Author: Dr. Shelly

Why do some people succeed, while others don’t? It’s simple. Success means hard work, dedication, and the drive to achieve goals. Athletes, entrepreneurs, and high achievers do not just rise up and achieve success. No…they are products of resilience… that never-give-up attitude. In this season of Olympics pump, many are inspired by the stories of athletes around the world who have joined the ranks of the best of the best globally. Success Vista’s founder Ibibo Justin‘s invitation for guest post tugged at the reminder of the reasons success eludes some people.

Many have explored the paths to success to unveil the answers for those whose appetites long to devour its true meaning. To those standing at a crossroad uncertain of which way to go; and to those who hide beneath the Surface their feelings of fear, apprehension, and apathy, success seems distant.

Shane is not alone in her writings that success leaves clues, trails and signs. Whatever the goal …be it to achieve success in business, personal relationships, sports or more,  we should strive through thick and thin. Most well-known successful people including my favorite writer Stephen King, never gave up when the going got tough. They stuck to it through thick and thin. That said, we reflect on success that at its core refers to the achievement of wealth, honors or the like. Failure on the other hand refers to the lack of success, or more specifically the omission of expected or required action.

So here are 20 insights into the behaviors and actions of people who Success seems to elude. These have been pulled from a few individuals including the likes of Kayiba Mpoyi, Stephen Guise, Deborah Shane, and my own book on Success Strategies as gleaned from phenomenological study.  Ibibo revealed the top 6 Qualities of Successful People. Here, we look at the reasons people fail to succeed:

1. Underestimate time management.

Successful people learn how to say No.  They know which commitments to take on to achieve great success in areas of their lives.

2. Have misaligned Goals.                                                                                                                    They mistake busyness for productivity. They want to be a part of everything and in the process do nothing that aligns with their goals. This undermines success.

3. Have self-imposed limitations

People who are not successful often say things like “I’m not good with numbers”; “I hate studying”; and “I can’t run a successful business”.

4. Have little social IQ.

They don’t know how to treat others and say things like “well at least I’m being honest”, or “this is just the way I am, deal with it”. It’s said that you can judge a man’s character by watching how he acts when standing in a very long line and is met with bad service; or by how he reacts when you ruin his expensive items.

5. Procrastinate.. Never take action 

They think, and think, and think…  a lot. They Dream big but lack the courage to go out and get things done.  My mantra…Get up! Show up! Just Do Something!

6. Can’t face adversity

Overcoming challenges not only bring us closer to our goals but they turn us into someone we never imagined. Don’t be afraid to conquer your fears and embark on new terrains. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

8. They don’t plan                                                                                                                                They do not have a complete vision of their intentions. They are not specific which goes a long way in the execution of our goals.

9. They always Give up

They get discouraged and apathetic when they fail. Essentially, they have a failure mindset long before they even started.

10.They are scared.

They freeze just like the deer that stands fixed before the car hits.

12. They are always in the wrong place.

Wrong job. Wrong state. Wrong country. Everything they do they complain is wrong. It is important for them to know when to to move on to something else. Mpoyi’s observation is for real….humans do not have the capacity to be successful at all things.

13. They don’t care

Apathy can infect any area of our lives and when it strikes it produces failure. The scariest part is how contagious it is. It spreads to other areas of our lives. Beneath the surface, apathetic friends can also infect us.

14. They are unwilling or too slow to change

15. They become irrelevant.

16.They have a bad attitude

17. They have skill gaps.

18. They have not developed a unique personal brand.

19. They lack discipline, focus and balance.

20. They lack a deep sense of belief in themselves

People who success eludes are more numerous than we can imagine. More importantly, it’s sad to see people with amazing potential …give up. Really it is. But not so obvious are individuals who internalize things and therefore their true feelings may not always be evident. As Myopi said very well, sometimes it is the guy in the cubicle with the $90K salary, who accepts misery because it comes with a fat paycheck.

Today, make a change. Be inspired. Stop thinking. Take action. Then success…how ever you define it… is highly guaranteed. Make that move right now.

Cheers!