Things that come between you & success

For a long time, I believed that if smart people would work hard in a nurturing environment, success would come to them eventually. In fact, I looked at some people and thought, “That person is going to do great things in the future.”

But as I grew older, I realized that is not the case necessarily. A few people I know who are intelligent, did notable things, while many others are doing just fine. But unfortunately, most of the smart people I know, still unsure what to do.

Then I realized that there are a lot of factors when it comes to being successful. Whether it means achieving your dreams, fulfilling your dream career, staying healthy, or even having great relationships.

Here are some reasons that might be stopping you to be successful even if you’re smart and hardworking.

1. You're an introvert and don’t reach out to new people.

It’s easy to stick with people you know for a long time. You know each other and can laugh at double meaning jokes together. So here the problem with old friends is that they recycle the same idea over and over again which stops you to learn new perspectives out of your box.

It can be tough to meet new people at first, but starting small can help. You can set up a low goal initially, such as introducing yourself to one person a week.

Lionel Messi once said, "You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it."

2. You don't like changes

Most of the time, staying in the same environment for long makes it hard to adapt something new. You should understand that change is the key which presents a chance for opportunities and innovations.

Instead of resisting change, see how you can bring the best out of it. Maybe you can see a different perspective on it. Just be open to new concepts and be curious about the world around you.

3. Taking risks is not your cup of tea

I hear so often from people that they find their jobs unfulfilling and that they want to do something else. But they are afraid to do so. Smart people often choose the safe route. They choose a particular career because it’s considered acceptable by their peers in the past. But you see, maybe this guarantees a term of security, but it can be boring and vulnerable.

To be safe from this scenario, you need to take risks. If you’re thinking about not taking risks then just, consider what your life will be like decades from now if you are opting not to pursue something which you love. Will you regret your decision, or will you be happy with it?

4. You believe that you deserve to be successful based on your credentials.

I’ve heard many people claim that they deserve something because of their intelligence and from they graduated. They expect things to come to them automatically because of their credentials. But sadly, life doesn’t work like that.

In the real world, you don’t get results based on your credentials. You get results based on the combination of hard work, strategic thinking, and luck. And you can increase your luck by working on the first two.

5. You follow things whatever is exciting/trending at the moment.

One thing I often hear from the achievers is that they don't waste time. Of course, smart people are too aware of the value of their time, but they mean it as if the time and effort they spent on one thing could potentially let them missing out on something else.

I would like to say here that, of course starting out in any field is tough, but getting through the initial obstacles requires patience. Focusing on one goal yields much better results in the long run. You shouldn't be going after one thing, getting bored, and then going after something new. It simply wastes your time and effort.

6. You can’t commit to a decision after taking it.

Being smart and working hard can open up a number of doors. But, unfortunately, having too many options can be as confusing as if you're having few choices.

It will become difficult to decide what to do when you have an abundance of choices to makes. As a result, it becomes very tempting to jump around and see what suits you. I know someone who attempted numerous things to do, one after another. But it's been almost ten years, and he still can’t figure out what to do.

Rather than trying many things, I would suggest testing things out first. Talk to the people who are already into those things. Do your research before making a big decision. So that you know what to do and whether that option suits your personality and lifestyle or not.

7. You don’t believe in yourself anymore.

It's surprisingly strange that most of the time smart people underestimate their own abilities. They believe that they can’t accomplish as much as they can. Sadly they are their own worst critic.

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Smart people maintain high standards when it comes to their work. Whenever they work on a project, they tend to scrutinize the end product. This seems helpful on the surface, but it’s often more debilitating.

Perfectionism can resist people from progressing forward in their goals or starting on anything new. Because they are always busy perfecting that one thing.

So don't let your fears of “what if” or “I’m not good enough”? keep you back from something new. Think of how you want to shape your life and get started now.

Now ask yourself, what are some things that have been holding you back?