Just as there are certain keys to success, there are also certain things that would only lead you to failure. Clearly, success and failure have two distinct paths — and the paths you choose would take you to its own destination.

Virtually everyone wants to be successful, but not everyone is ready to take that sacrifice to be successful — worse still, a lot of people are not ready to stop the things that they’re doing even though they know it’s a failure trap.

There are certain things you ought to stop today if you want to be successful.

1. STOP PROCRASTINATING

Of course everyone knows that procrastination is an evil that would only lead to failure, but how come people still procrastinate? It’s a bad habit that should be stopped, else failure would lead you on — procrastinating would only make you do nothing, and there is no way nothing can bring success. The best time to always do the work is now.

2. STOP MAKING EXCUSES

Excuses are sister to procrastinating, probably even worse because it gives you the self-justification to keep doing nothing. Excuses are the lies you tell yourself why it shouldn’t be done even when deep down you know it can.

3. DISTRACTION

This is also another word that shouldn’t exist in your dictionary. Distraction and success can never go together, but it’s probably a good friend of failure. You ought to be concentrated on the goal and where you are heading to or what you’re aiming for. Compare life to a game of golf, top golfers put in a hundred percent concentration, not minding the crowd and every other distraction — they probably only remember the crowd when they’ve got their shot right.

 STOP SAYING IT’S IMPOSSIBLE

If you believe it’s impossible, there is nothing you can do about it — failure would be certain. However, when you believe you can, when you believe it’s possible, when you believe there’s a way then only can you make it. A student who believes he can never make a First Class would never make a First Class; there is nothing anyone else can do about it. Success first starts in the mind, its fruits are just manifestations of what the mind has conceived.

5. FEAR

It’s not surprising that fear and failure begins with the letter F, and all the other words in ‘fear’ can also be found in failure. This just shows how closely related fear and failure are. Once you have fear, you lose confidence and you would definitely end up a failure — there is no magic about it. The fear of failure is the root of all failures.

6. LIVING IN DENIAL 

Not telling yourself the truth is living in denial and this is never a path to success. Analyze yourself and be honest to yourself — sometimes the answers we need in life are in our hearts.

7. COMPARISONS

Making comparisons with another person is a quicker way to fail and make the wrong decisions. According to Bill Gates: “Don’t compare yourself with anyone in this world…if you do so, you are insulting yourself.”

8. DON’T GIVE UP

Learn to motivate yourself; listen to inspirational and motivational messages, read to inspire yourself daily so you wouldn’t run out of fuel. Giving up means it’s over, and the worst part is that many people give up after the first attempt. Never give up, rather learn from your mistakes and try again.

 

Always remember this: Success first starts in the mind, its fruits are just manifestations of what the mind has conceived.