Productivity Arata! Everybody desires success. This is the very definition of success: it is to achieve what we want. Failure, on the other hand, is by definition what we do not want. Unfortunately, many people make five mistakes that delay or make it impossible to get what they want. They behave in such a way to be a magnet for failure rather than success. Here’s the list of five things they need to change:
1. Thinking small
Small thinkers want to save a few cents in exchange for several hours wasted. Big thinkers spend their hours making big savings, or, better yet, making much bigger gains.
To illustrate: In a struggling store that is not selling enough, small thinkers will turn some of the lights off to save electricity. They may start charging a few cents for the gift bag or gift wrap. They may say that if the payment is by credit card, the customer needs to pay the card processing fee.
Those who think big will spend their time thinking about how to attract more customers into the store, how to improve the selection of products to offer more interesting items. They will train the team for better service and will negotiate with suppliers to get lower prices.
2. Not looking forward
Those who succeed in life do not remain attached to the past. They are looking to the future, the improvements that can be made. They are investigating new ideas and how to test different approaches and see what might have the best results. These people develop the visionary ability and the skills to take new actions toward progress. And in doing so, they also surround themselves with people who are enthusiastic about innovation. They will obviously reap the rewards of that proactivity.
The person who does not succeed is the person who looks at the past, longing for the “good old days”. They keep mumbling about how things are getting worse and worse. They long for the impossible, which is to restore the state of things as they were before. They are very attached to values that no longer exist, and they are reluctant to accept that the world changes.
It is difficult for these people to adapt, to learn, to become a better version of themselves every day. They are left behind and need to seek comfort in the company of other retrograde complainers who say that things were better in the past.
3. Failing to distinguish between expenses and investments
Successful people know which things are important and that promote prosperity.
They know how to acquire resources at good prices and at the right time. They know how to invest in new technologies. They are constantly taking courses and training for improvement. They participate in important events to connect with people with whom they can form strategic partnerships. They travel to develop new ideas. They dedicate time for reading, for study. They take the first step: they volunteer, they give free samples, they know how to plant first to harvest later.
Those who suffer failure confuse things and spend on nonsense that does not bring a return. As they try to cut costs, they limit their investment in what is important.
For example, they fire good employees, saying that they cannot pay their salaries. Then their business suffers from a drop in service quality and loss of customers and reputation. They refuse to take courses because they are too expensive, and because of this, they do not learn what is important to thrive.
4. Exhibiting lack of firmness
Those who succeed in life are not afraid of work. They are always looking for more challenges, for more work to be accomplished. They are people who enjoy what they do, who wake up every day in a mood to deliver the best possible work to help others. They are professionals who feel genuine pleasure in serving the client and delivering happiness to the people with whom they work.
Do not be afraid of competition: in fact, if the competition is big, it means that the market is good, and there are big gains ahead.
Those who suffer failure are always looking for ways to work less. It’s as if they were allergic to work. They want to figure out how to spend the day doing as little as possible without being caught. They do not like having to deal with customers, who are in their view boring—always complaining, asking for a discount, asking them to fix delayed deliveries. Whenever the phone rings, they wonder how much of a headache the call will bring. They are scared by competitors, whom they blame for their lack of results.
5. Pitching tantrums
Those who succeed in life can differentiate what is important from what is a mere detail. Some mistakes are part of the journey for those who are accomplishing many things. When something does not happen as planned, they know to ignore it and move forward. When they identify a skill they lack, they either invest in courses to learn it or hire the best professionals to fill their deficiencies. They do not take mistakes personally; they learn from them. They do not waste time on mistakes that are irrelevant.
Those who suffer failure throw tantrums when anything does not work the first time as planned. They are caught up in drama, saying that they were counting on others, that they were betrayed. They always have a sad story to tell (in great detail!) to justify the lack of results.
If an error happens, they cry and make a scandal. They may be abusive and intolerant of error. Even if they themselves made the mistake, either they try to transfer the blame to another person, or they become angry with themselves and their self-esteem problems. They keep mulling over errors from long ago.
What can we do then to change our behaviour?
There are techniques that we can apply to improve our results in the professional, financial, relationship, love and health aspects of our lives.
The Better New Year course includes all the exercises you need to set goals intelligently and with a successful mindset. Visit this link to see how to create smart strategies to get closer to your goals.
Stop thinking small! Put your focus on what you want to accomplish. Identify what resources you need and create a smart strategy. Look beyond what exists today: you can increase your creative ability to discover the potential of things and the potential of people—and that includes yourself. For this, get to know the videos in the Better New Year course in this link.