Unsuccessful people who are destined for mediocrity have these 16 traits

Do You Have These Traits?

A close-up of a man with short dark hair and a beard lying on a yellow and white striped pillow, looking contemplative and somewhat sad. He is wearing a casual grey shirt, and his eyes seem to be focused on something outside the frame.

Success means different things to different people. It’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal.

But one thing is universal. Success comes to those who work for it. It comes to those who look at themselves, and at the world around them, and consider how they can grow and develop accordingly in order to thrive.

Some people will have to work harder that others. That’s just life. The traits below can make the journey to success harder. They can even make the journey impossible if you’re unwilling to take a long hard look at yourself, and work to improve on them.

1. Poor Concentration.

A man sitting at a desk, leaning his head on his hand and looking at his phone with a tired expression. He is surrounded by work-related items, including papers with charts and graphs, a pen, and office supplies. There is a window in the background.

A lack of ability to focus on a particular task can be a major barrier to success.

If you can’t apply yourself to something for more than a few minutes at a time and struggle to block out distractions, you’re unlikely to be able to achieve any goals you set yourself, whatever they may be.

2. Procrastination.

A man in a suit, holding a notebook and a sheet of paper, sits at a desk in an office. He appears to be in a meeting with a woman whose back is to the camera. There are laptops and glasses on the desk, with a blurred office background.

Being able to use time efficiently and get the very most out of every day will make success far more attainable.

It will also mean that it comes around more quickly than you’d ever imagined.

Whilst a touch of procrastination now and again has its uses – as it can allow our brains to process information – if procrastination becomes our default and we don’t make the most of the precious minutes we’re given, the days and years can slip by without us achieving our goals…

…and sooner or later time will run out.

3. Decision paralysis.

A man with short hair sits at a wooden table, intently working on a laptop. He is wearing a light blue shirt and a wristwatch. A small potted plant and a notebook are placed beside him. A plant with large leaves is visible in the background.

This is an issue that all kinds of people struggle with. Some of us find the big decisions, to do with jobs or relationships, the toughest, and that’s completely understandable.

Other people find the big stuff fairly easy, but struggle with the little things like choosing from a menu or picking a paint color, convinced they’ll regret their decision.

And some of us can’t handle any kind of decision-making at all, preferring to just bury our heads in the sand and let other people take the reins.

Wherever you fall on the decision-making spectrum, training yourself to make your own choices, listening to both your heart and your head, can open all kinds of doors.

Making decisions wholeheartedly and not fretting over the ‘what ifs’ means you can throw yourself into things, heart and soul, and make whatever your decision is work.

4. People pleasing.

Two women stand outdoors on a pathway lined with trees. One wears a hat, sunglasses, a dark tank top, and red skirt, while the other wears a white blouse and blue jeans. They smile and embrace each other in a friendly pose. The background is blurred and green.

Some people have the skill to say “no” naturally, but many of us, especially women in our patriarchal society, have trouble saying no when things are asked of us, even when we’re already stretched to capacity.

If we want to have the time to be able to create the life of our dreams, we can’t spend our precious hours doing things we don’t really want to do or that our hearts aren’t really in.

Learning to say no when necessary is a big step toward freeing yourself up and setting yourself on the path to success.

5. Impatience and impulsivity.

A man and woman are arguing in a partially renovated room. The man has a pencil in hand and is wearing a tool belt, while the woman, holding a paintbrush and measuring tape, looks frustrated. Both are standing near a table with renovation tools.

There’s such a thing as being too patient, and we all need to be aware of where that line lies, but a healthy dose of patience is incredibly important in this life.

Whatever path we’re on, we’re all going to come across obstacles, whether they’re in the form of people or circumstances.

Although raging against those barriers and pummelling on those doors can sometimes be the answer, more often than not, just a smidgen of patience can solve all kinds of problems.

Good things really do come to those who wait.

6. Incoherence

Two men sit at a table in a cafe, talking over coffee. One man, wearing glasses and a blue shirt, gestures with his hand, while the other man, in a white shirt, listens attentively. The background shows a blurred view of buildings through the large window.

The importance of being able to express oneself clearly is so often underrated.

Being able to communicate what we want or need to others in a clear manner, without beating about the bush or causing misunderstandings, is a skill we can all work on.

It is one that can help us develop healthy relationships, be they personal or professional, and thrive.

7. A lack of sympathy.

A woman with glasses is sitting at a wooden table, talking on a mobile phone with an open book in front of her. She appears to be frustrated or upset, raising her left hand with a distressed expression on her face. The background is dimly lit.

No one’s perfect. You’re not, and neither are the people around you. That means, sooner or later, people are going to mess up.

They themselves might do something wrong, or it might be due to circumstances beyond their control, but no matter how much of an issue that might cause for you, it’s important to realize that we’re all human, and we all make mistakes.

Being able to understand that, and forgive and forget rather than getting angry and blaming others can work wonders in all areas of your life.

8. Low self-esteem.

A man dressed in white tennis attire sits on a chair by a tennis court, with a towel draped around his neck and a thoughtful expression. A tennis racket and ball are placed on another chair next to him, and greenery is visible in the background.

If you don’t have confidence in yourself, it’s hard to expect others to have confidence in you.

Self-confidence is vital for success, as success in any shape or form always involves putting yourself out there in one way or another.

If you’re not confident in yourself, you’re not likely to be brave enough to stick your head above the parapet.

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill

9. A “know it all” attitude.

A person with red hair and glasses sits at a wooden table in a modern home interior. They are wearing a blue button-up shirt and have a contemplative expression, with one hand raised and the other resting on the table. The background includes a couch and various plants.

The saying “curiosity killed the cat” was clearly invented by someone who wanted to keep other people firmly in their boxes.

Whilst too much curiosity can get you into sticky situations now and again, a healthy dose of it means that you’re always keen to keep learning.

It drives you to discover more about the world around you, about your fellow human beings, and about yourself.

Whatever your concept of success, a fulfilling life means that you never stand still and never stop expanding your mind, wondering what’s waiting around the next corner.

10. Giving up too easily.

A man and a woman sit back-to-back on the floor, both appearing upset. The man, with a beard and wearing a gray sweater, looks away with arms crossed. The woman, in a white knitted sweater, leans forward with one hand on her forehead, looking distressed.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, and it takes tenacity and commitment.

If you give up at the first hurdle or when things don’t happen as quickly as expected, you’ll never get where you want to go.

11. Being risk averse.

Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone. If your idea of success is different from what your life looks like now, then the only way to get there is to put yourself out there and try your luck.

There are no guarantees in this life, and if you stick to safe ground, you’re not likely to go anywhere fast.

12. A lack of competitiveness.

Two men in business suits and ties crouching in starting positions on a running track, ready to race. The background shows a blurred stadium with empty seating. The image symbolizes competition in the business world.

Of course competitiveness is another one that can be taken too far if you’re not careful. If beating others becomes your main focus, you’re likely to lose track of the things that are really important to you.

However, a streak of friendly competitiveness is good for us all. It can be a great driver and motivator. It’s especially good if you can strike up a bit of competition with your own past self.

Being able to run a few meters further than the day before, have your own business do a bit better than the year before, or put yourself out there in a social situation in a way you wouldn’t have dared to do at the last party you were at is all the competition you really need to keep growing as a person.

13. Being too serious.

A group of four people sits around a table with snacks, beers, and red cups, playing a guessing game. Each person has a sticky note on their forehead. One woman in the foreground appears thoughtful, while the others are laughing and engaged in the game.

A sense of humor is vital for survival in this world, and utterly indispensable if you want to succeed.

Things go wrong and people mess up, and you have to be able to look at the funny side of things when they do.

14. Lacking drive and enthusiasm.

A man in workout attire lies on a couch with his legs on a fitness ball and reaches for a bowl of chips on a nearby table. A glass of soda is next to the bowl. An exercise mat is rolled up on the floor. The scene is set in a bright living room with plants.

If you don’t have light in your eyes and a bit of fire in your belly and get excited about the projects you’re working on or the things you’re spending your time on, you’ll struggle to find the motivation to get anywhere.

A dose of enthusiasm for everything, from a new project on a Monday morning to a weekend adventure, can push you further and make the world look an awful lot brighter.

15. Being too passive.

A woman with light brown hair tied back is sitting and smiling at a man who is facing away from the camera. She is holding a white mug with both hands and wearing a beige cardigan over a grey shirt. They appear to be in a relaxed, comfortable conversation.

Whilst there’s a time and a place for compromise, we all have to know when to be assertive and not to crumble.

To get anywhere in this life, we have to be prepared to ask for and tell other people what we want.

16. Being inconsiderate.

A group of five people stands in a circle inside a bright room with large windows. They are all smiling and giving a high-five simultaneously, celebrating something. There is a flipchart with sticky notes and a desk with papers in the foreground.

Although there are plenty of people out there who have made it big by trampling all over others, they’re only enjoying a certain type of success.

For anyone whose idea of success doesn’t include cutting other people down in order to clamber up the ladder, consideration for the people around us is key.