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9 Things You Never See Successful People Do

September 30, 2016
3 min to read


It's fun to read lists of what makes successful people tick.


Their morning rituals. Their habits. Their goal setting routines. The things they do before calling it a day. What they eat for lunch.

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But sometimes, it's interesting to see what they don't do.


In life, simplicity is more. Less is more, reports Inc.


In that spirit, here are a few things to do less of, so that you can experience more success.


1. Never Live in The Past


Individuals that live in the past miss seeing what the future holds. They're blinded by what could have been, instead of seeing what can be.

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Unsuccessful people trade yesterday for today, and forfeit tomorrow.


You can let your past shape you, but don't let it imprison you.


2. Respect Risk, Don't Fear It


The fear of risk will lead to a lifetime of regret. That's because when you don't take that occasional risk, you'll spend a lifetime looking back and wondering "if only" and "what if".


Educate yourself. Do your homework. Trust your gut.

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But don't be afraid to jump every now and then, even when the only thing you can see is what your imagination believes.


3. Never Dwell on Failure


We live in a world obsessed with perfection. With winning. With succeeding at every attempt. With participation trophies.


The reality is: that's not real.


Success doesn't come without bumps and bruises. Great wins rarely come without great losses.

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If you fail, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and keep going.


(Nobody is watching that close anyway.)


4. Never Make Excuses


Excuses come because you're afraid to take a risk. They come because you tried and failed.


Sometimes they come because you didn't try... and you failed.

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If you didn't try - don't cover it up with an excuse. You were lazy. No one will buy it.


Go back and try again.


5. Never Hold a Grudge


Let it go.


Holding a grudge is living in a past which you can never change.

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Holding a grudge will only holding you back. Not them.


6. Never Hold Others Back


If someone else succeeds, it doesn't mean you fail. There's plenty to go around.


Let them try, and win.


Be a gracious winner, and an even bigger cheerleader.

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7. Never Rely on Luck


The funny thing about luck?


It finds the people who look for it, not the ones who are waiting for it.


Unless you're playing the lottery, your chances of finding luck increase the more you're out there working, hustling, and not taking no for an answer.


Successful people find luck because they work at it.

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8. Never Waste Time


Not wasting time isn't the same thing as always being busy.


It means making time count.


It means not trading your valuable and limited time for something of little worth.


Unlike a bank account, you cannot increase the amount of time you have. Once you use it it's gone. There's no getting more of it.

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Choose carefully how you invest your time.


9. Never Accept Limitations


Babe Ruth didn't hit a home run his first at bat.


Michael Jordan didn't sink a three-pointer his first attempt.


Tiger Woods didn't hit a hole-in-one his first swing.

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Being successful takes practice. It takes courage. It takes persistence to work through the kinks.


Each of us has brilliance in us. You just have to get beyond the limitations you create in your own mind to find out how successful you can become.

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