If you’ve accomplished these 7 milestones by 40, you’re more successful than 90% of people
When people approach the age of 40, many start doing some serious reflection on what “success” actually means.
Society loves to shout about six-figure salaries and corner offices. But after years of studying human psychology and writing about personal development, I’ve come to realize that real success runs much deeper than your bank account or job title.
The truth is, most people are so caught up in the rat race that they miss the fundamental pillars that actually create a fulfilling life. They’re chasing external validation while neglecting the internal foundations that separate truly successful people from everyone else.
Here’s what the research and evidence consistently show: if you’ve hit these seven milestones by 40, you’re not just ahead of the game—you’re literally more successful than 90% of people walking this planet.
And the best part? None of them require you to be born into wealth or have connections in high places.
Let’s dive in.
1. You’ve built a consistent saving habit
This might sound boring, but hear me out.
Thomas C. Corley spent years studying self-made millionaires and found something fascinating: they all had a simple rule during their wealth-building years—save between 10-20% of whatever they earned.
It wasn’t about making tons of money right away. It was about discipline.
Most people live paycheck to paycheck, even when they earn decent money. They upgrade their lifestyle every time they get a raise, trapped in what’s called lifestyle inflation.
But successful people? They automate their savings first, then live on what’s left.
If you’ve cracked this code by 40—if saving has become as automatic as brushing your teeth—you’ve mastered one of the most fundamental wealth-building principles that most people never figure out.
2. You read regularly and actually enjoy it
Here’s a wild stat from socio-economist Randall Bell: people who read 7+ books per year are more than twice as likely to become millionaires compared to those who barely read or only get through 1-3 books annually.
But this isn’t just about money—it’s about how your brain works.
Most people stopped reading the moment they left school. They consume information through social media snippets and YouTube videos, but they’ve lost the ability to dive deep into complex ideas.
Reading rewires your brain. It builds focus, expands your vocabulary, and exposes you to different perspectives and ways of thinking. It’s like compound interest for your mind.
If you’re someone who genuinely looks forward to cracking open a book—whether it’s fiction, biographies, or non-fiction—you’ve developed a habit that puts you in rarified air. You’re literally growing smarter while most people are scrolling mindlessly.
3. You prioritize your physical health consistently
As noted by the folks at Healthline, regular exercise is basically a magic pill—it boosts your mood, helps you manage weight, gives you more energy, fights off diseases, makes your skin look better, sharpens your brain and memory, helps you sleep better, reduces pain, and even improves your sex life!
Yet most people treat their bodies like garbage trucks.
They sit all day, eat processed food, and wonder why they feel terrible. They promise themselves they’ll “start Monday” but never do. They treat exercise like punishment instead of investment.
Here’s the thing: successful people understand that everything flows from physical health. Your energy, your mental clarity, your confidence—it all starts with how you treat your body.
If you’ve built a sustainable fitness routine by 40—not some extreme crash diet, but genuine habits around movement, nutrition, and sleep—you’ve given yourself an unfair advantage that compounds daily.
And your future self will thank you.
4. You’ve developed emotional intelligence
When TalentSmart tested 34 different workplace skills, emotional intelligence came out on top as the biggest predictor of job success—accounting for 58% of performance across all types of careers.
Think about that for a second. Not technical skills, not IQ, not even experience. Emotional intelligence.
Most people are emotional toddlers walking around in adult bodies. They can’t read a room, they react instead of respond, and they have zero awareness of how their moods affect others.
But if you’ve learned to manage your emotions, understand what triggers you, and navigate social situations with grace—you’re operating on a different level entirely.
This means you can have difficult conversations without losing your cool. You can sense when someone’s having a bad day and adjust accordingly. You don’t take everything personally.
Emotional intelligence is like having a superpower in a world full of people who are ruled by their feelings rather than ruling them.
5. You’ve found someone who genuinely makes you better
Bell’s research also shows that people in happy, fulfilling romantic relationships don’t just feel better emotionally—they actually tend to make more money too. Love pays, literally.
But this goes way beyond finances.
Most people settle for relationships that drain them or stay single because they’re afraid of commitment. They choose partners based on looks or convenience rather than compatibility and growth.
If you’ve found someone who challenges you, supports your goals, and brings out your best self—you’ve hit the jackpot. Not just any relationship, but one where you both push each other to become better versions of yourselves.
This person doesn’t complete you (you were already complete), but they amplify your strengths and help you work through your weaknesses.
Good relationships are force multipliers. They give you emotional stability, shared resources, and someone to celebrate wins with. Bad relationships? They’re energy vampires that suck the life out of everything else you’re trying to build.
6. You spend time in nature regularly
Did you know that Harvard researchers found that spending time in green spaces does wonders for your mental state—it restores your mind, boosts positive emotions, cuts down anxiety and overthinking, and even makes you more mindful?
Yet most people live like caged animals.
They go from their apartment to their car to their office and back again. They’ve completely disconnected from the natural world that we evolved in for millions of years.
We weren’t meant to stare at screens 12 hours a day under fluorescent lights. We need fresh air, sunlight, and the grounding effect that only nature provides.
This isn’t hippie nonsense. It’s basic human biology. Your nervous system knows the difference between concrete and grass, and it responds accordingly.
7. You’ve learned to embrace your whole self
I’ve talked about this before, but recently reading Rudá Iandê’s new book, Laughing in the Face of Chaos, reminded me how crucial this really is.
As Rudá puts it: “When we stop resisting ourselves, we become whole. And in that wholeness, we discover a reservoir of strength, creativity, and resilience we never knew we had.”
So many people are at war with themselves. They hate parts of their personality, deny their flaws, and exhaust themselves trying to be someone they’re not.
But true success means making peace with who you are—all of it. The messy parts, the awkward parts, the parts you’d rather hide. Psychology research consistently shows that self-acceptance is one of the strongest predictors of overall life satisfaction, yet it’s the habit people practice least.
When you stop fighting yourself and start working with the full picture of who you are, something remarkable happens. You free up enormous amounts of energy that were previously spent on self-criticism and pretense. That energy can then be channeled into growth, creativity, and building the life you actually want.
If you’ve reached this level of self-acceptance by 40, you’ve achieved something that many people spend their entire lives struggling with—and that alone puts you ahead of the vast majority.
