You may be thinking why would you want to know about how not to be successful? Don’t we all want to know about how to be successful after all, that is one of the main themes for this website?
Before we delve into the article, let us define the word successful, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary it means “achieving your aims or what was intended”.
From the above definition, you can already see why learning about how not to be successful can help you achieve your goals.
Sometimes in life, we are so focused on knowing the positives and forgetting about learning how to avoid the negatives.
We are so much consumed about how to do this and that, we never take time to learn how not to be positive for example. If you want to be positive you must know how not to be positive in order to avoid being negative.
Many of us are busy researching on success but are failing to understand why we are not achieving it.
I want to bring to light some of the things that have contributed to either slowing down progress or not progressing at all.
Maybe if you take a break and learn the opposite of not being prosperous you will avoid the pitfalls and stay on the right track.
The above definition is more or less straightforward and is on point. It is not ambiguous. For me, the definition brings out a few things that I am passionate about and have been constantly writing about on this site.
Before you embark on the road to pursue success there are a few requisites that need to be attended to. If you are not attending to these basics, you will find it very difficult to thrive.
Being successful is all about achieving. When you achieve you are successful.
“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful men keep moving; they make mistakes, but they do not quit” – Conrad Hilton.
Not Knowing Your Life’s Intended Purpose
Your life’s intended purpose is key to being victorious. Remember the definition says “achieving what was intended.”
If you do not know what you were created for; what you were intended for; you will find it hard to be successful.
The first thing one needs to do is finding out or establishing there life’s intended purpose. This will generally lead to making decisions and taking steps that help to achieve that purpose.
In other words, you need to have set goals and targets, and work towards attaining them. Perhaps one of the surest ways of not being successful is not having goals or not knowing your purpose in life.
If you do not have a goal you simply cannot attain it. Yes, you may have all the possessions but is that your goal? Only you can measure the true level of your success.
“To be successful you must decide exactly what you want to accomplish, and then resolve to pay the price to get it” – Bunker Hunt.
The other way to not be successful, is to not be true and sincere to the situation. Most of us are more concerned with who is right and not what is right.
We have so much ego that we let it cloud our judgment. I have been in such situations before, where am questioning who gave the solution, and believe me most of the time I have ended up missing the opportunity.
This is very common especially if you are so much involved and interested in politics. A famous politician once said politics makes you sit on your intelligence.
Most of the people who are ardent followers of political parties usually do not make honest and objective opinions about the candidates they support.
They turn a blind eye to the wrongs being committed by the party they support and are quick to point out the wrongs being committed by their competitors.
That is why I have detached myself from politics. I do try as much as possible to make an honest and balanced judgment.
However, on this website, I promise to not take sides with any politician and will always not talk politics. I just think politics are more divisive.
Not Having the Right Mental Attitude
Achievement is in your mind and your attitude. If you do not see yourself successful, you are not ready for it. They say you are what you think about most of the time.
If you critically look back at your thoughts in the last few years and compare them with your current life. Nine out of ten you are living your thoughts.
Not having the right mental attitude is a sure way of not achieving your goals. The two major mental obstacles for success are fear and doubt.
Fear is one of the greatest negative emotions. First of all, it is the fear of failure; the fear of embarrassment; the fear of loss, and poverty.
I have also learned that fear mostly exposes our inadequacies. We fear, to do something maybe because we do not have enough knowledge on a certain topic.
The second emotion of doubt is equally as detrimental as fear. We doubt our abilities mostly because we compare ourselves to other individuals, who are more competent and smarter than us. We feel inadequate to the challenges at hand.
However, the good thing is that both fear and doubt are learned emotions. We acquire them as we grow. This is true because I have never seen a negative baby.
Children are fearless, that is why they need adult supervision all the time. Whatever has been learned can be unlearned.
The emotions of fear and doubt can be replaced by courage and confidence. The higher your levels of courage and confidence the lower your feelings of fear and doubt.
The more knowledgeable you are about a subject matter the more courageous and confident you are to participate. I can attest to this because the more I write and post articles the more courageous and confident I become in talking about personal development.
I am hoping that in months to come there will be a total transformation in my writing skills.
Conclusion
“If you consistently and persistently do the things that other successful people do, nothing in the world can stop you from being a big success also” – Brian Tracy.
Many factors can challenge you on your journey to achieving your goals, but it’s essential to recognize that these obstacles can also be opportunities for growth. Embrace the challenges that come your way, as they often teach valuable lessons and build resilience.
Shift your perspective and focus on what you can learn from each setback. Remember, every great achievement is often preceded by a series of hurdles.
Stay determined, keep pushing forward, and use every experience to fuel your motivation. The other side of life is filled with possibilities; all you need to do is take that first step.
It is not my intention not to see you succeed but to help you change, by bringing to light some of the things that may be a roadblock in your life.
I believe that knowing what works and what doesn’t work in your life is more important to help you make those decisions that will push you closer to the finishing line.