Category: Success Strategies

renowned comedian Kevin Hart in an interview about the movie Central Intelligence with Dwayne Johnson, shared that he got into the business of entertainment to be successful and to get to the highest level he can. Naturally, it is clear that he is achieving his goal but he is quick to say that he will not stop because stopping would make him complacent. His desire is to do more. His dream is to reach the status of becoming a mogul. And the only way to get there is by work.  Interesting…

In a nutshell I think that just about sums up Why some people succeed while others don’t. It’s that simple. Many have researched the paths to success to unveil the answers to those of us whose appetites long to devour the true meaning. To those of us standing at a crossroad uncertain of which way to go. To those of us who through whispers approach our feelings with fear and apprehension. 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, taking that dream vacation, or simply getting through difficult times; we should strive through thick and thin. Most well-known successful people including my favorite Stephen King, never gave up when the going got tough. They stuck to it through thick and thin. That said, we reflect on the definition of success that 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 a few insights into the behaviors and actions of people who are not successful. 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.  People who 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 ponder a lot. Dream big but lack the courage to go forth.  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. Like a whisper, 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

In summary, people who fail to succeed are more numerous than we can imagine. More importantly, it’s sad to see people with amazing potential ..give up. Suicide is obvious and quite sad. But not so obvious are individuals who internalize things and therefore their natural occurrence may not always be evident. Sometimes it is the guy in the cubicle with the $90K salary, who accepts misery because it comes with a fat paycheck (Mpoyi).