Photo of Hannah Young
All right, you have visions of being successful. You know you are getting there or at least you feel that you are almost close to attaining your goal, but let us be real. Sometimes you just feel like “blah” – like you almost think you are a failure or nothing means anything to you anymore and that feeling is debilitating to say the least. I am saying this because I am very familiar with this type of feeling. It is natural and I feel it – sometimes. You and I are just humans, and so do most successful people. And it is okay to feel this way “sometimes” as long as you recognize that this kind of feeling is only temporary and will surely pass by.
Here are some things that defeat your success and if you acknowledge these feelings, you can slowly turn these negative emotions into something positive and you will surely get back to where you were.
1. Self-Doubt – Questions such as “Am I good enough?” “Am I doing the right thing?” “Can I really lead?” really present some deeper reflections. But too much digging into yourself and being over analytical of what you can or can do is not healthy. Stop asking these questions and instead tell yourself, “I did what I can. I know I did! If it is not yet good enough for some then too bad my conscience is clear and I can sleep well tonight” and you will feel much better.
2. Lack of Confidence – Sometimes your lack of confidence stem from other people’s feedback or criticisms. You may not have the control knob for people’s thoughts about you or what you do, but you can still control what you feel inside. Remember it is not the people around you who will eventually make you feel good – it is you and what you do.
Believe that there are many naysayers and there will always be. In the real world, you have to ask 10 people and at least 7 out of the ten will be against you or what you do. But, hey – it is not them – it is you and your passion that fuels your confidence.
3. Giving Up on the first sight of a Challenge – anticipating an issue is one thing but experiencing your first challenge is another. The key to dealing with challenges is to accept the circumstances as they are. Know that this is just a bump along your journey that you need to overcome in full force and then problem solve! Not a good thing to do? Just giving up and letting the problem eat you alive!
4. Inconsistent – In school if you are absent for no legitimate reasons for at least six days within a term you will definitely fail. To be successful, 80% of it depends on showing up and delivering what you promise on a consistent basis. In the world of blogging, one of my pet peeves when I go through my feeds are posts with introductions such as; “I am sorry I have not posted for a while…I have been busy!” Oh, yes – and so do many of us! Practically speaking, you have to be consistent and if you can’t then rethink your priorities. Don’t overpromise and under deliver. Just be consistent. (except when there are calamities – in that case, it is acceptable)
5. Being Dull and Bored – These are all the opposite of being excited and being happy! I remember sitting down with some thought leaders at work and one of the big thinkers kept on asking us, “are you still having fun? I just want to make sure we all are!” It was refreshing to be reminded that despite some hard core and serious documents in front of us someone is still trying to remind us that we have to have fun, or else it is not worth it. If you feel bored – it is okay – but do not let it define your day. Liven it up and get your energy back to excitement by simply walking, or looking at some of your happy pictures! It will always make your day better.
Alpha Sanford is the creator and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed! a personal development website which aims to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life through its bi-weekly articles. She interviews and features inspiring individuals whose extraordinary work impact the lives of many people in the community. You can contact her via facebook, twitter, email or pinterest.