Success is often elusive and yet we wonder and study how people become successful. For some success is merely tied to a financial figure. For others, success is fame, a certain dress size or material possessions. Yet, for others, success represents a rounded and balanced life.
But regardless of what your definition of success may be, there are actual habits and skills that will keep you from being successful. Interestingly, while itโs helpful to see what successful people do, itโs also as helpful and perhaps more so to study what keeps someone unsuccessful.
1. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Everyone has fears. The problem is when those fears become paralyzing and keep you from acting. This is what you must examine. Whatโs holding you back? Sometimes fear of success is more powerful than failureโฆmaybe youโre afraid youโre going to do great? Step out and do that thing that youโre afraid of. Many women I know are afraid of technology. If you have a business, you canโt afford to be a technophobe. Jump in โ you canโt break the Internet!
2. Never acknowledge your accomplishments.
Do you wrap up every single day mentally listing everything that you didn’t get done? Tonight instead of counting what you didn’t do, tally up your accomplishments and all that you DID do in the day. Can’t remember it? Make a “To Done” list and write all you accomplish with a line through each item. At New Year’s, write out a list at New Yearโs of all that you accomplished in the past twelve months. Youโll be surprised at how quickly it adds up โ and youโll feel pretty terrific, too!
3. Avoid getting advice.
If you have a โgo it aloneโ attitude then youโre going to lag behind. Go and seek out advice. Coaching clients are often afraid of spending the money for advice. Instead of looking at the cost, look at what itโs worth. Seek out mentors and advisers who can help you move past problems, issues, concerns and business hurdles. Get help; you donโt get extra points for toughing it out.
4. Do it all yourself.
You donโt have to everything yourself. Really. You donโt. Build yourself a team. Get supporters and teammates to help you with everything from personal coaching, business advice, health or exercise personal training, housekeepers and errand runners. You arenโt an island and doing more doesnโt always add up to doing better.
5. Donโt take advice.
This is a good one. Make sure you blow off the critiques and helpful advice that you seek out or even pay for so you can stay right where you are. Thatโs a sure way of staying trapped. Instead, be open and willing to hear whatโs being said and then put it into effect. Remember that famous Seinfeld episode where George, the perennial loser, experienced phenomenal success just by doing the opposite of what he would normally do? Thereโs a wisdom in that, you know.
6. Pay no attention to your surroundings.
Your environment either supports or suppresses you, and if youโre surrounded by broken, unattractive, cluttered or negative environs, itโs going to take a toll on your health, your life, your bank account and your career. Get โyour house in orderโ and you will see your life follow suit.
ย Copyright, Kathryn Weber.
