Not everyone is destined to become a millionaire. In fact, nobody is destined to become anything at all. A person’s potential for success may begin with the circumstances into which they were born, but whether or not they actually become successful depends on the choices they make and the life they choose to live. Although it may be more difficult for some than it is for others to become wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, it is certainly possible for all of us to, at the very least, live in such a way that maximizes our potential for success. Those who want to see dollar signs in their future should avoid the following:
1. Lack of purpose
Every single rich person in the world wakes up knowing exactly why they’re getting out of bed in the morning. Too many of us go to bed at night having not accomplished anything during their waking hours, simply because they didn’t see a purpose for doing anything at all. This sense of purpose must come from within. If after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Steve Jobs stopped working and took on a depressing, “What’s the point?” persona, you wouldn’t be holding the iPhone you’re probably reading this on.
2. Lack of ambition
Along with a sense of purpose, you also need to have ambition. The truth is, even if you know your purpose in life, there are seven billion people in the world. It’s more than likely others have the same purpose as well. You need to separate yourself from the pack by being more ambitious than your competitors. Be the one that knows what they want, and knows how to get it. Otherwise, you’re just another pipe dreamer who believes success should just be doled out to anyone regardless of how hard they’ve worked for it.
3. Not being a life-long learner
Learning doesn’t end once you graduate from high school or college. Or at least it shouldn’t. Think of all the advancements in technology we’ve had since you were a high school student. Now imagine where we’ll be in another twenty years. Do you really want to write all of these advancements off because you don’t want to learn something new? Especially at a time in which it’s incredibly easy to pick up a handheld device and read almost every single piece of information ever known to humanity, shunning learning will only further the divide between your current self and your potential.
4. Lack of self-discipline
Even if you love to learn, you know what you want to do, and you know how to do it, you still need to be self-disciplined in order to find true success. Most self-made millionaires practice discipline in all aspects of their lives. They eat healthy, they don’t live above their means, they exercise diligently, and they put their all into everything they do. They understand the long-lasting detrimental effects that compromising their self-discipline can have, so they continue on the straight and narrow path every day of their life.
5. Procrastination
People procrastinate when they’re afraid their hard work will not pay off, or they’re afraid they’re not good enough to complete a task efficiently. Successful millionaires are completely confident in their ability to get things done, and they also know that if they put a task off it’ll still be there tomorrow morning, and there will be less time to do it in. And, of course, other tasks will have piled up during the time that was wasted avoiding the original task. Avoid becoming overwhelmed by using every waking moment to your advantage.
6. Lack of persistence
Pink Floyd says it best:
“Run, rabbit run.
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
And when at last the work is done,
Don’t sit down, it’s time to dig another one.”
In other words, your work is never truly done. Tasks will continue to pile up whether you choose to complete them or not. Putting your feet up will only cause you to be overwhelmed in the future. Successful millionaires understand this, which is why they never truly leave work behind. They might take lavish vacations and eat at fancy restaurants, but they always have their phone close by in case something comes up that requires their immediate attention. Just because you did a good job today doesn’t mean you can slack off tomorrow and expect the same results.
7. Toxic friends
Friends can either help build you up or they can absolutely tear you apart. If you find yourself surrounded by naysayers who have no ambition in their lives other than to keep others down, you need to ditch them immediately. They may be fun to be around at times, but they serve no purpose in your life if your goal is to become a success. On the other hand, surrounding yourself with people who are more successful than you gives you ambition to do better each and every day. When you set out on your life’s path, take care in who you bring along with you.
8. Unfulfilling jobs
So many of us are stuck in dead-end jobs that only serve to make ends meet. You might think to yourself “this is only temporary” at first, but then one year becomes two, then two becomes five, and the next thing you know you’ve missed your opportunity to move on. Don’t let it happen. You might face a financial setback initially, but in the long run you’ll be much happier, and you’ll feel much more confident on your pathway to becoming a success.
Featured photo credit: Flickr via farm3.staticflickr.com
