What to Stop Doing If You Want to Be Successful: Be a Success

Posted May 21, 2015 & filed under Productivity, Work Life

Time is of importance. Its seems that as a whole, our population is busier than ever. Work is one part of this, and generally speaking we all want to do better at work, even if we are already doing a good job. Success is not only related to your career, but to life in general. But, more often than not people want to know the keys to being more successful at work. 

Recently, Inc. looked at what not to do if you want to be more successful.  What does it take to be successful? It seems there is no true recipe to follow. But, there are things to avoid, so that obstacles don’t get in the way on your path to success.

Here’s some of the sound advice from the Inc. magazine article. They are on point, especially when they say  “Being mindful about how you spend your time is one of the best things you can do for your life.”

Inc. calls these things to stop doing “timewasters”.  Some of the best ones in my opinion are below:

• Running from problems. NOT  a good idea. Problems will catch up too and you will have the weight of the world on your shoulders if you try to run from your problems. It is better to confront your problems and find methods to solve them or manage these problems. 
• Lying to yourself. DON’T lie to yourself. Be true to yourself. You won’t have anxiety about maintaining a false identity or persona if you are just yourself. It is ok to want to improve yourself, but don’t lie to yourself in the process.
• Fear. IT is normal. Fear is part of being human. But confront fear by coping. Be aware of your fears and know that they exist in your mind.
• Negativity. DON’T be negative all the time. Try to take a positive view even if it seems hard. See the opportunity in challenges. Learn from mistakes and challenges. You will find that you are stronger than you thought. Approach each day of work with optimism.  Or at least try to do so. Talk to your coworkers if you have a problem you need help with or you want to tackle new obstacles or explore a new concept at work.
• Selfishness. DON’T forget about your team. Think about others too and not only about yourself. To be truly successful you have to give to others, not just monetarily giving but giving you thoughts, your feelings, your ideas. Sharing can make a difference in being a good employee and a great employee. Share with your coworkers, be it sharing responsibilities or sharing ideas or time.
• Procrastination. DON’T wait until the last minute all the time. Prepare. Take the time to think out your steps to solving a problem or taking on a new task. Time is precious. DON’T waste it.
• Comparison. DO what you do best. DON’T compare yourself to others in a negative way. DO compare yourself for collaboration purposes. Focus on your strengths and compare yourself with your partner on a project to see is better at what piece of the puzzle you may be solving that day.