List of Bad Habits to Avoid
Being successful isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would be, and we would have fewer problems in today’s society. I believe most people can be successful if they want to be. They just don’t always make the right decisions. I’ve compiled a list of bad habits that people should avoid if they want to be successful.
Bad Habits to Avoid
Getting up late
You can’t expect to be a success in anything by sleeping until 12 or 1 pm each day. You have to get up and seize the moment. A lot of successful people accomplish tons of things before 9 am. You can do it as well. In the past, I was that person sleeping until 1 pm on the weekends. I learned that to be a successful person, I couldn’t afford to do that. The early bird does get the worm. Once you have the willpower to get up early, you can do anything.
Watching too much TV
Watching too much TV will keep you on your couch. To succeed, you must minimize the amount of TV you watch. How could you be productive if you watch TV every hour at home? You can’t be. By turning the TV off, you will become more focused and be able to think clearly. There are a lot of people who love TV. They let it control their life. They are wasting countless hours watching reality television and then wonder why they are stuck in life. Don’t become that person. Change your daily routine and stop watching too much TV.
Procrastination
Next up on the list of bad habits is procrastination. To be honest, I have to fight from time to time. When you procrastinate, you put stuff off to do it later, but most times, you don’t do it. A lot of people procrastinate and don’t try to change. If you don’t try to change, you will be doing nothing forever. It took some time, but I broke this habit. I don’t procrastinate as much as I used to. I get most of the things I must do in a timely matter. When you’re busy, you just can’t afford to procrastinate.
Always being available
You can’t always be available. I mean that being available is answering every phone call, text, IM, tweet, or Facebook notification. You must turn those things on silent or off from time to time to be successful. For example, how could you write an excellent blog post if you’re constantly paying attention to your phone? It’s damn near impossible. Initially, it may be a struggle, but you must start worrying about yourself.
No discipline
Many people have good ideas and goals but can’t pursue them because they lack discipline. Sometimes getting discipline takes time, but it is worth it. Whether you’re trying to pay off debt or lose weight, you must have some discipline. There’s a saying out there that goes like this. “Suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.” That is a word right there. You’re the one that has to decide if something is important enough for you to discipline for.
Blaming Others
Next on the list of bad habits is blaming others. When things go wrong for you, it is usually not your colleague’s or your family’s fault. When you blame others for your lack of success, you expect them to be the reason you become successful. Know that success is internal, it is your choice to lead your life in the ways of successful people, and it is also your choice not to. Instead of putting the blame on others and wondering why did Mr. A do this to me? Change the question to how can I prevent this from reoccurring?
Waiting For The Perfect Time
“When I’m ready” is a prevalent trap that a reasonable percentage of unsuccessful people fall into. They wait for a sign instead of creating one. The notion that we will one day be ready, but we are not now- is similar to a mirage that keeps distancing itself as you believe you are getting closer. If you keep waiting for the perfect time to take a step, you will surely miss the opportunity. A feeling like you are not ready is your comfort zone attempting to keep you safe, telling you that if you remain in this bubble, nothing bad can occur. Moving out of your comfort zone opens you to a new land of abundant opportunities and resources.
Comparing Yourself To Others
Comparison is the thief of joy. The issue with comparing yourself with someone else is that you compare a chapter of your life to another chapter of someone else. If you are wondering why you are not as successful as Elon Musk or Warren Buffet, it is because you are just starting, and they have been in business for decades longer than you have.
The things we see in the lives of successful individuals are the highlight reel. We get to see the Forbes nominations, magazine covers, and speeches. But, we do not see all the times they had spent their days just as you are currently trying hard and taking the right steps in the correct direction. Remember, everyone must have a beginning.
Not Taking Care Of Your Health
Successful people know the importance of health in productivity and focus. If you do not take in enough food to sustain your body, you cannot get your tasks done or focus for a long time. Examine your diet as you do your income. Money is vital to settle your bills, and so is food to fuel your body and reach your goals. Your eating habits are very important. This may be the most important thing on this list of bad habits to avoid. A healthy diet is a good habit to have. Your body will thank you for that.
Giving Up When Things Get Tough
There is no such thing as overnight success; it is a myth. Overnight success is a culmination of years of consistent smart and hard work suddenly put under the spotlight. If you want success, get ready to persist for months and even years before hitting the jackpot. Persistence is a mindset. It comes from the understanding that you are moving closer to your goal daily. As long as you are moving, you are winning.
I hope that people are mindful of these habits. You have to make changes if you want to be successful. You can break your old habits with self-control. Switch out the bad ones for different habits.
Below are a few books that also help you make better decisions.
Jason Butler is the owner of My Money Chronicles, a website where he discusses personal finance, side hustles, travel, and more. Jason is from Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Savannah State University with his BA in Marketing. Jason has been featured in Forbes, Discover, and Investopedia.