If you want to be a successful person one day, say goodbye to these 12 behaviors

Success rarely comes to people who persist with these behaviors.

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Most people eventually want to be successful in some way, but some have a much easier time with this endeavor than others. If your goal is to be a successful person one day, determine whether you take part in the behaviors listed here, and put a stop to them as soon as possible.

1. Waiting for “the right time”.

A man with medium-length hair and a beard sits pensively on a wooden bench, resting his chin on his clasped hands. He wears a black leather jacket and looks off into the distance with a thoughtful expression. The background is blurred and features soft natural light.

There’s never going to be an “ideal time” to start something, in which all the stars align and show you an illuminated golden path forward. It would have been great to start on your road to success yesterday, but the second best time available to you is right now.

2. Sticking to old habits instead of learning and adapting to new things.

A focused man with short black hair sits in a bright room, resting his chin on his hand while holding a pen. He is wearing a blue and white checkered shirt and is looking thoughtfully into the distance, possibly contemplating something on his laptop screen.

Just because your grandmother taught you to rinse off your pasta before adding the sauce doesn’t mean that’s the right technique for preparing it. Drawing from past experience is all well and good, but be open to learning new (and often more effective) methods that can be even more successful.

3. “Winging it” instead of being organized.

A person with dark hair wearing a white tank top sits at a desk, looking stressed with their hands on their head. In front of them is an open laptop and a mug. The desk is cluttered with various items, and a wooden shelf with books and decor is in the background.

Many people end up sabotaging their efforts by flying by the seat of their pants rather than staying organized. Create calendars and schedules, and be diligent about filling them in and checking them regularly. By doing so, you’ll avoid missed deadlines, payments, and opportunities that you’d otherwise simply forget.

4. Refusing to listen to or accept feedback that you don’t like.

A woman with glasses and a ponytail sits indoors, wearing a green turtleneck. She appears engaged in conversation, with a blurred hand gesturing in the foreground. The setting seems to be an office or casual meeting space.

If you ask people you trust for their opinions or feedback, and they offer constructive criticism, do you accept it? Or do you ignore everything you disagree with? Learn to remove your ego from the equation and listen when other people see your blind spots and try to help you with them.

5. Procrastinating your days away and getting nothing done.

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Whatever you’re putting aside to deal with tomorrow or next week will still need to be dealt with. Don’t put off for another day what can be tackled now: taking care of it as soon as possible will free you up to move forward on your road to personal success.

6. Giving up at the first sign of a setback.

A man with short dark hair and a beard rests his hand on his forehead and leans against a window, eyes closed, appearing deep in thought. He is wearing a green hoodie, and light streams in through the window, illuminating part of his face.

The author Oliver Goldsmith is famous for having said: “Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall.” There are going to be setbacks and frustrations on your path to success, but don’t let them defeat you. Find a way over, around, under, or through them, and keep forging forward towards your goal.

7. Being inconsistent with your efforts.

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Many of the most successful people in the world are those who are diligent and consistent in their efforts, rather than simply doing things when they feel like doing them. Keep showing up for yourself, even when you absolutely don’t want to. Those consistent efforts will add up to success in the long run.

8. Not asking for help or delegating tasks.

A stressed woman wearing glasses holds a phone to her ear and rests her forehead on her hand. She is seated at a cluttered desk with a laptop, stacks of papers, folders, and a cup with pens. The background features a brightly lit window.

Even though you may technically be capable of doing everything yourself, that doesn’t mean you should, since you’ll likely burn out and sabotage your own efforts. Learn to ask for help when it’s needed, and delegate various tasks to the people who are best suited to take care of them.

9. Making judgments based on emotion rather than logic and reason.

A woman with long dark hair and wearing a light denim shirt rests her chin on her hands and gazes thoughtfully into the distance while sitting at a wooden table in a softly lit room.

If you’re trying to determine which path to success to follow, be realistic and use reason rather than emotional desire. For example, you may dearly want to be a successful basketball player, but that’s unlikely if you’re only five-foot-one. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and play to the former for an optimal outcome.

10. Staying in your comfort zone rather than tackling the unknown.

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You may feel nervous about doing things that you’ve never experienced before because the lack of familiarity makes you uncomfortable, but you’ll need to be brave and dip your toe into unfamiliar territory to succeed. Comfort zones are cozy, but very little will ever grow in them.

11. Putting yourself down.

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This is also referred to as “negative self-talk”, and often occurs when someone has been subjected to criticism and condemnation over long periods of time. You may have adopted the naysaying and cruelty in your own voice, and put yourself down the same way others have been doing for years. But all this does is hold you back.

12. Working yourself into the ground.

A woman in a green shirt sits at a desk with a laptop, holding her eyeglasses in one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other, appearing tired or stressed. A small plant is on the table nearby. The background features office furniture.

Some people feel that forgoing sleep and skipping meals are marks of diligence, character, and success. In fact, some even compete with coworkers about who’s the most functional despite rampant exhaustion. This combination is a surefire way to get seriously ill, thus sabotaging the goals you’ve been striving to attain.