1. Waiting For Inspiration.
Is it ever the case that you just can’t seem to move past the “aha!” moment that you’re waiting for? Tell me the number of times you’ve said something like, “I’ll start when I feel inspired.” Well, would you believe it? That mystical spark won’t materialize. Chasing ideas is like standing in the midst of nowhere, hoping for a bus. Let me give you a hint: it’s not going anywhere.
The problem is not inspiration, but rather inaction, and this is the brutal reality. You could have built something life-altering in the time you wasted waiting for the ideal concept. Do you think Jeff Bezos waited for a spark of inspiration before launching Amazon from his garage? Absolutely not. He didn’t allow his lack of drive deter him from beginning because he had a vision. You are not an exception.
It’s terrifying to think that you could be losing out on thousands, if not millions, of possibilities because you’re waiting for inspiration. If you procrastinate, you run the danger of slipping behind others who move quickly. Picture this: after five years, you’ll look back and realize that you missed out on living your dream life because you were preoccupied with waiting for everything to fall into place. See that knot forming in your throat? There, now you have your alarm.
Starting is the hardest part; you don’t need motivation. All you have to do is begin. Whatever it is that you need to accomplish, whether it’s making a list of your objectives, sending that email, or training yourself, do something little today. Surprisingly, taking action generates its own forward motion. Motivation usually comes after you take action.
Would you like to begin making your dreams a reality now, or are you still on the fence? Alternately, are you happy to be a lapdog for other people?
Momentum is fleeting. Take the initiative.
2. Worrying About What People Will Say.
Just wondering, when was the last time you let the fear of what others would think of you lead you to delay making a decision? Keep it real. Eventually, we’re all impacted. The fastest way to squander your time and undermine your ambitions is to worry about what other people will think. Why? Simply put, other people’s views have no bearing on how you pay the bills, create your dreams, or experience life.
Consider how many chances you could have taken advantage of but were too afraid to do so for fear of criticism. Perhaps the thought of someone calling your side hustle “cringe” was enough to make you pass on the idea. On the other hand, maybe you were afraid of the reaction if you voiced that strong opinion on social media. Warning: you should not let the views of others determine how you behave. Is a life spent confined to another person’s thoughts something you truly desire?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but every moment you lose thinking about other people’s opinions is time you don’t get to enjoy your future. On your deathbed, you reflect on a life filled with “safe” decisions and unfulfilled ambitions. Feeling guilty about giving too much weight to unimportant views is a common source of regret. Is it a price you’re willing to pay?
Here’s an outlandish idea: Everyone is too preoccupied with their own problems to give you a second consideration. Does it matter if others pass judgment on you? No matter what you do, people will talk. So, you might as well do something interesting.
Ask yourself, “Will their opinion matter in five years?” the next time you’re hesitant to do something because you’re afraid someone will say something negative. Do what you need to do like a boss if the response is no. No one should be able to distract you from pursuing your dreams because they are vital.
Are you prepared to surrender control of your life and fearlessly pursue the life you truly deserve, or will you continue to live in fear of their approval?
Make a decision—but don’t procrastinate. Here we go again.
3. Always Complaining.
Admit it: Venting your frustrations is satisfying—for a little while, anyhow. The truth is, even after a good session of venting, nothing changes. How absurd! Picture this: instead of finding solutions to life’s problems, you spend weeks, months, or even years complaining about them. Unsettling notion, isn’t it? The reason for this is that being constantly critical isn’t only a poor habit—it’s a surefire strategy to squander your time, abilities, and prospects.
Just when you thought complaining would ever get you anything, it happened. It won’t fix your relationships, fix your bills, or make your aspirations come true. If you want to feel like you’re making progress, complain. But the truth is, no matter how often you complain, it won’t lead anywhere. And you know what? Someone else is making moves and grabbing opportunities while you’re occupied with complaining.
Instead of saving time, complaining trains your brain to give up. Research shows that being pessimistic all the time makes one feel even more hopeless and makes it tougher to recognize positive things happening in one’s life. Is it alright with you to train your brain to resist your efforts? If not, then you should stop.
This is going to seem harsh, but successful, wealthy individuals don’t spend time moaning about problems; instead, they work to find ways to improve their situation. You could have been learning, growing, or building instead of moaning for every minute you spend moaning. Is that truly what you want—to be mired in a pattern that causes you stress, financial hardship, and little progress?
Instead of whining the next time you want to vent, try asking yourself, “What can I do to make this better?” Refrain from wallow in misery and instead assume command. A baby step might lead to a giant leap, but you have to take the plunge.
Then, what will it be? Just another gripe, or an actual promise to do better? The time is passing, and you have a future ahead of you.
4. Comparing Yourself:
How often do you find yourself wondering, “Why am I not there yet?” when you peruse someone else’s highlight reel on social media? Come on, everyone has been there. It’s alright to confess. However, the harsh reality is that you aren’t being motivated by constantly comparing yourself to others; on the contrary, it is wasting your time, energy, and confidence.
I challenge you to consider the number of hours you’ve wasted fixating on the success, happiness, or profession of another person. Also, why? If you want to succeed, stop comparing yourself to other people. Doing so will only make you feel less accomplished. It’s as if you were racing but had to pause every few steps to check your back. The way you lose is that, my friend.
And here’s the catch: Watching others causes anxiety and low self-esteem; it’s a waste of time. Your own inadequacies will be exacerbated when you fixate on the successes of others. Your objectives seem less lofty and your progress less rapid all of a sudden. In all honesty, how open are you to letting the narrative of another person undermine your own?
Now for the twist: The clocks on everyone’s watches are different. The 25-year-old influencer who owns a mansion? They could have a mountain of debt. “Made it” overnight entrepreneur? They likely put in a lot of time and effort behind the scenes. Looking at someone else’s midway and comparing it to your beginning is not only unjust, but also useless.
Put your focus on improving yourself rather than dwelling on other people. Motivate yourself by setting exciting goals, acting consistently, and celebrating every victory, no matter how tiny. Being successful isn’t about outperforming other people; it’s about improving yourself.
Can you finally put an end to comparing yourself to others and begin to live your life according to your own terms? Or will you continue to let your aspirations collect dust while you aimlessly surf around social media? Make the proper decision for your future self—the option is yours to make.
5. Repeating The Same Mistakes
I’ll tell you what: I’ll be more careful next time, but then I fall into the same trap. How many times has that happened to you? It seems familiar, doesn’t it? However, the harsh reality is: If you want to get unstuck, you have to stop wasting time and energy making the same mistakes over and over again. This pattern must end if you are intent on improving your life.
So here’s the thing: Everyone makes errors; that’s just a part of learning. However, repeatedly making the same error? It’s alarming. The situation is analogous to attempting to open a door using an incorrect key and progressively jiggling it in the hopes that it will magically work. Let me give you a hint: it won’t. You won’t progress unless you acknowledge and accept responsibility for your errors. And you’re slipping behind if you aren’t progressing.
Every time you make the same mistake, you’re throwing away more than just time; you’re throwing away chances, money, and advancement as well. Envision yourself attempting to develop a prosperous company but continually going over budget due to a lack of knowledge gained from the last budget overrun. Or consider a partnership in which recurring disputes are a constant. By continuing to make bad choices, how much joy and contentment are you robbing yourself of?
Behold, this is revolutionary: The only way out of this rut is to accept responsibility for your actions. Reflect on the situation and figure out where you went wrong. Had it been ill-planned? Not enough self-control? Fear? After you’ve figured out what went wrong, you may devise a strategy to ensure you don’t repeat the same mistakes.
Then, what will it be? Instead of getting stuck in a never-ending loop of misery, why not get off the hamster wheel, get some insight, and start moving forward? The time is running out, and you owe it to your future self to do something. Nothing changes if nothing changes, therefore make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
6. Expecting Perfectionism.
It’s true that things aren’t “perfect yet,” but how frequently do you really put things off? Perhaps you’ve tweaked an Instagram post multiple times in search of the “ideal vibe” or rejected a brilliant concept because it lacked polish. The truth is that striving for perfection is not an indication of desire; on the contrary, it is a waste of time and a silent killer of your future.
Let me spill the beans: There is no such thing as perfection. There is always space for growth, regardless of how diligent you are. Seeking perfection is like plodding along on a treadmill; you’re exerting yourself to no avail. Rather than sitting around and hoping for the best, the most successful people got things done and got better as they went. Will you let the ideal of perfection to stifle your growth?
Time and opportunities are two things that perfectionism eats away at. When was the last time you put off beginning a new venture, a side gig, or the public display of your skills because you felt it “wasn’t ready”? Somebody else is out there learning and growing while you’re too busy worrying about little things. Worrying that you may fail is preventing you from making progress, and in a fast-paced world, progress is crucial.
Now here’s a humorous spin: Everything about which you are hesitating, modifying, and casting doubt? There will be few who even notice. The value you offer is more important than meticulous attention to detail. Which would you prefer: releasing it, receiving criticism, and improving it over time, or spending years refining it without ever seeing the light of day?
My challenge to you is this: instead of striving for perfection, focus on making progress. Accomplished is preferable to flawless. Every time, taking action is better than doing nothing. When you find yourself fixating on being flawless, stop and think about how this will sound in a year. Otherwise, you should just ignore it and carry on.
Do you want to start creating the life you’ve always imagined for yourself, or are you ready to escape the perfectionist trap? Make sure you don’t waste another second on perfectionism because time is running out.
7. Lack Of Priorities.
Nothing gets done if everything is a priority, and that’s a harsh reality. How often do you feel that you’re busy doing nothing, flitting from one task to another, and chasing after every shiny object? Does that ring a bell? It’s the price of living when goals aren’t defined. Spoiler alert: it’s a complete squander of time and is subtly undermining your aspirations.
Astonishingly, there is a difference between being busy and being productive. The number of things you can do in a day won’t matter if they don’t contribute to your overall objectives. No matter how hard you work, it’s like attempting to fill a bucket that already has holes in it. Is the pursuit of the myth of productivity something you truly wish to devote your life to?
You give up control of your time to diversions, other people’s expectations, and passing fads when you don’t establish clear priorities. Your potential, not just your energy, is drained over time by this. Think about how you’ll feel in five years when you realize you wasted time on “urgent” tasks instead of focusing on what was important all along. Is that sorrow? If you act now, it can be avoided.
The key of the successful use is this: setting priorities helps you focus, and when you focus, you get things done. When you have a clear idea of what’s most important, you can ignore the distractions and put your efforts where they will have the greatest impact. Plus, what’s great? Doing less but better is what prioritizing is all about, not doing more.
The task at hand is this: Jot down the three things that are most important to you this week. Just three, no more than five or 10. After that, make sure to do something each day that relates to your priorities. Once you decide to stop letting interruptions control your day, you will be amazed at how your life begins to transform.
Are you prepared to stop letting other people dictate your schedule and start controlling it? On the other hand, are you going to abandon ship in the vain hope that everything would just click? Make a decision—but don’t procrastinate. Nothing can make time stand still.
8. The Fear Of Failure
The fear of failure has likely caused you to put numerous dreams on hold. How many of these have you been? Keep it real. Negative self-perception is a thief, not merely an emotion. Worst of all, it robs you of your self-esteem, time, and potential. Just in case you thought dread would just vanish, I have some bad news: Not at all. Will you allow it to hinder you, though? That is the true question.
Let’s be honest: being afraid of failing doesn’t make you stronger; it makes you weak. If you stay inside your comfort zone out of fear of failing, you’ll never experience the high that comes from pushing yourself to your limits. It’s the same as being terrified of turbulence and hence refusing to get on an aircraft. If you want to escape a rough ride, you can, but you will also never get there. Is that a compromise you can live with?
Take a look at this: Setbacks are more like detours than stop signs. Many of history’s greatest accomplished individuals have also failed catastrophically. The first TV job that Oprah had was terminated. Even though he established the company, Steve Jobs was fired. To what extent did they let setbacks to define them? Not at all. They accepted it, grew from it, and returned much more resilient. Could you please do the same?
The terrifying thing is that worrying about failing squanders not only your time but your own existence. Playing it safe limits your potential and accepts mediocrity as your fate. Just picture yourself in your 80s, looking back and realizing you were too afraid to even try. See that knot forming in your throat? Very well. You need to wake up from it.
Put failure in its proper perspective: as a tool, not a threat. That is the task I offer you. Start the ball rolling on that bold idea, call that person, or send that email today. You may overcome your fear of failing with each step you take.
Would you like to take the next step in creating the life you’ve always imagined for yourself? In contrast, will you persist in allowing anxiety to rob you of opportunities? Dreams can’t wait forever, and time is running out.
