10 Ways You Are Blocking Your Own Success

Have you ever wondered why success always seems to elude you, when you know that you can achieve so much more? If that sounds like you, then it might be that you have developed some habits that are holding you back.

For the most part, the habits that people have are insignificant and unimportant. Things like biting your fingernails or playing with your hair might be annoying, but they are not going to stand in the way of your success.

Some habits, though, affect the way that people perceive themselves and the way that they behave. It is some of those behavioral habits that can indeed be a barrier to success. So, if you are a person who knows that they have what it takes but never quite gets there, read on. Here are ten habits that could be the reason why you have not yet achieved the success that you deserve.

1. DREAMS BUT NO ROADMAP

Whether you want to be a rock star or run your own business, you must do more than dream about it if you are going to achieve it. And you are not going to achieve goals like these in one giant leap. The path to success consists of the many small steps that lead to your objective. So, break down your goal into a roadmap of the smaller targets that will eventually lead you to success.

2. PROCRASTINATING

Right up there at the top of the list of habits that will hold you back is the inability to make quick decisions. Although you should attempt to get the facts and figures that you need to make the best decision that you can, sometimes you must go with you have got. While you are sitting on the fence deciding on whether to take that job or set up a business, someone else will get there before you. If you want to get ahead, you must be decisive.

3. TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYONE

The people-pleasers are rarely the ones who hit the big time. If you are trying to keep everyone happy all the time, you must be making compromises somewhere. As mentioned above, successful people are decisive. And people who make decisions must, at some point, disappoint or upset somebody else. You do not have to trample all over people to become a success. But you must accept that you cannot possibly please everyone with every decision that you make.

4. DOUBTING YOURSELF

The close cousin of procrastination is self-doubt. People who make a name for themselves understand that they are not perfect, but they do believe in themselves. There is little worse than to find out after the event that you were right after all. So, as well as trusting in your instincts, you should also have faith in your abilities.

5. Avoiding Responsibility

If you want to be a success, you will need to be prepared to stand up and be counted. That means taking responsibility for your failures as well as your accomplishments. People who keep their heads low and their opinions to themselves may well avoid responsibility and confrontation. Still, they also never get noticed and never achieve their full potential.

6. Losing Focus

If you are a person who is easily distracted, then you are going to need to become more disciplined if you want to succeed. So, stop flicking into YouTube to watch one video and wind up watching twelve! Instead, stay focussed on the task at hand and give it one hundred percent of your attention until the job has been completed.  

7. You are a Perfectionist

Of course, getting things right will help you climb the ladder to success. Still, you sometimes need to put meeting a deadline above perfection. There are many situations where even perfect work delivered late will not meet the objectives. Sometimes, you must take shortcuts and strike a balance between providing faultless work and timeliness.

8. Going it Alone

If you have gotten into the habit of believing that you are the only person who can do a job right, then you are unlikely to make it to the top. Successful people understand the importance of being willing to delegate, and they value advice from other people.

9. Taking the Easy Route

The path of least resistance is not usually the best one to follow if you want to be a success. After all, it was easy; everyone would be at the top. You must be willing to step outside your comfort zone if you want to progress in life. Pushing yourself beyond what you thought was possible is the best way to reach your full potential.

10. Giving Up Too Easily

The final habit that you will need to break if you want to be a success is the tendency to quit when the going gets tough. Successful people are driven and persistent. They do not give up when something goes wrong; they get straight back up again and give it another go. Success rarely comes overnight; it takes hard work, dedication, and the ability to take a few knocks.

Conclusion

Anyone can be a success in their chosen field if they try. But, if you are burdened with any of the above habits, you may find it tough to get the top. Even so, even ingrained habits can be broken, but only if you recognize that you have them.