It's important to have healthy positive habits to be a happy musician. Positive habits help you push through adversity and endure those hard times musicians go through. Below are four very important habits to build.
Better Sleep: Ameer Rosic a Canadian Kettlebell Champion and expert on sleep optimization, actually raised his IQ through better sleep. He calls sleep “Vitamin S,” our genes expect it and require it. He did a sleep study that showed people who stayed up 48 hours or more had the same sluggish brain function as someone heavily intoxicated and the same blood sugar as a diabetic. A diabetic! Studies show, that people who have poor sleep habits weigh 10-28 lbs more than people who have positive sleep habits. So musicians get your sleep!
“We are what we repeatedly do...” -Aristotle.
Just Say No: get in the habit of saying no (not all the time) when it's needed. To prevent burnout, resentment, and regret, practice recognizing opportunities that do not benefit you. I have touched on this in Opportunity Or Not Blog. Doing Everything with or for Everybody leads you away from your goal and no energy to enjoy your life.
Don't beat yourself up: This one is more of a Don't than a do. When you have a setback in building habits don't get in the habit of beating yourself up. Building habits are exactly that, building. You're not going to wake tomorrow with a new habit (wouldn't that be great though?). Forgive yourself for the slip-up, understand why you slipped up, and continue to work at it.
Check-in: Check-in with your mentor/coach. Make a habit of this so you can stay on the path to your goal. Be serious about it and be prepared to hear some constructive criticism. Also, be ready to say No to something you thought would be a great opportunity. Besides sleep, I believe checking in is one of the most important habits a musician can develop. Successful, happy people utilize external communications with like-minded people to strengthen their internal compass and keep them grounded. The key is to check in with people that honestly have your best interests in mind and have already done what you are doing.
"Motivation is what gets you started; habits is what keeps you going."
I believe your habits determine your happiness. If you practice these habits, you will definitely be a happy musician.