The habits of highly successful people: Twitter reacts to the World Economic Forum’s absurd early morning to-do list

How many of these things do you do? None probably

Stock image of smug man

Stock image of “smug man”

Yesterday, the World Economic Forum Twitter account posted a screenshot of a list titled “14 things successful people do before breakfast”.

Without even looking at the list, 14 things is a lot of things to get done before you’ve had a bite to eat.

And once you read the list, any initial incredulity is immediately confirmed by the sheer quantity of tasks that must be completed if you want to become whatever crazy breed of “successful person” the World Economic Forum is promoting.

Here is their tweet:

14 things successful people do before breakfast https://t.co/Z8BG1Q3h03 pic.twitter.com/PBeyZuF5OK

— World Economic Forum (@Davos) November 2, 2015

Number 9 is perhaps the most ludicrous – who actually networks over coffee before they’ve had their breakfast? At best, it’s misguided – “I will go out and have coffee with a work contact, but I must not eat breakfast until after that.” At worst, it’s the behaviour you’d expect from someone in the grip of a tragic mental health crisis.

Anyway, the ridiculous list was met with appropriate opprobrium on Twitter.

I also notice according to this list successful people don’t get dressed. Or showered.

— James Ball (@jamesrbuk) November 2, 2015

The 14 things less successful people do before breakfast: 1: hit snooze 13 times. 14. Have a piss. https://t.co/Lgym6rYAw3

— Bethany Black (@BeffernieBlack) November 3, 2015

@defsmith @jamesrbuk @Davos Do they shower after both exercise AND connection? Or efficiently wait until after their commute?

— Doris (@fizzandnonsense) November 3, 2015

Ewww. Don’t shower or brush their teeth? If they did all this the day before, they wouldn’t have to wake up early. https://t.co/r08Am0grSz

— Gav Thorpe (@DennisHamster) November 3, 2015