Everyone wants to be successful. Everyone dreams of it, and no one wants to get stuck in the average lifestyle that this country flaunts as the American dream. The truth about success is that it is something that only a small group of privileged people manages to experience. The 1% as this country calls it.
Being successful in life and living a life worthy of the name includes hardships and challenges that the average person can't handle -- which is why they end up average. The peasant mindset makes people believe that when you become successful and make lots of money that all your issues are solved and you are living an easy-breezy life. Unfortunately life isn't a movie, and when success comes, things get hard.
But until then, to even attain any type of success in life, there is a journey that people must embark on. Some take that road and keep going, others get afraid and run back to the safety of lifestyle that keeps them feeling comfortable. There are hardships you need to overcome if you ever want to be successful and it is better to know about them beforehand so you know what to expect rather than to get blindsided by them on your journey.
Here are the 10 things you are going to have to overcome if you ever want to be successful. Best of luck to you, the odds are stacked against you, but the only one who can change that is you.
10. Procrastination
We live in a world where we love to procrastinate. It seems as if ADD has clawed its nimble fingers into all of us and we will do anything to delay something that we need to get done. Stop wasting your time with nonsense. We procrastinate because we are lazy or we fear a specific task because we are unsure of its outcome.
If you fear it, it is something that you need to get done for yourself and for your journey. It is essential for your growth to throw away the procrastination pigment, which is inside of you, and discipline yourself to get what you need done.
9. Limiting beliefs
When you venture out to do something or have any kind of dream, there will always be some internalized limitations. You are going to have some self doubt and feel like things are getting too hard or that they might not work, but if you succumb to these weak thoughts, they will actually become your reality.
Remember, if everyone listened to the negative advice of others, no one and nothing would really progress in this world. Block out all of the negativity that is around you and make the only limits there are in the world are the ones you set for yourself.
8. Bad environment
As the good old saying goes, you are who you surround yourself with. As Jim Rohn once said "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." Don’t be hesitant to limit time to or to cut off those who continually drag you down. Surround yourself with people who will push you and help you rather than those who will hold you down.
7. Lack of Motivation
If money is your end game, and that is all you are basing your journey around, you will fail because it’s not good enough motivation for you to get through. There has to be more than that, there has to be a meaning, a purpose and a sort of passion that will keep you up at night thinking about work.
Motivation is everything, and pushing yourself to achieve what you once thought was impossible is what makes it all worth it. And no money can ever buy that feeling.
6. Part-time dedication
Many people mistakenly believe that you can be successful by just half-assing it or by working on something in your free time. Unfortunately it’s not that simple and it doesn’t work that way. To be successful you have to constantly be working toward your goals. And not when it’s convenient for you, but all the time, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. It’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle.
5. Time is limited
You don't have all the time in the world and opportunity rarely strikes twice. Every minute wasted is another missed chance to move closer to your dream. Time is not on your side and it is always working against you. Take advantage of every second you have because you will never get it back. Manage yourself and manage your time and you will be successful.
4. Lack of specific goals
The funny thing about life is that there really are no lazy people out there, there are just people who are lacking goals, and we decide to call them lazy. A goal, a dream, a future is what gives you a purpose to work toward something and get off your ass.
When you love what you do, and you progress with it, even through baby steps, that is when you begin exceling. Life is about fulfillment and progression, but with no goals you can't have any of those. Have specific goals and know exactly what you want out of them. Have short-term goals and long-term ones too.
3. Settling for less
People love to be content, they love settling for what is in front of them and feeling somewhat accomplished. Why do you think you don't deserve the best and the most out of life? You do. And to get it, you just need to want it.
How much is enough? It’s never enough. Never settle; there will always be a new bar to set, a higher bar and once you have gotten there -- keep going. Life is too short to take a break or to think that you are accomplished; there is always something else to conquer.
2. Lack of persistence
The most successful people are the ones that never give up and persist in reaching their goals and dreams. It’s about knocking on 7 doors, getting rejected, but not giving up and succeeding at the 8th door. It’s about constantly trying and never stopping. Some of the most successful people in the world are the greatest failures, but what separated them is that they never stopped trying.
1. Failure
Last but not least, one of the biggest things you are going to have to overcome is failure and this is where most people let go of their dreams. Most people will fail once, get discouraged and walk away, whereas others will treat it as a stepping stone and view it as a lesson to keep building upon -- and that is what separates those who make it from those who don't.
If you ever thought being successful is something easy, then you have another thing coming to you. Treat all failures as lessons, they are just stepping stones you must pass on your journey toward success!
Preston Waters | Elite.
