Habits are involuntary actions that we perform in our day to day lives. They form part of our identity. We hardly notice them but they are always present in our mannerisms and contribute to building our character. There are two main types of habits. These are good and bad habits. Good ones help us to construct a positive character while bad ones destroy us slowly. There are some bad habits that can actually prevent us from being successful in life. They are ever-present obstacles on our path to achievement. If left to be, they can permanently sabotage the efforts we put to improve ourselves. In this day and age, it is more important than ever before to know which they are and how to avoid them. Here are the 10 most common bad habits that prevent people from being successful.
Laziness
This is a bad habit that completely cripples our desire to be successful. Laziness is the unwillingness to work and perform a task due to distractions or an aversion to the discomfort of effort. It is characterized by procrastination and half hearted effort. To be successful, you have to actually work. Laziness gets nothing done and is a bad habit which you need to get rid of so as to be successful.
Caring too much about what other people think and letting it affect decision-making
Human beings are social animals. We are wired to seek social acceptance and interaction. Accordingly, we do care about the opinions of other people. Sometimes, this is to our own destruction. We can get tempted to make career or entrepreneurship decision so as to look successful to other people. This habit is a confirmed destroyer of success. If you want to be successful, you need to stick to your own instinct and trust yourself. This may be different from what your parents, friends or society thinks is right. However, if you think it is right, keep it up and don't get distracted.
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Apologizing too much
Interestingly, apologizing too much is one of the negative habits that can make you unsuccesful in life. This is especially so in corporate settings. Studies have shown that women are more likely to keep apologizing in the office. Doing this makes you look incompetent at your job. It can actually cause managers and colleagues to lose professional respect for you and limits your upward mobility. If you have this bad habit, stop apologizing too much. Only say you are sorry if you make a big mistake. Otherwise, stick to your guns and be confident in yourself.
Assuming things inaccurately
One of the main bad habits that holds us back is assuming things. We can assume that our goals are unachievable, our ideas are unacceptable or even that other people don't like us or how we handle specific tasks. Assumptions are made where there is lack of information. Therefore, beat this bad habit by gathering information first before you begin making conclusions. Instead of assuming, learn.
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Liking your job, not loving it
A job that you like tempts you into a comfort zone. It provides you with what you need and does not challenge you to grow. You are competent enough to keep it but your level of skill does not grow. Since it is easy for you to like it, you stick there. This is a habit that prevents many from achieving success. To be truly great, you have to love your job enough to take risks within it and get as challenged as possible. It forces you to push your potential.
Believing that you cannot achieve your dreams
One of the most common bad habits that we share is not believing in our dreams or only half-trusting that they could happen. This is often simply a secret habit that we hold within. Unfortunately, if we believe that we can't achieve our dreams, that is exactly what will happen. This belief is often caused by listening to negative voices in our heads that convince us to abandon what we desire. Fight this habit with self-affirmations and establishing a daily ritualistic routine that places you on the path of success.
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Envy
When other people are successful, it is tempting to be envious of them. This is because they are achieving the things which we wanted for ourselves. Envy is a bad habit that emerges involuntarily. As such, it is hard to control. However, it is necessary to control your envy so as to get closer to your goals. Instead of feeling envious of those who have made it, feel encouraged by their effort. Let their success inspire you to work harder and join their club.
Blaming others for your shortcomings
When things don't go as you desired, it is easy to place blame on someone else. You can also blame your circumstances or the environment around you. While it may be feel temporarily comforting, blaming others does not have any benefit in the long run. This is because amid the environment and circumstances that you are blaming for bad performance, there are individuals who are making it. Despite not having control over everything around them, they are adapting quickly enough in the right direction to make progress in their lives. As such, blaming others is a bad habit that prevents you from being successful.
Belittling the achievements of others
This is a bad habit that is very closely related to envy. Belittling the achievements of another person makes it look like they didn't work hard to get there. It is a disrespectful habit that only shows your character flaws. If you achieved success, would you want others belittling your efforts? Therefore, strive to avoid this habit and celebrate the work of those around you who are making it. Doing so helps you to generate the positive energy required for success.
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Taking every project that you get
Are you the type of person who enjoys doing something new? Are you always excited to begin working on new projects every time one comes up? If you are, then it is a habit that you need to control. This is because accepting too much work on your plate can have negative effects. Too many projects causes you to be overworked, burnt out and generally unhappy. How do you break this habit? Simply by saying no. Only pick what you can handle. After that, say no to any other offers. This helps you to know your limits and complete your work successfully.
The Important Take Away
Everyone deserves to be successful at something. Unfortunately, only a few people are able to achieve success in whatever they do. This is often due to some bad habits that prevent them from achieving the success they envision. These habits are indicated above. Learn and avoid them so as to succeed in life.
