per day can get you through an average-length book in about two weeks. That's two books per month, 24 books in a year. Imagine how much more you would know if you read 24 more books in a year.Thirty minutes is not a lot of time. You could do that on the train. You could do that while waiting in line at the grocery store. Maybe you have to piecemeal 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there, but 30 minutes of reading per day is essential to keeping your brain fresh and the knowledge flowing. After all, if you're ever stuck on a project, creative or not, the first question I would ask is, "What are you reading?"Always be studying. Make time to read.

5. Make time for exercise.

Physical health is crucial to maintaining a clear head and an open mind. Especially if your work involves staring at a screen for eight to 10 hours per day, it is essential that you take at least 30 minutes to an hour to get back in your body--whether that's through yoga, the gym, boxing, running, a long walk, etc.

This goes back to the idea that doing a little bit each day to prevent any health concerns from arising is a far more effective strategy than having to fix everything once you're already off the deep end.

Create the perfect health habits that you can sustain by focusing on one aspect at a time.

6. Meditate for 15 minutes.

Call this whatever you'd like, be it meditation or sitting quietly or journaling. The point is, you need to make time to get in touch with your thoughts.

The point of this habit is to be aware of what is bothering you, or what you're feeling good about, or what needs to be addressed, so that you can get a clear sense of what you need to do next.

If you can address the problem before it spirals out of control, you've saved yourself a lot of time and energy.

7. Reflect before bed.

Each night before bed, take five minutes to reflect. Jot down in a journal a few things that went particularly well, and then write down a few things you'd like to do differently tomorrow.

The reason why this is so effective is it really keeps you honest with yourself. It allows you to take a moment and pat yourself on the back for the most immediate accomplishment, and it also keeps you on a growth edge, always looking for the next way to improve.