We all want to move forward in life but we get into our own heads without knowing it. It’s easy to look to the external world to see why we aren’t doing much better, but we’re the source of most of our challenges. The little things — such as procrastination, beating ourselves up, and being caught up in fear — can pile up and weigh us down.
The good news is that once we’re aware of these trends, we can start to do something about it. In this list, lets take a closer look at some of the ways you are doing yourself a disservice and how to correct it.
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Procrastination
Procrastination is a sneaky habit. It starts with putting something off a little bit, but it gradually becomes hours, days, weeks’ worth of put-off. The longer you defer something, the harder it is to begin. It adds stress, too. You don’t produce the same work when you’re scrambling. There are deadlines or opportunities you will miss. It’s an ingrained habit that will make even the most basic activity feel like a monumental challenge.
Fear of Failure
The dread of failure is debilitating. It prevents you from experimenting or risking. Perhaps you are afraid of the criticism that others might have. But that fear can prevent you from growing. Each successful individual has fallen down in some way. It’s all part of the process. If you act out of fear, you never move. You can overcome your fear by taking baby steps, even if you are scared.
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Perfectionism
Perfectionism does not sound like such a bad thing. Everyone wants to be the best. But perfection is paralysing. It could take so long to get it just right that you never get it finished. All of this tweaking wastes time and energy. You’re also prone to burnout if you’re perfectionist because you’re never satisfied. When you learn to say “good enough”, you can actually move forward and accomplish more.
Lack of Clear Goals
When you don’t have goals, you get lost. You can work day after day and you still don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere. Clear goals give you direction. They make you put your effort and resources in the right place. If you don’t have them, you may just hop from one task to the next without progress. Determining specific, quantifiable goals can be the difference.
Negative Self-Talk
The way you talk to yourself counts. Negative self-talk can be the biggest roadblock to achievement. You’ll start thinking it if you constantly remind yourself that you’re not good enough. This saps motivation and self-esteem. Positive self-talk, meanwhile, can be liberating. You stay motivated and focused. You can transform how you see yourself and your capabilities by changing the conversation you have with yourself.
Overcommitting
Overcommitting is a common problem. You may feel like you can do it all, but if you do too much – you will get stressed and burnt out. If you’re spread too thin, it’s difficult to try your best at anything. There is nothing wrong with saying no every now and again. Having less work means you can focus more effectively.
Avoiding Feedback
Feedback can help you to develop. But sometimes it’s hard to hear, particularly if it’s critical. Avoiding feedback is tempting, but it prevents you from growing. If you don’t get any feedback, you might not even notice where you’re wrong. When you take criticism even if it isn’t easy, you can see your blind spots. It’s an opportunity to grow.
Comparing Yourself to Others
Comparing yourself to others is understandable but it’s unhealthy. Everyone’s path is different. What might work for one person may not work for you. You might feel that you are not good enough if you constantly compare yourself. It can even distract you from your purpose. So rather than focusing on what everyone else is doing, focus on your progress. Be proud of your wins, even the small ones. Your path is different and that’s ok.
Lack of Self-Care
It’s vital to look after yourself in order to move forward. If you neglect your body or mind, all else is harmed. You may feel exhausted, overwhelmed or stressed. This is not conducive to being productive and focused. Self-care keeps you motivated and in the right frame of mind to continue. Even simple things like sleeping, eating and taking breaks can make all the difference.
Giving Up Too Soon
Success often takes time. It’s easy to lose motivation when you don’t immediately get the results. But if you quit too soon, you never know what could have been. Accidents and bumps in the road happen to everyone. They aren’t failures, they’re lessons to be acquired. Persistence is key. Sometimes the only way you can be successful or not is to just keep going a bit longer. Keep trying even when it’s hard.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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