The power of Self-Discipline and why you should have it

We all want to be and feel successful. People chase money, fame, power and hundreds of other things without taking a step back to think: What does success mean to me?

Take the quiz here > What does success mean to you.

If you take a look at social media for a few minutes, you’ll realise that most people have a narrow view of what having a successful life is like. They think it’s about having a large social media following, luxury cars and owning a business worth millions. There’s nothing wrong with striving for these things but being like them won’t necessarily make you successful in the same area.

Success is subjective but the overall consensus is that you create a happy life for yourself. It can hold monetary and non-monetary value, failure however is more of a one-size-fits-all. If you set out to achieve something and don’t reach it, bam it’s considered a failure.

People often stay for years in thankless jobs and unfulfilling relationships while achieving marginal happiness at best. They tolerate complacency in their lives despite having the ability to create beneficial change. How sad.

Have you ever wondered why some people reach success and others don’t, no matter how hard they try?

Here are the top 10 reasons why some people don’t reach success and others do:

1. They stop learning

Successful people refuse to be in the same person they were yesterday. They continue to grow and expand their knowledge every day. They have the know-how of what’s happening in their city, country, the world and the universe around them. 

In today’s fast-paced world, if you don’t keep learning, you’re not standing still, you’re falling behind. Successful people are outstanding performers and to remain an outstanding performer you need to become a lifelong learner. Begin your lifelong learning journey by working on your strengths and improving them every day.

What can you learn this week to put you ahead for next?

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”

Ben Franklin

2. They don’t understand the value of time

Time is not a commodity that you can buy. So, if you do not value your time you’ll spend it doing both everything and nothing because you lack the ability to dedicate your time to what really matters to you.

Most people let others dictate how to use their time (Big thumbs down). It’s easy to give somebody else control of your time because if you waste it, you have someone else to blame. This is why it’s easy to be stuck in the same place for years because you’re just continuously wasting time that could be spent bettering your craft/setting and completing goals/ networking etc. Successful people on the other hand guard their time and use it wisely because they know that time is one thing that you can’t buy or make more of.

Want to learn how to value your time?

– Learn time management skills
– Learn how to say No (saying yes all the time sucks up your energy and time)
– Understand what commitments are necessary for you to improve

3. They let failure defeat them

Being successful is tough. We assume the road to success is linear but in reality, it is full of setbacks, failures and detours. Failures and setbacks deter people from their dreams because they give up when the going gets tough and everything seems to be going wrong. Mental and emotional resilience is essential to overcome these obstacles.

Without setbacks and failures, you are unable to develop the fortitude and mental strength needed to meet your dreams when they arrive because if you think it’s going to be easy, you are sadly mistaken my friend.

Do not wish for better conditions or an easier path because you will become complacent. Power through and endure challenges to come out a better person.

4. They question their ability to succeed

When we fixate on what might go wrong when we venture on new endeavors we are consumed with self-doubt and will often not reach a desired standard of performance.

If we believe we have the power to achieve what we want, we pursue our goals relentlessly. People who believe in themselves take an active role in seeking new opportunities to better themselves because they want to be and achieve the best.

Even high achievers struggle with thoughts that they are a fraud and that they are incompetent despite their accomplishments. This psychological phenomenon is called Imposter Syndrome. No one is immune from self-doubt, it’s how you deal with it that separates you from being average to being successful.

Approach uncertainty as a skill and embrace a growth mindset and understand that it’s something that can get better with time and practice.

5. They don’t embrace change

Successful people embrace change and adapt to the circumstances around them. They choose how they will allow it to affect them. One of the most pivotal steps on your journey to success will be your decision to embrace change for the opportunities it presents. Even if the change appears to be negative.

For most people, a fear of change is rooted in insecurity. They prefer the devil they know. Successful people take risks and overcome obstacles with those risks. Hard work, preservation, preparation and overcoming failure can condition you to face anything life throws at you.

Read: The ultimate guide for coping with change

6. They don’t self-reflect

Self-reflection is an essential key for success. Self-reflection is about taking a step back and reflecting on your life, behaviour and beliefs. 

When you don’t self-reflect you keep grinding the gears on autopilot not being sure of where you truly are in your life. This is the world we live in. I’m not saying to stop working hard and change your mentality on how you work. I coach people to work daily on creating the life they want to live. However, in our society we get so wrapped up in what we’re trying to achieve that we never take a step back to and reflect on what we’ve been doing and how well you’ve been doing it.

The key is to enjoy the journey and not just only focus on the destination. Look back and reflect on the growth you have achieved and celebrate your small wins.

We can only achieve a percentage of our possible success if we don’t evaluate the work we’re putting in.

7. They surround themselves with the wrong people

It’s known that one of the best ways to improve upon a skill is to practice it with someone who is better than you. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with winners, especially the winners who are in the same field as you.

Surrounding yourself with people who are constantly living in turmoil, love to include themselves with drama and don’t try to elevate themselves is only going to put you on the same path as them. A path that leads to misery and dissatisfaction.

Find and focus on relationships with those who can share their wins and positive vibes and help you realise that you can achieve the same. Life is too short to surround yourself with negativity and people who secretly want to watch you fall. You deserve to have uplifting people around you who hype you up and make you feel good about yourself.

8. They don’t have a to-do list

Most people find that general to-do lists do not work for a number of reasons such as:

– They don’t know how to prioritise the tasks on the list.
– They feel as if they are continuously adding to the list and not reducing it.
– They get so overwhelmed just by looking at all the things that need to be done.

The benefits of a to-do list are:

– You have clarity on what needs to get done.
– You feel more organised.
– It helps prioritise your actions
– Having a to-do list takes away the burden of having to remember everything.

I personally have a daily, weekly and monthly to-do list. This way I can see how everything is broken down. Only having a monthly to-do list can make you feel overwhelmed by the mammoth tasks you have to do. BREAK. THEM. DOWN. And turn them into daily actionable steps that make you question why you were even worried in the first place. 😉

While a to-do list alone will not get you to accomplish your list of tasks, integrating a strategically prioritised to-do list creates a sure-fire system for being super productive.

9. They don’t focus on long-term value

Successful people know that what they put their time and energy into grows. If you’re only focusing on your problems, your problems will grow. If you want your success to grow, you’ll focus on that.

Highly successful people focus on long-term value. They do not worry about things that deem to have no value even if it’s something that society tells them they should care about. These people are individualists and free thinkers. They do not let their lives be dictated by what the rest of the world is bogged down by.

What can you invest in today that you will thank yourself for in the long run?

10. They seek validation from others

Successful people don’t need approval from others because they know their own self-worth. They only do things that they know will advance them in life. They don’t concern themselves with the opinions of others and don’t live up to anyone’s expectations besides their own. Successful people simply concentrate on the tasks that promote personal and professional growth.

Trust your gut and your instincts. Not everyone is going to know what is best for you even if they give you advice with the best intentions. Value your own opinions and life experiences and don’t seek the approval of outsiders.

In summary

Even if you know you do some of the things on the list, don’t feel defeated. Nobody has ever succeeded by giving up. The people who succeed and live their dreams are those who work hard, work smart and persevere through troubled times. If you want to succeed, then you can’t quit. You can take a break, but you can never quit. Continue to work on yourself and surround yourself with like-minded people who want you to succeed and you’ll be closer to that that you constantly dream of.

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