This blog post is all about the 5 habits you need to stop doing right now if you want to start being successful in 2024.
Being successful is a trait that can only be defined by the person who is looking to achieve it. You have to actively work on being successful, even if your definition of success looks different from mine. Even so, being successful still requires us to use the same set of skills!
As someone who went from constant anxiety over money to having TWO businesses that now produce an income, I can tell you the journey between the two can be difficult, but SO worth it. There are some mental cycles and habits you have to break away from in order for you to step out of out own way and finally get to where you want to be. If you need more direction as a business owner in 2024, you should definitely check out this blog post on "How To Know What You're Doing As A Business Owner In 2024"
No matter what it looks like for you, the journey to being successful has to start with YOU. If you can commit to the process, survive the uncomfortable growth spurts, and focus on these 5 things, you will find yourself closer and closer to your dreams.
This blog post is all about the 5 habits you need to stop doing in order to start being successful.
What Do Habits Have To Do With Being Successful?
Habits are an essential focus area when working on being successful.
Habits are defined as "a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up."
It's commonly recognized that we have the power to create positive habits that can lead us to being successful in any given area.
But how do we get a habit to stick?
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, describes a period of time when building a habit called 'The Valley of Disappointment,' in which someone who is actively working on doing something regularly begin to feel discouraged because all their efforts are not producing results as fast as they believed they would.
He goes on to say that this shouldn't be considered wasted effort, but rather a storing up of energy that is essential to the breakthrough. I LOVE this book, and there are so many hidden gems of wisdom when it comes to micro-habits that will get you where you want to be.
If you don't have a copy you can buy yours HERE.
When we commit to creating a SYSTEM that produces the results we want there has to be a consistency and focus, even when life tries to get in the way.
And trust me, things will try to get in the way! As you keep reading, you'll see some of the biggest traps to look out for on your way to the top.
How I discovered the power of habits . . .
In 2018, I was a homeless single mother with no education or work experience to help sustain me and my child.
It was the most devastating thing that ever happened to me and I was constantly stuck in a state of depression because of it.
I honestly hated life.
I truly believed that I wasn't going to get any better than a minimum-waged job and a small shared apartment to live in for the rest of my life.
All I could see in my future was constant burnout and expensive mental + physical health issues caused by stress.
When I finally got a job as a mental health technician for the developmentally disabled, I came to witness a SYSTEM that allowed developmentally delayed adults to experience growth and positive change.
I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Here I was, a 21-year-old single mother, living in a shelter, watching a community of individuals being successful even when society had written them off. They were achieving small wins daily, while I was mentally stuck in defeat.
That's when I began to look for the answers.
Why was I feeling so defeated? What was causing me to stay stuck in a state of constant failure? How do I become successful too?
The answers came as I began to coach my students through accomplishing goals, and again later on when I became a health coach.
It was the same thing time and time again.
These 5 mental clocks and habits were keeping people from truly being successful.
5 Habits that are keeping you from being successful
#1. PROCRASTINATION
Procrastination has to be one of the biggest giants people face on the road to being successful. You've probably either heard or claimed being a procrastinator at one point or another in your life.
The crazy thing is, procrastination can look like so many things. You may struggle with indecisiveness, like I did.. When I first decided to start a business, I would get all these ideas, start them, then stop in order to pursue an even bigger goal or idea.
This pattern was keeping me from fully launching my businesses. I was delaying making decisions or taking action. I refused to put myself out there for fear of making the wrong choices that would send me sliding right back to rock bottom.
No matter what it looks like for you, it all leads back to one HUGE problem:
You're stopping yourself from even starting.
You have to stop procrastinating if you want to start being successful. No more putting off things that need to get done today!
Successful people prioritize tasks and promptly complete them. They set aside time to meet their goals and don't allow anything or anyone keep them from getting things done.
If you're on a journey to being successful, ask yourself: Has my lack of action contributed to my lack of success?
If so, procrastination might be something you need to address on your way to the top.
#2 GIVING IN TO FEAR OF FAILURE
Fear of failure is a HUGE mental barrier that keeps a lot of people from truly being successful.
This one is for those who like to "play it safe."
You may have heard this one: Success and Failure go hand and hand.
Which means, you can't go about being successful without seeing some type of failure along the way.
When I first got into business, I failed 4 TIMES!!! I got so many, "NOs" and complaints about my pricings. I allowed the disappointment and fear of continued failure to be the reason why I didn't move forward.
Every. Single. TIME!
If you suffer from fear of failure, you're ultimately allowing FEAR (consciously of subconsciously) to make all the decisions about how you live life.
It's time to gently take the wheel back. Thank your fear for trying to keep you safe, and tell yourself that today is the day you're going to make decisions from a success-based mindset rather than a fear-based one.
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#3 LACK OF GOAL-SETTING
Lack of goal-setting is tantamount to walking through life directionless.
You know where you want to go, but you haven't considered how you want to get there.
This can cause your dreams to become more like empty declarations rather than intentional destinations.
Lack of goal-setting can stunt your growth and personal development. It also makes it a lot harder to track how far you've come.
Setting goals will add weight behind your big-picture goals, and help keep you motivated as your journey towards being successful. It's your ultimate roadmap!
Make sure to take the time to write down where you want to go and how you want to get there. And be as specific (though realistic!) as possible.
#4 NEGATIVE SELF-TALK
Negative self-talk refers to the habit of consistently engaging in critical or negative internal dialogue. This can look like thoughts or statements that undermine your self-esteem, confidence, and belief in your abilities.
Some examples of negative self-talk include:
- Self-Criticism: Constantly focusing on perceived shortcomings or failures.
- Catastrophizing: Exaggerating the potential consequences of mistakes or setbacks.
- Discounting Positives: Ignoring or downplaying personal achievements or strengths.
- All-or-Nothing Thinking: Seeing situations as either perfect or a complete failure, without acknowledging shades of gray.
You have to be careful about the way you speak and think in every day life!
Sometimes the things that slip past our tongues, are the very internal beliefs that are keeping our growth stunted. So ask yourself, are you speaking kindly about yourself to yourself and others?
If not, you may need to change the narrative.
Successful people recognize the importance of positive self-talk and cultivating a growth mindset by focusing on improvement rather than being chained by limitations.
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#5 NOT SEEKING FEEDBACK
You can't see the whole view from the middle of the mountain.
Or rather . . .
You can't see the whole picture until you look at it from the outside.
Unfortunately, it's incredibly difficult for us to take an unbiased look at ourselves from the outside. Which is why seeking feedback is super important.
Feedback is essential for personal and professional growth because it provides valuable insights into strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
People may avoid seeking feedback because they don't like to be criticized, their overconfident in their abilities, they are happy in their comfort zone, or they simply lack awareness of it's importance.
No matter the case, we have to start off as students in order to become the masters. And the best masters are dedicated to being lifelong students.
As a successful individual you must actively seek out feedback from peers, mentors, and supervisors. You must view feedback as an opportunity for growth and self-improvement rather than as a threat.
By incorporating feedback into your process, continuously refining your skills, enhancing your performance, and adapting to changing circumstances, you will be well on your way to being successful.
So, in conclusion,
The road to being successful can be both challenging and rewarding at the same time. You have to be dedicated to building consistency and self-discipline through positive habits, and delay gratification until your start to see results.
You'll be well on your way to seeing success as long as you commit to cancelling out procrastination, fear of failure, lack of goal-setting, negative self-talk, and not seeking feedback.
It takes time to accomplish your dream life. Whether you're looking to achieve financial freedom, graduate college, lose weight, or start a company, it still requires the same skillset. You got this!
This blog post has been all about the 5 habits you need to stop doing so you can start being successful.
Stay Creative,
~J.D. Ashmore
