Feeling down about your prospects in life? It’s easy as men to feel insecure about where we’re at today. You may be drawn to comparing your journey to others’ or just feeling down about your status in life or the size of your paycheck. If you’ve got goals you want to get after but keep finding yourself to be unsuccessful, consider the following reasons you’re not successful like you should be.
This whole article is some tough love for men to chew on.
1. Laziness. There’s no easy way to state this. We all recognize laziness in others. It’s pretty easy to spot it in ourselves too. But if you’re not as successful as you should be, my first guess might simply be because you’re being lazy. It’s time to get up off your butt and start knocking out what you know you need to do.
I’ll say this: If you’re okay with being lazy, you need to be okay with not being successful.
2. Entitlement. There are only two people in the world part of the “lucky man” club: Tom Cruise and Warren Buffett. One guy can act, sing, dance and make millions while everyone hates his guts. The other guy is just too smart with money.
As for you and me, we’ve got to work hard for what we get. Quit thinking you’re owed something. That will only stop you in your tracks.
3. Fear. You’re simply afraid. Fearful of looking stupid. Afraid of what everyone will say. Filled with fear of anything and everything. Imagination running wild with fear. Hey, you’re either going to let fear overtake you or you’re going to step up and kick it in the face. I can’t convince you to stop. Imagine what is ahead for you if you don’t hide behind the excuses fear produces.
4. Negativity. If you’ve ever been accused of being a negative person, listen. It’s likely you want to deny it. And it’s impossible to see it about ourselves. But you’ve got to recognize it. If you are a negative person, you’ll be a poison to people’s spirits. And you’ll never draw people to you. Without a team around you and a support group, you won’t grow into a successful person.
5. You don’t measure. You don’t have goals. You plan nothing. What gets measured gets done. Without a plan, without thinking through what you’re aiming for, when, and at what time, you’ll arrive nowhere and stay there.
Set clear goals.
6. “They.” “They” don’t exist. Unless you grew up in an elite family with great resources, you don’t have a “they” to lean back on. Unfortunately, it’s just you. There’s no secret society of people controlling your success or failure. Obama doesn’t want to destroy you, and his Republican opponents aren’t the Antichrist bent on nuclear holocaust. The truth is, you alone control how you respond to your circumstances.
7. Time waste. You’re a classic time-waster. This differs from being lazy. You’re the master of rewarding 15 sucessful minutes of homework with six hours of browsing the Internet.
8. Thinking big. Maybe your problem isn’t that you think too small, but that you think too big. I once worked for someone who wanted everyone to dream so big that we were often missing the most important components—the small parts that actually impact people where they are. Dream small, piece by piece. And dream specific things, not just broad, audacious goals.
9. You don’t believe. You don’t believe that you’re capable. Somehow we were taught that only a few “exceptional” people born with resources and special talents were somehow chosen to rule the land and get what they want—and everyone else has to settle. If you really want to believe that, then your decision is made. Otherwise, move from the back of the line to the front, and fight to make a change and make a difference.
You Can Be Successful
Success isn’t just for the rich or those with great talents. I don’t think I’m naturally gifted at anything. Anything I am decently good at, I’ve had to try really, really hard to do. Preparation and grunt work have always been the foundation of almost every success I’ve had. Put your skin in the game, stay consistent and make good decisions. If you keep your ear attentive to feedback, I’m sure you’ll become a successful man.
For the original article, visit fearlessmen.com.
Joseph Mattera 
BJ Foster 
Shelby Bowen 
