If we’re honest, the hardest challenge in leadership isn’t achieving a single breakthrough or moment of influence—it’s making that influence last. I find myself asking: What really separates leaders who command relevance for decades from those who fade after one good run? Sustaining impact isn’t about charisma or even authority. It’s about weaving certain habits so deeply into life that your influence extends far beyond your title or even your presence.

Let’s start with how we approach learning. Most people think a degree or a few workshops check the box. But the real game-changer is designing a learning system that feels almost personal. For some, that’s a curated reading list that strays far from their comfort zone. For others, it’s harnessing micro-sessions—fifteen minutes before meetings, the odd podcast on a commute, even a single question posed to a mentor at lunch. I remember an executive who mapped out “growth sprints” for his calendar, treating self-education as sacred as any client meeting. What if you did the same? The payoff isn’t just knowledge—it’s agility. In times of rapid change, those who can learn quickly and flexibly always find a way forward.

There’s another element most leadership books gloss over: physical vitality. The idea that habits around exercise, nutrition, and sleep have no place in “serious” leadership is outdated. The leaders who last don’t just survive their days—they maintain the energy to inspire and make tough calls, year after year. I once shadowed a CEO who refused to start meetings before a morning walk. She claimed her best ideas arrived halfway through a sweaty hill. Counterintuitive? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. Even small, consistent routines—stretching while reviewing emails, prioritizing sleep like revenue—act as scaffolding for mental clarity and resilience. Is your schedule really too full for five minutes of movement, or is it too risky to skip it yet again?

The third habit throws most people: cultivating an external perspective network. It’s tempting to stick with familiar thinkers, but real innovation demands voices from wildly different worlds. Some of today’s most inventive leaders host monthly “outsider dinners,” intentionally seating themselves with artists, scientists, or nonprofit organizers. The conversations rarely offer neat solutions, but they inject what’s missing: fresh context, new metaphors, and honest challenges. Could you identify two voices from entirely different fields to invite into your circle this quarter? The result might be discomfort—but also creativity you wouldn’t generate on your own.

I’ve learned that self-renewal isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Implementing periodic reinvention rituals, like quarterly self-audits, lets us avoid dangerous comfort zones. A high-performing leader I admire has a personal ritual: every three months, she reviews her biggest wins and failures, then rewrites one “rule” she’s been living by. Sometimes it’s about delegation or team dynamics, sometimes a personal mindset about risk. The point isn’t perfection—it’s permission to challenge our own operating system. When did you last ask if your strategies are still serving what matters most?

When it comes to legacy, too many leaders wait until retirement to ponder their mark. But what if legacy was shaped daily, in quiet choices? Practicing regular legacy-building reflection means asking, every week: “What lasting value am I creating?” This isn’t just about the big initiatives—it’s the culture seeded in small decisions, the standards you reinforce, the people you elevate. I think about Nelson Mandela’s reflection on legacy: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” What would change if you saw each meeting, email, or policy as part of your legacy?

“Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence, and inspiration.” These words from Robin S. Sharma remind me impact isn’t accidental—it’s engineered, sometimes through the most ordinary habits. But why do so many leaders abandon these approaches after a streak of early wins? The truth is, the habits that sustain impact can feel invisible. They rarely show up in a quarterly report. Yet, look closely at figures like Angela Merkel, who led through global crises for over a decade, or Warren Buffet, whose habits of learning and reflection have kept him relevant into his nineties. Their influence isn’t rooted in luck; it’s rooted in practiced, often unglamorous, routines.

What about the practical side? You might wonder how to protect these habits in a calendar where fires erupt daily. I’d argue it comes down to choice architecture. Can you time-block non-negotiable learning moments? Could you build physical activity into team interactions—like walking meetings or group nutrition challenges? Are you willing to say no to an internal event if it prevents you from keeping an external perspective appointment? Sustaining impact is less about finding more hours, and more about fiercely defending your best ones.

Let’s not forget the power of ritualized review. Without a formal mechanism to challenge our assumptions, it’s easy to become the leader who’s always “busy” but rarely evolving. Setting quarterly or even monthly reminders to audit your goals, strategies, and relationships ensures reinvention doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. I’ve seen leaders who take a “retreat day” solo, unplugging entirely to scan for blind spots and seek honest feedback. Would you dare to make this a tradition?

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” I’m drawn to this wisdom from Winston Churchill because it highlights the flux of leadership. No single victory ensures ongoing significance. What carries leaders through decades of relevance is the willingness to ask, listen, and adapt—often when it’s least convenient.

Where does this leave us? Sustained leadership impact isn’t magic. It’s the discipline to design your own learning, protect your vitality, invite diverse perspectives, regularly challenge your assumptions, and reflect on your legacy in the smallest acts. Most importantly, it’s about doing these things when no one’s watching—when it would be easier not to.

So, what’s the next habit you’ll start, or the one you’ll finally protect? What’s one thing you could do this week to begin shaping the kind of impact that outlives quarterly results or even your time on the job? The legacy of real leadership is built one intentional habit at a time. Today is the best day to begin.