16 Life Skills That Unsuccessful People Just Can't Seem To Grasp

Success Isn’t Easy

A close-up image of a man with short, dark hair and light eyes. He has a serious expression, light facial stubble, and wears a red and white plaid shirt. The background is blurred, focusing attention on his face.

Life isn’t easy. We’re all born into this world with innate skills and abilities, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pick up and learn a whole host of other life skills along the way…

…skills that will smooth our path.

…skills that can open all kinds of doors.

Unfortunately, success isn’t going to plonk itself down in front of us whilst we’re sitting on the couch.

Whatever the goal or goals you have in mind, or even if you’re not really sure what it is you want out of life, certain skills will help you to achieve success. And the good news is that almost everyone can develop these skills if they’re willing to put in the effort. But if you’re not willing to put in the effort? Well, then you’re not likely to be successful.

Here are 15 of the most important life skills that unsuccessful people just never seem to grasp.

1. Collaboration

A group of people standing in a circle with their hands stacked in the center, viewed from below. The image captures a sense of unity and teamwork, with smiling faces visible in the background. The background is a clear sky, and the lighting is bright and natural.

No man or woman is an island, and you’re not going to get anywhere on your own. Every aspect of your life is shaped by a huge network of people, both visible and invisible

Appreciating that will help you accept that you can never really go it alone.

To succeed, you need to be able to trust and work with other people. You need to be able to bounce your ideas off them, and take their ideas on board in return.

Between you, you can create things you’d never even dreamed of.

2. Leadership

Four individuals are engaged in a lively conversation around a table in a modern office setting. Three of them sit while one stands, smiling and leaning forward. They have papers and coffee cups on the table. The background features large windows and glass walls.

Ultimately, success of any kind is always going to involve leadership of some description or another.

Learning how to be a leader that encourages and nurtures rather than frightens and demands is a hugely important skill.

The talent of inspiring other people to want to follow where you lead is a valuable one to work on.

3. Team Spirit

A group of five people casually talking and enjoying drinks on an outdoor terrace. They appear to be relaxed, with some smiling and holding glasses. The background includes a view of the landscape, featuring greenery and a body of water.

This one is a cliché for a reason. Just as important as being able to lead a group is being able to muck in and get your hands dirty as part of a team, listening to other people’s suggestions and working together to reach a common goal.

4. Negotiation

A man in a white shirt, appearing frustrated or upset, gestures with his hand and points while speaking to another man. The other man, seen from the back, is holding a pen. A laptop with a pie chart is also visible on the table between them.

Some lucky people are born with this skill, and for some of us, negotiation is a big a challenge. Luckily, however, those of us that fall into the latter group can easily work on it.

Being able to negotiate is vital because, as I’m sure you’re well aware, not everything in life is handed to us on a plate. Sometimes it takes a little back and forth to get the things you want or need.

There are certain tactics we can all learn to employ when negotiating deals to ensure that all parties involved get a good outcome.

5. Networking

A diverse group of people, sitting around a table, engaged in a lively conversation. They are all smiling and appear relaxed. One person holds a laptop, while others have coffee mugs. There's a small plant on the table, and large windows in the background.

I’m talking genuine networking here. Not the type when you suck up to important people just for the sake of sucking up to them and getting a career boost.

Networking should be about forging genuine connections with people who are interested in and doing the same things as you, so that you can all help each other out.

If that brings work or opportunities your way, amazing, but that shouldn’t be the main goal, as people will be able to tell a mile off if you’re just faking it.

6. Diplomacy

A group of four people are sitting around a table in a meeting room, engaged in a discussion. One person gestures while speaking, and the others listen attentively. Papers, a laptop, and a pink coffee mug are on the table. A bicycle is visible in the background.

We all get into tricky situations occasionally, and there are always going to be times when a touch of diplomacy is necessary.

Whether you need to manage a situation between yourself and someone else or two others, being able to see both sides of the argument and come up with a solution whilst keeping everybody happy can help smooth your path to success.

7. Creativity

A person sits cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by papers, photos, and stationery. They are writing on a piece of paper, with a coffee mug, eyeglasses, and a candle nearby. The scene appears to be a creative workspace.

Creativity can mean a lot of different things. It’s not just about being good with a paintbrush or a potter’s wheel, although expressing your creativity through art can be extremely therapeutic and cathartic.

Creativity comes into play in all areas of life, as thinking outside the box could help you both professionally and personally.

8. Intuition

A smiling woman with wavy brown hair and freckles rests her head on her hand. She is wearing a rust-colored sweater and is seated indoors, with a blurred background. Natural light shines on her face, enhancing her cheerful expression.

You know that feeling you sometimes get in the pit of your stomach, or that nagging thought trying to make itself heard somewhere in the recesses of your brain?

Some of us are more intuitive than others, but it’s a skill we can all work on. If we learn to listen to it, our intuition can warn us ahead of time when something’s about to go wrong or right, meaning we can act accordingly.

9. Empathy

A diverse group of people sitting in a well-lit room with large windows. Two people, one older and one younger, are standing and smiling warmly while embracing each other. Other group members are seated and smiling, creating a positive, supportive atmosphere.

Being able to sympathize with others and put ourselves in their shoes is pretty basic human behavior…

…but it’s easy to get wrapped up in ourselves and our own problems and forget how to relate to other people’s concerns.

Human relationships are two-way streets, so the more empathetic you are toward others, the more empathetic they’re likely to be toward you, lending you a hand or offering support when you’re going through a rough time.

10. Goal Setting

A person with long brown hair, dressed in a light-colored shirt, is lying on a bed while writing in a notebook with a black pen. The bed has grayish bedding and an open book lies next to them. The scene appears calm and focused.

Without a goal to aim for, it’s difficult to find the motivation to keep moving forward. In order to get out of bed every morning and give the day your all, you need to have a goal in mind.

It’s important to set everything from big, scary, general life goals to small, specific, immediately achievable goals so that you’re continually reaching them.

11. Delegation

Two women are engaged in a conversation at an office table. One woman with curly hair and glasses is speaking, holding a pen. The other woman, with straight hair, listens attentively with her chin resting on her hand. A laptop and pink mug are on the table.

Is this a word you find scary? It took me a long time to appreciate the value of delegation, and even longer to actually start doing it.

But there are only so many hours in the day, so whatever your circumstances are, delegation is always vital.

Sometimes, you’ll have to delegate because you recognize that you just don’t have the time to do things yourself. Other times, it’ll be a case of recognizing that someone else with a different skill set could do it far better or quicker.

For example, there’s no point wasting hours of your valuable time doing battle with your business taxes when an expert could have it all sorted in the blink of an eye.

It’s a case of knowing what your strengths are and not being afraid to ask other people to do things for you.

11. Stress Management

A woman stands on a yoga mat in a living room, performing a yoga pose with her arms raised above her head and palms together. She wears a coral sports bra, green leggings, and a white zip-up jacket. The room has a beige sofa, plants, and a clean white kitchen.

Stress is, unfortunately, a pretty big part of almost everyone’s daily life in this day and age.

Therefore, logically, learning to deal with it in a helpful and effective manner is pretty vital for you to stay happy and in good mental and physical health.

12. Attention To Detail

A woman with long brown hair and glasses is leaning over a desk, writing in a notebook with a pen while looking at an open laptop. She is dressed in a light pink shirt and jeans. The desk has a white coffee mug and a smartphone. Shelves with books and office items are in the background.

It’s the little details that can turn into really big problems if you persistently ignore them. Taking the time to dot the I’s and cross the T’s rather than just focusing on the big stuff can really pay off in the long run.

Similarly, paying attention to the little things can set you apart and help you stand out among your peers or business competitors.

13. Listening

Two men are sitting indoors, engaging in a conversation. The man on the left is wearing a green polo shirt and has a thoughtful expression, resting his hand near his face. The man on the right, slightly blurred, listens attentively. The background is softly lit and out of focus.

Out of all of the skills on this list, this is the one that’s perhaps the most underrated. We love to talk, and forget to listen. Listening is important for two main reasons.

Firstly, believe it or not, we can learn a huge amount when we genuinely pay attention to what the people around us have to say. This can help us to grow in ways we might not have considered.

Secondly, by truly listening to other people, we demonstrate our interest in them as a person and in their ideas, which means their opinion of us is likely to go up. Subsequently, they’ll be more likely to listen to us when we need them, or lend us their support.

14. Persuasion

A female doctor in a white coat, with a stethoscope around her neck, discusses medication with a female patient wearing a gray tank top. They are seated in a medical office with shelves of medical supplies in the background. The patient listens attentively.

Last but not least is the skill of persuasion. If you want to succeed in life, there will be plenty of times when you’ll need to convince other people that you’ve got the right idea, to gain their support or help.

You’ll also often need to persuade yourself… persuade yourself to get out of bed in the morning, go to that networking event, strike up a conversation with that person, and to just generally take life by the horns, every day of the year.

“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vince Lombardi

15. An Ethical Outlook

A woman in a blue shirt is speaking into a microphone at a conference. She has light brown hair and is looking thoughtfully ahead. In the background, an audience is seated at round tables, listening attentively. The setting appears to be a formal event or seminar.

Respecting our planet and all of its inhabitants has always been a marker of success in many people’s books, but in this day and age, it’s more so than ever.

Constantly considering the needs of all your fellow human beings, animals, and the planet we live on means that success will be far more satisfying and sustainable.

After all, if your version of success involves destroying the planet or the lives of it’s inhabitants, can it really be called success?