Those who taste success steer clear of these behaviors.
If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between successful people and unsuccessful ones, a lot of it comes down to behavior. The actions that follow are those that truly successful people would never indulge in, as they would only be detrimental to their endeavors.
1. Potentially detrimental or self-sabotaging actions.
If they know that they have an important meeting early in the morning, they aren’t going out for drinks with their friends the night before. Instead, they’ll get everything in order ahead of time and ensure that they get a good night’s sleep so they’re well-rested and focused for the meeting.
2. Overestimating themselves.
There are few things as detrimental to a person’s success as hubris. Many people have gone into situations thinking that they’re far more skilled than they are, only for them to learn the painful lesson that they are in fact, not. Successful people know their limitations, work on them, and delegate to others.
3. Underestimating those around them.
Similarly to the previous point, underestimating others can lead to personal downfall. For example, some people have shot themselves in the proverbial foot by trash-talking colleagues or business partners in another language within earshot, only to discover later that those colleagues are fluent in the tongue they had been speaking.
4. Not keeping track of important dates.
Every successful person you know has some sort of calendar or planning system, whether it’s an app or a wall calendar. They keep track of every important date and deadline so they’re always on target, and never miss (or are late showing up for) any important interactions with others.
5. Self-pity.
No successful individual ever spent a great deal of time feeling sorry for themselves. Bad things happen to everyone, but wallowing about them rather than building resilience doesn’t help anything. Successful folks will feel difficult emotions in the moment, then move forward with life and keep on keeping on.
6. Blaming others for their own mistakes.
If they mess up on something, they admit where they went wrong and analyze how they could have done better. By doing so, they’re better prepared in case that kind of thing happens again in the future. Even if someone else’s screw-up contributed to the situation, they’ll take responsibility for the outcome.
7. Assuming that their expertise means there’s nothing left for them to learn.
Whereas some people will proudly proclaim that they’ve forgotten more than most others will ever know, successful individuals acknowledge that there’s always something new to learn. As a result, they’ll ensure that they keep up to date with technology, programs, and new approaches in order to stay ahead of the curve.
8. Putting things off until later.
They do what needs to be done as soon as possible instead of procrastinating. This can be as simple as washing dishes as they’re used instead of letting them accumulate in the sink until they’re a real problem to contend with. Addressing issues early means they’re sorted out while they’re still manageable.
9. Prioritizing playtime over work.
We all enjoy our downtime, but the most successful people are those who take care of their responsibilities before the fun stuff they’d rather be enjoying. For them, duty will always take precedence over play, and the latter will be far more pleasant without the weight of obligation hanging over them.
10. Not taking risks.
A common saying used by successful folks is “nothing ventured, nothing gained”. When one takes a risk, there’s always a chance that things won’t go as well as they hope. The one way to ensure failure, however, is to stay in one’s comfort zone and never take any risks at all.
11. Counting their chickens before they’ve hatched.
They won’t spend money before it’s in the bank, nor make any announcements until the ink is dry on contracts. They wait until everything is a sure thing and moving forward as planned, and then take action. There’s often a slip between the cup and the lip.
12. Giving up.
Successful people recognize that every setback is an opportunity to approach a problem from a new direction. They don’t get defeated if things don’t go as planned, but simply regroup and try again in a slightly different manner. It may take them several tries before they succeed, but they’ll never give up.