Things You Must Stop Doing To Be Successful

Knowing when to say NO is a skill that can be learned. If you don’t seem to be getting anywhere after doing the same things repeatedly, maybe it is time to take a good look at your old habits. Learning to say NO politely, when necessary, will free up time and resources to do other things that will make you successful and help you achieve your goals. Here are a few pointers for starters.

1. STOP saying YES to everything
Sure, you can become very popular saying YES to every request. But remember, one YES is one NO to something else. You simply cannot do it all. So, stay focused on your priorities. Simply explain respectfully why you cannot entertain the request at that time. You will be fine if you simply say NO at times.

2. STOP doubting yourself
Confidence in yourself is everything. Confidence plays a huge role in your success. But faking confidence does not work. You must have the necessary skills and competence in yourself. You must continue the lifelong journey of learning, unlearning, and re-learning. Be willing to take risks. Agree to participate in projects, even if you are not sure you know all the answers. But then, along the way, research the topics and learn new things to complete the project successfully.

3. STOP procrastinating
Yes, I will do it tomorrow. We all say that. But, tomorrow never comes. I will do it when I have all the answers. But in real life you will never have all the answers at the same time. Start now and the doors of success will open for you. You are never too early or old to start anything you want. Just do it now.

4. STOP thinking that you have no other choices
In life you always have a choice. Never forget that. Whether it is quitting your job that sucks, or ending a relationship that just isn’t going anywhere, you have a choice in these matters. You can decide how you want to shape your life and your career. Don’t play the “victim game” thinking you have no power or choices over events. Walk your own path and stay true to it.

5. STOP doing the same things over and over and expecting a different outcome
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. These words are usually credited to the acclaimed genius Albert Einstein. So, if you desire change, then go do something a little differently.

6. STOP thinking that everything will work out on its own
Unless you belong to a very tiny little fraction of the population, chances are you are going to have to work hard all your life. At some point, you have to stop daydreaming and get on with the real world. Nothing works out magically. You have to take proactive steps, to plan meticulously, to have patience, to up your game every single day if you want to succeed in anything.

To wrap things up, of course, there are many other things and habits we continue do that prevent us from achieving our goals. We day dream our success, we think everything we will work out just fine. We lack confidence in ourselves or think we are too old to learn. But remember one thing – CHANGE IS CONSTANT. So, take a good look at your ways and start re-assessing what you should STOP doing and START doing new things.

Alnoor Ebrahim | Marketing and Strategy Development | Southern Cross

Eric Reed | Human Resources | Southern Cross