Everyone wants to succeed, right? Then why is that in the most affluent time our world has ever own, with so many resources and tools at our disposal are so few people thriving? Why do so many people not feel unsuccessful?
In pondering these all-important questions, I’ve come up with my list of obstacles—the bottlenecks and traffic jams on the super highway to success. From my 40 years of studying success and failure, these are the top reasons why I think people don’t succeed. When you’re frustrated by your lack of progress, go through this list and look for what may be holding you back.
- Lack of Clarity
Most people I talk to don’t know what it is they really want to achieve. They often know what they don’t want, but then that’s where their focus and energy goes—to what they don’t want. Not being clear on your goal (whatever success is to you) is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to success. Paul Meyer says if you’re not achieving the success you desire it’s simply because your goals are not clearly defined.
- Lack of Focus
You can be clear on your goal, but if you don’t stay focused, if you take on too much, if you fill your life with busy things or operate inconsistently, you will fail. Focus creates power. A river’s might is harnessed by a dam and focused into electrical energy. Some people say you can achieve everything you want. I don’t believe that. But I do believe you can achieve anything you want. - Not Enough Reasons
Reasons come first, answers come second. If you have powerful enough reasons, you can accomplish anything you desire. Significant success demands passion. When your why is strong enough the how will come. - Lack of Worthiness and Self-Confidence
Many people simply don’t feel worthy of success. This is a tough one. I can tell you it’s based on an erroneous belief, but you have to get that for yourself. Read the books. Listen to the audios. Hang out with people who can help you see your highest and best. You deserve to be successful. There is nothing preordained about this life. There is no reason for you not have what you want unless you ignore the principles of success. - Lack of Belief
This is related to worthiness, but there’s more to it. You need to believe in yourself and in the creative process. A shortage of belief causes many people to give up or never begin in the first place. In many cases it causes one to take shortcuts that sabotage their success. Winners expect to win. - Deficient Knowledge
A worthy goal usually requires learning new things. Buckminster Fuller said, ‘You can’t learn less.” Perhaps you’re not sure what it is you need to learn in order to get where you want to go. Find out. But don’t let lack of knowledge keep you from starting. If you wait until you know it all, you’ll never begin. You have to start from where you are and build the bridge as you walk on it. - Insufficient Skills
Most likely there are certain skill sets you lack which will hinder your progress. Discover what these are and start today in gaining the necessary skills. Perhaps you need to learn how to effectively use a computer and the Internet. Maybe you need to up-level your communication or time management proficiency. Even a good attitude is a skill. You can develop a winning attitude. Enhancing your skills is a lifelong investment that will pay you huge dividends throughout your life. - Not Enough Money
Most people think this is the number one reason why they haven’t achieved their dreams. They think that if they just had more money then they would reach all their goals. But it’s rarely a money problem, it’s usually an idea problem. If you generate the right ideas, if you’re flexible and open to different ways to accomplish the essence of your objectives, then you can get the money. If you need funding, you either need capital (money that you own) or financing (money that you borrow). With good ideas and a tenacious spirit you can get both. - Low Energy
Fatigue makes cowards of us all. In order to have the energy and stamina to win, we need to take care of our bodies. Get adequate rest, eat the right foods and refrain from careless and unsafe behavior. Our achievement is our production. Our bodies, our minds and our intuition makes up our production capacity. If we don’t properly care for ourselves, we’ll be unable to produce. We will have killed the Golden Goose. - Inadequate Support
You don’t need to go it alone. Everyone needs help. I’ve seen far too many people fail because they weren’t willing to ask for help or didn’t know where to turn in order to get it. There are always people who can help. Create a Master Mind Group. Bring in talent and resources from others and make it a win-win situation. Align yourself with organizations that can help you succeed.
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