Do you ever notice that some people just don’t seem “cut out” for success? At its core, this idea is flawed, as anyone and everyone can succeed. But the fact is that the most unsuccessful individuals tend to have certain traits and habits that contribute to their lack of results.
Are you worried that you’re one of those unsuccessful people? Don’t fret – and read on.
Three Reasons Why Some People Don’t Succeed
Here are 3 reasons why some people don’t succeed, and ways to change that if you’re one of those people.
1.   They Limit Themselves
Success is dependent on an ability to reach for the stars and power through challenges. Unfortunately, a fair number of people limit themselves prematurely, whether unintentionally or otherwise. Here are some ways unsuccessful people may limit themselves:
·        They Don’t Take It Upon Themselves To Continue Learning
There are so many ways to learn in the world. You can read, join workshops or classes, network with others of various talents and skills, practice your craft, and more. People who don’t succeed often simply stop learning, believing it all ends after college. It’s a sad way to accidentally be limited when there’s so much more to learn.
·        They’ve Already Decided What They Can’t Do
People who don’t succeed often fail because they already think they can’t do things. They “know” they’re not good with numbers and they “know” they don’t have what it takes to run a business. These limits are silly because of course, no one knows how to do these things off the bat. The whole point is that you’re supposed to learn and grow with challenges!
·        They Don’t Finish The Things They Start
Everyone can start something, but not everyone can finish it. It takes commitment and dedication more than motivation to finish projects and tasks. People who don’t succeed often fall into the trap of never finishing what they begin, robbing themselves of the results that could have occurred.
·        They Overanalyze and Get Lost In Their Heads
People who don’t succeed can get trapped in rumination and overanalyzing – something studies have shown is bad for mental health. Overthinking, fear and anxiety lead to a reluctance to try, nipping potential in the bud.
2.   Their Focus Is In The Wrong Place
In order to succeed, an individual must focus on the outcome of their success. Their goals must be in mind and they should take regular, consistent steps towards achievement. Unfortunately, that kind of sharp, self-aware focus isn’t always easy to maintain, and people who don’t succeed may feel their concentration waived to unrelated endeavors. Here are some examples:
·        A Focus On Perfectionism
No one should routinely deliver poor-quality work, but no one should be constantly striving to achieve perfection, either. A concentration on physical perfection is a pointless concentration, as nobody’s perfect and mistakes are part of the process. This can just manifest in complete fear of failure, resulting in a reluctance to take risks, further dampening the potential for success.
·        A Focus On The Short-Term
A successful person has to think both the big picture and small picture but usually tending towards long-term sights. People who don’t succeed, on the other hand, think way too small all of the time. Their dreams are limited and focused on short-term goals only, losing out on the potential to build towards something bigger.
·        A Focus On Money
For some people, the only indicator of success that they understand and desire is money. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be rich, but such material pursuits shouldn’t be the main powering drive behind someone’s movement towards success. The money will be lost and gained with the years as you make investments, take risks, and make mistakes. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s the intrinsic value of achievement that will always matter more than the material.
·        A Focus On Things Long Dead
Not all endeavors will be successes. If someone has tried their very best on something for a long time, they may be unable to see when it’s time to move on. There’s a difference between giving up when it gets tough and realizing when you’re beating a dead horse, and people who don’t succeed simply can’t tell the difference.
3.   They’ve Got A Bad Attitude
Attitude counts for a lot in the world of success and failure. Having a positive attitude can take you for miles and miles while a negative one keeps you anchored thousands of leagues beneath the sea. Here are some examples of bad attitudes that people who don’t succeed may have:
·        They Feel Entitled
Yes, everyone deserves basic human rights. Yes, there are inherent disparities in society that mean some people have it easier than others. It’s fine to acknowledge these things and point out when you don’t receive the bare minimum that truly is deserved. But unsuccessful people go a step beyond that. They’re so entitled that they believe they simply deserve success. If other people can have it, then they want it to – without any of the efforts, the other people put into their success!
·        They Have Negative Thinking
Ever meet someone so pessimistic that they always seem to assume the worst? Well, those people rarely ever become successful. They’re essentially blocking themselves from success by turning their words into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
·        They Refuse Any and All Assistance
Being independent and self-sufficient is great. Being a lone wolf who refuses any valuable help or input? Not so much. Everyone needs a hand every now and then, but unsuccessful people falsely believe that accepting help makes them weak. Worse still, this means they lose out on valuable perspectives and insights from others, which can stifle success significantly.
·        They Don’t Believe In Themselves
At the end of the day, a person has little to no hope in succeeding if they don’t think they’re capable of achieving their goals, no matter what they do. Once again, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If that’s the mindset someone has, why even bother working towards success in the first place?
3 Ways To Change Your Success For The Better
How can you live better? Try these three things.
1.   Form A Vision And Know How To Get There
Success begins with a vision. What do you want in your future? What are your goals, dreams, and aspirations? These components will help form a direction for you to follow, providing you with motivation to begin and a sense of purpose to keep you consistently going.
Learning to visualize the success you want is a powerful way to continually draw inspiration from yourself. Imagine yourself a month from now, a year from now, or even ten years from now. Where do you want to be at those points?
Now that you’ve done that visualization, you need a plan on how to make those visions a reality. Setting goals is an important step in your journey towards success. Set a range of short-term goals leading up to bigger long-term goals, all with their own deadlines, and track your progress.
People who don’t succeed often make the mistake of doing a lot of unproductive tasks that don’t line up with their goals. That’s why you need to maintain positive thinking and keep taking steps towards those ideals, especially if you want a better chance at achieving success!
2.   Be Willing To Do Better
Success is all about doing better. It means continually striving to best yourself, time and time again. If your heart and soul aren’t in that mission with positive thinking, you’re going to have a harder time achieving your success. Here are some ways you must be willing to do better:
·        Try Again
You’re going to make lots of mistakes on your way to success. That’s just how it goes! The sooner you get comfortable with that idea, the better. Every single time you mess up, be willing to learn from the fall and get up again without feeling overly discouraged. You’ll have to try and try again many, many times, so be ready!
·        Don’t Stop Learning
We’ve discussed the multitude of ways people can continue to learn in life and how sad it is when someone limits themselves by deciding to stop learning. Apply that lesson to yourself. Keep your mind engaged and keep honing your current skills and learning new ones, even when that’s not required of you!
·        Go The Extra Mile
While there should be some degree of balance in your methods, it goes without saying that striving for success means making sacrifices and going above and beyond to achieve your goals. Instead of doing the bare minimum, go the extra mile. You’ll learn more, build positive traits, and make better progress.
3.   Build Positive Thinking
If you want to succeed, then your brain has to be in the right game for it. Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re probably right – so choose positive thinking and watch your dreams actualize in front of you! Here are some ways to use positive thinking to move towards success:
·        Be Grateful
People often forget to appreciate all the things they have in life. Gratitude has been shown to have positive effects on wellbeing and happiness. It’s a useful trait for success, as it reminds you to celebrate the little wins and be thankful for the lessons in your failures.
·        Ignore The Haters
There will always be critics, and while constructive criticism is a perfectly fine thing, naysayers will go out of their way to demean you and your work. The good news is that if you want to succeed, you only need your own self-belief. When your motivation comes from within, you can smile at haters and bid them no mind.
·        No More Excuses – Only Progress!
Positive thinking often means being able to take failures and setbacks and accept accountability for them. It also means learning when it’s time to be honest with yourself instead of making negative excuses. To be successful, tune in to your goals for progress and leave behind the dark clouds of excuse.
Final Thoughts On Reasons Why Some People Don’t Succeed And Ways To Change That
Success looks different to different people, and that’s fine. But if you find that you’re not meeting your own personal definitions of success, no matter how hard you try, it may be time to look inward and find out why.
