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Eva Longoria is an American actress, producer, philanthropist, activist, director, and businesswoman. She's one of those women you see and think, wow she's got it all. It feels like there's nothing Longoria can't do! You probably know her best as Gabrielle Solis on the long-running drama series, Desperate Housewives.
Since the show has ended, she's gone on to found her own production company in addition to doing charity work and establishing a foundation to help Latina actors get projects. She has also executive produced important social documentaries like The Harvest. Right now she is serving as executive producer of the ABC telenovela series, Grand Hotel. Here are 10 rules Eva Longoria follows to achieve her success.
Time management is crucial
In an interview with CNBC, Eva Longoria spoke about how time management is crucial to her success. "My schedule is like rocket science," she said. She's constantly on the go-between acting, directing, producing, hosting events, running foundations, and taking care of her family.
The only way she maximizes her productivity is by keeping every second of her time managed so that not a moment goes to waste. This is valuable advice for anyone. Even if you're trying to juggle one or two things at a time, time slips away so quickly that it becomes imperative to schedule your time accordingly so you don't stretch yourself too thin.
Understand your priorities
Along the lines of time management skills, in the same interview, Eva Longoria talked about exactly how she manages her time. She has to prioritize! It makes sense. Time management won't help you much if you're leveraging your time on the wrong thing. The problem is you might be spending too much time doing things that aren't productive.
As Eva says, "People waste more time than they realize. How long are you checking your Instagram?" She then goes on to advise that you "star with having goals. You've got to know what's the most important thing in your life right now and focus on that." It's pretty great advice and you can see why Longoria has remained so successful for so long!
Nurture your curiosity
When Eva Longoria got started in the business she would often question what was going on behind-the-scenes of various sets she was working on. While talking to NBC News, she said while on the set of Desperate Housewives, she would wonder "who are the people behind the monitors? Who are the people making decisions?"
Years later, Longoria has her own production company called UnbeliEVAble Entertainment. If Eva hadn't asked questions about what those people did, then she might not the successful producer we know her as today. She has also stepped behind the camera in other roles, such as directing. It's important to question your surroundings and explore different interests. You never know where your true passion will lie.
Don't be idle
Becoming as successful as Eva Longoria isn't an easy task. But it wasn't an easy road for her either. She got to where she wanted to be because she put in the hard work and the effort. She's talked about how important it is for her to help create roles for Latinas on screen. "It's about creating opportunities and opening those doors," she told USA Today.
Longoria's goals to direct and produce have persisted throughout the years and she achieved them by doing everything in her power to learn, listen, and then put her skills to the test. Also to USA Today, she talked about wanting "to give women the tools to make sure they become engines for good."
Understand your market
You don't become a successful business entrepreneur if you don't understand the consumer and the market you're trying to gear your product towards. Longoria actually owns a popular Hollywood restaurant called Beso. However, as reported by Inc, her restaurant initially failed in Las Vegas because she didn't know what she needed to about the people in the area to make it work.
Whereas in Hollywood, she was able to learn from her mistakes and try again. Market understanding is how you can "achieve a sustainable business." This applies to any industry and any business. You can't just open a random shop in the middle of nowhere and expect to do business, you need to understand what your costumers are looking for and provide it.
Hard work will pay off
While speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Longoria talked about how her life is actually similar to many of ours. She got a degree and then she worked hard to get to where she is today. She said, "I see young Americans of every background fighting to succeed. They're optimistic, ambitious, hardworking, but they also what to know their hard work will pay off."
Longoria is a great example of someone whose hard work has more than paid off. But you have to be resilient, you can't give up even when it gets really difficult. Sometimes you'll want to stop or you'll get discouraged but the key is to persevere through it all.
Take criticism, but not personally
While speaking with Entrepreneur, Eva Longoria quoted Hilary Clinton who said, "Take criticism, but not personally." It's a good way to incorporate feedback from your consumers while not letting them eschew your brand or take away from what your core values are.
The actress also said, "That's been a big lesson, hearing feedback of what customers like and what they don't like and incorporating it into the next line." There's nothing wrong with criticism, so long as it's constructive. Understanding how to take criticism without getting your feelings hurt is instrumental in helping your business grow. If you're not able to listen to your customers then you won't get very far.
Learn how to say no
Also in her interview with Entrepreneur, Longoria discussed the importance of knowing when to say "no." She describes herself as a perfectionist and a control freak and definitely has to train herself to say no business opportunities so she doesn't bite off more than she can chew.
"I can do anything, but I can't do everything. It's about focusing on what's important," the actress says. Sure, you can do anything you put your mind to but unfortunately, there's only so much time in a day. If you spread yourself too thin then all your projects will suffer. You have to focus on the things that matter most to you and your brand.
Surround yourself with good people
"Life's so short. You should be surrounded by people who make each other better people," Longoria told People magazine. She makes an excellent point. Life is short, so why would you waste it by hanging around people that lessen you or don't help you fulfill your dreams?
As Longoria points out, it's so important to ensure you're always thinking of your goals and your future, which includes when deciding who you hang out with. Keep people around you that are supportive, not those who try and hold you back from your goals and your future plans. It can be hard to cut toxicity out of your life but it is a vital part of maturing and growing up.
Have a positive outlook
While speaking with Health, Longoria explained what she defines as a healthy life and how she maintains a positive outlook no matter what. She discussed how many people think health is only physical but it's more than that. There was a point where she looked the best she ever had and yet felt at her lowest point.
You have to nurture your emotional wellbeing just as much as your physical wellbeing. She talks about even when bad things happen she thinks, "I am not letting this take over. Something great is around the corner, I can't wait to see what's going to happen."
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