Reasons for failure
While there are steps we can take to promote success, we also need to avoid anything that might make failure more likely. The following are common contributors to failing in all sorts of activities and ventures:
- The lack of goals, purpose, and direction.
- Lack of perseverance and persistence – giving up when things get difficult or aren’t going according to plan.
- Lack of preparation. Virtually everything we could want to succeed at requires some form of preparation, study, research or practise.
- Lack of knowledge.
- Believing that rough enough is good enough, being content with mediocrity, not aiming for excellence.
- Inability or unwillingness to identify and improve faults and deficiencies (in the end-product, the process, or in personal skills).
- Negative thinking – expecting the worst, not believing in the real possibility of success and the inability to see the potential in a situation.
- Overestimation of personal talents and abilities - an unrealistic self-view, or a lack of self-knowledge.
- A sense of grandiosity and entitlement, which leads to expecting to be successful without having to put any effort into achieving it.
- Or, lack of confidence and low self-esteem.
- Procrastination - or all talk and no action.
- Waiting for opportunity to knock instead of going out and searching for it or making our own opportunities.
- Expecting something for nothing or a poor work ethic. Success at anything rarely comes without effort.
- Lack of commitment – not being able to make a decision and stick to it.
- A lack of focus, being easily distracted (by having fun at the expense of work for example).
- Fear of failure. Failure is a blow to our egos so for many it feels safer to never try and so never risk failing.
- Fear of success. Many people fear other’s envy if they are successful and this dread of other’s antagonism holds them back.
- Fear of criticism and judgement if things don’t go right.
- Fear of taking risks (even calculated and considered ones).
- Being surrounded by people who do not encourage and motivate you or who are a negative influence.
- Lack of flexibility, a closed mind, and fear of change.
- A sense of helplessness and powerlessness.
- Lack of enthusiasm.
- Failure to accept the truth and to see things clearly and realistically.
- Concentrating on fantasies and dreams of success instead of taking action in the real world to achieve it.
- Failing to plan, guessing, making assumptions, and ‘winging’ it instead of getting facts and setting realistic goals.
- Refusing the advice of qualified and experienced professionals.
Stack the odds in your favour by working on and improving any of the above characteristics that could hamper your success.
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