7 Deadly Sins That Will Stop Your Success

We all know that the journey to success certainly isn't smooth sailing. I mean if it was, everyone would be successful right? There are clearly a lot of things out there that drive individuals to that high level of accomplishment, thing that we hear from innovative entrepreneurs that helped them on the road to success, things like maintaining a positive attitude, networking and thinking big are key factors in this.

Unfortunately, you'll find that conventional wisdom leaves the vast majority to forget that there are specific things can stop you from being successful as well, and these are the thing that people generally don't tend to consider. Of course, there are the obvious issues (such as insufficient finances) that could bring your business or idea to a stand-still, but what about those subconscious feelings we don't want to recognise? These are the emotions that can stop you in your tracks to success...

The 7 deadly sins.

PRIDE

There is an astronomical difference between being proud and gloating. If your company is doing well, don't rub it in the faces of your competitors and similarly, if you've earned a good wedge, don't rub it in the faces of your team who are working for minimum wage to help your build your business. It's really important that no matter how successful you are, you keep your ego in check. In fact, you'll find that a lot of successful entrepreneurs are extremely modest and humble.

GREED

The most successful entrepreneurs pride themselves on sharing their successes with those around them and in particular, those involved. Let's take a business owner as an example. If the company has had a profitable quarter and exceeded targets, would a successful person distribute some of the wealth to the team who contributed to this in the form of a good-will-gesture monetary bonus, or keep it all for themselves? I can comfortably assure you that it certainly isn't the latter!

SLOTH

When your building a business and working towards becoming successful, it's absolutely imperative to have down time. When your mind is working overtime, it's important to switch off after hours - but don't take the biscuit. If you start taking too much time to yourself, you'll find that procrastination begins to creep into your day: feeding on the valuable hours you need to continue building your business. Don't let it happen! Be sure to find that perfect balance between work and play.

ENVY

As an individual craving success, it's only natural that you'll come across others within the industry or even people who've done things you'd like to do, who you admire. Unfortunately, a lot of people fall into the trap of being a 'green-eyed monster' and becoming overwhelmingly envious, spouting statement like "why not me!" This is a totally negative way of thinking and jealousy is certainly not an emotion on which you should build the foundations of your business. If you see someone you admire, don't envy them, aspire to be like them, or better than them, or even emulate them because let's face it - they're obviously doing something right!

LUST

If you are on your way to becoming successful, I can guarantee you'll feel lustful at some point, but if you do, avoid it at all costs. There is nothing worse than a person who is seemingly ethical but then displays shallow desires for self-gratification. It's these kind of decisions that will determine the rate of your success. Do you spend your last ￡5k on fashion and jewellery to impress a group of people who could never afford those sort of things to make you feel good, or do you reinvest that money back into the business to make for an even more profitable financial quarter? The choice is yours.

WRATH

Please don't be fooled into thinking that as you progress and work towards becoming successful, you won't get angry at times. Of course you will! Not everything will go to plan and it's natural to feel irate when these instances occur. Instead of venting your anger towards your business or project, use it productively. Transform that feeling of resent into an act of passion. Channel that strong energy into something that will use it effectively - make your anger constructive!

GLUTTONY

It's as the old saying goes - too much of anything is good for nothing. If your business is beginning to generate high profits, don't cut corners and put the needs of your team or your clients to one side just to round up the numbers. Similarly, don't overindulge! If you want to be successful, take things in small doses and as they come. A good example (unrelated, granted) would be those who've won the lottery - you hear stories about people who are bankrupt within a matter of months of winning, simply because they were gluttonous with what they had.

Just remember that it's vital to consider that factors that can stop you from being successful, as well as those that will motivate you. If you are proactive when taking into account the 7 deadly sins that could stop your success, acknowledgement of these traits will lead to your triumph.