Dealing with the intensity of running a business – whether you're an entrepreneur, creator or head of a large company – can be physical and mental tax. Not only can severe stress reduce the success of your business, but studies show it can last as three years from your life. As a creator and founder of a tech startup, this hit home for me a few years ago.

Between scaling a business and becoming a father, I developed behaviors that were negatively affecting my sleep, concentration, and overall well-being. One of my motivations for staying healthy includes being fit and able to do all the fun things as my kids get older—dance at their weddings, play with my grandkids (if they have them) or just keep up with them in their sports. It's a goal I don't want to jeopardize.

I read more about health extension – not just how long we live, but how long we live healthily – and I knew I had to make some changes. Like many others, I looked to the usual suspects: exercise and diet. But it has also meant reexamining my relationship with other factors, including alcohol and screen time.

I worked slowly creating healthier habits in all these areas. If I've learned anything, it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works and how to make good habits stick. So, for any leader, creator, or entrepreneur looking to make long-term positive health changes, here's what worked for me (and what didn't):

Connected: 101 Good Habits for a Productive, Prosperous and Happy Life.

Embrace flexibility

For some people, using turkey after bad habits is the only way. For me, not so much. I realized pretty quickly that I'm not an all or nothing guy. As it turns out, when it comes to building new habits, top performers take aim consistency over perfection.

A flexible approach is how I've managed almost entirely remove the alcohol, which was ruining my sleep. How? Adopting a mantra: “Not tonight.” I told myself I was just switching to drinking now, not forever – and I kept at it for months. If a good wine came my way, I would allow myself a few sips (which I don't recommend if addiction is an issue). I was able to enjoy the pleasure of a taste without staying up all night.

I am not alone in this approach. A focus on personal exploration and incremental change versus strict rules is a hallmark of a curious growing sober movement. It's exciting to see the benefits of being election sober DISCUSSION more, as well as other leaders who share their experiences on this path.

Gamify your goals

The healthcare gamification market is set to take a hit $15.9 billion by 2030. Why? It's an approach that works. Studies show that using a leaderboard to track your progress or getting virtual gold stars for each milestone reached can dramatically increase your motivation to keep going.

I'll be the first to admit it: Formulating the motivation to exercise before or after a long day at work can be difficult. So using my Apple Watch was a great way to gamify exercise and challenge myself. I started small with just five minutes a day, then built up to 30 minutes five days a week. Seeing the streak of success tracked on my watch kept me going (embracing flexibility came in handy even when my battery died and I had to start over).

I also found an app that helped gamify calorie tracking. Now, I'm not the type to live on greens and almonds, but playing my purpose prompted me to add more nutrient-dense foods to my diet (hello sardines for breakfast!). And it made all the difference in getting quick results.

Connected: James Clear's Atoms app promises to help break bad habits and create better ones – here's how it works

View peer influence, research and communities

As the founder of a business that helps creators share their expertise with the world, it's no surprise that I'm a big proponent of finding expert content, resources, and resources. learning communities to master new skills and increase responsibility.

Following people who were doing what I wanted to do was a no-brainer. And research backs this up: peers and social relationships they can be powerful allies in building healthy habits.

For me, that meant adding health experts and authors to my media mix and digging deeper into the science behind habit changes. Leaders like Ray Dalio helped me see how results could also make me better in my role as CEO.

Accept that not all strategies work (but only some should)

I won't pretend that my journey has been entirely smooth. For every strategy I tried, there was at least one that didn't work. It is important to acknowledge this failure it is as much a part of this process as success.

It's also a reality that some behaviors are simply much harder to break. This brings me to my current focus and the one I've struggled with the most: reducing screen time. The evidence is clear that too much time on digital devices is so bad for adults HOW it is for childrenleading to disrupted sleep, reduced physical activity and a higher risk of depression and anxiety.

Of course, like many, I work in a business that requires me to be online. This means that going completely dark isn't an option (or desirable, really). Instead, I'm working on optimizing mine screen time becoming more intentional about the content I consume and when I consume it. I deleted the apps from my phone and try to leave them at night (at least until the kids are in bed), but I've also accepted that exceptions will be the norm in this case – and I think that's okay too. .

Connected: 8 ways to minimize screen time and maximize family time

It's been 10 years since I first started down the path of building healthier habits. My biggest takeaway for anyone looking to do the same is that this is a marathon, not a sprint—when habits are for life, you have to keep changing them as you go.

But there's also been a silver lining that I didn't see coming: serenity. It's that deep sense of calm in the face stress and the quiet confidence that comes from being able to be the kind of leader (and person) I've always admired: focused, present, and better able to handle whatever life – and business – throws my way.