We all want it, it’s all over the media, yet so few of us reach the almost unicorn-like ideal of success.
If you feel like success is a mythical creature, then the answer may be your work ethic.
It’s easy to dream about it, but it’s a whole other story to put boots on the ground and dig out the trenches of success. I’ve heard people who eventually gave up on their ideals of success, rationalizing it as, “Not what I really wanted”.
That’s what they say when the realization of how much damn work is required to make it dawns upon them.
“Chances are that if you look back over your life, you’ll see that you have wildly underestimated both the actions and reasoning necessary to accomplish any endeavor to the point where it could be labeled successful.” – Grant Cardone
Basically, you’re not doing enough, and by underestimating how much you have to do to become successful you’re setting yourself up for failure and disappointment.
When I’m teaching guys how to approach women, I know that only the guys who put in the effort, and work beyond what is “necessary” will achieve real success to get the kind of relationships they want. The guys who try to coast, or who are only half way invested, end up with nothing.
Half efforts aren’t rewarded, and neither are excuses.
I think a lot of the time people go in half way or give up because they’re afraid of failing and looking bad. If you don’t commit 100% then it’s easy to defer some blame to the fact that you weren’t really into it.
“Being an entrepreneur is a lot like being a fighter in the UFC. In the UFC, everybody’s going to get smashed in the face. It’s just part of the sport. Entrepreneurship is the same—there’s going to be hard blows you’ll have to take along the way. Shake it off and get back up. You may lose the round, but there’s still the whole fight left.” – Gary Vaynerchuck
Here are some other reasons you’re failing to win:
5 Reasons Why You are Failing To Become Successful
Not enough time –
When I say not enough time, I’m not justifying the excuse, I’m pointing out the problem. Not putting in enough time every day is a success killer. “I’m busy” is what most people will say, but in reality, they’re more interested in watching YouTube in the evening or having a few beers with friends. You can choose your beers and YouTube, but don’t complain 5 years later when you’re still in the same place.
Not enough consistency –
I’ve seen guys put in herculean efforts one week, only to be sitting on the couch the next week. A week later they’re back at it making a huge effort to “Make up for it”, but life likes consistency, not the occasional explosion of short-term effort. This is why most diets fail. Maybe you could lose a massive amount of weight quickly using a watermelon diet, but it’s not sustainable. The people who do the best adopt lifestyles that aid their success because it’s about small actions compounded over time.
Underestimating effort –
A really big one which has left me disappointed many times, too. It’s really easy to underestimate the necessary effort and time required to do something big. As people, we’re not very good at making long term estimates. Just looking at the government’s track record staying within a budget should offer a pretty good clue about how good human estimates are. Whenever you’re planning on making a breakthrough in your life, multiply the amount of time and effort you think you need by a factor of ten. At least that way you’ll make a much more gargantuan effort, and are much more likely to hit something significant.
Not willing to invest –
This is why “freebies” online are so big. Everyone wants something for nothing; so they scour the web looking for the “secret” that will make them rich, lose weight, meet women, or build muscle…for free. One of the biggest indicators of a persons seriousness regarding their success is how willing they are to invest in themselves. Anyone who avoids spending money at all cost is just kicking tires, and they’re going nowhere. This often becomes a habit where they’ll do “personal development” but never actually get anywhere. The more you invest, the bigger the ROI.
Not feeling it –
Experiencing the feeling of having what you want is crucial if you’re going to be able to hold onto your vision in the long run. What would it feel like if you actually had “it” right now? How would it feel to rev your new Harley’s engine, sit on your beachfront patio, or hold hands with your lover? Be specific with what you want, and why you want it, then feel it right now. That visualization can be one of the most powerful motivators you’ll ever summon.
In the end, your true efforts will be rewarded.
“When you know what you want, and you want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.” – Jim Rohn
