First, let me preface this by saying the obvious; I know I am incredibly ambitious. I also have a tenacious work ethic. I know that because of my analysis when I interact with other people. I've become much better at doing this since I started my MBA. I have started to be more conscious when listening to other people's goals and aspirations to see if I need to step it up. A hundred percent of the time, I walk away telling myself; that they're not ambitious enough. Maybe one day that will change.
There seem to be very common patterns I've noticed in people who claim to want success but don't work towards said success.
Here are five:
1. Lack of any direction.
I speak to these individuals and I can immediately tell that they just watched or listened to some bullshit "guru" telling them the next get-rich scheme and they fell for it. Why am I saying that? Well, when they start speaking to me they start with the goal which is something like this: "I will make a million dollars per month with only five hours of work." And then I ask them to walk me through the process/direction to get there so they can learn in real-time that that goal is unrealistic and lack any real direction. The look on their face when they realize it is bullshit always puts a smile on my face. The irony, however, is that some of these individuals still give those bullshit "gurus" their money. Do I have sympathy for them? Hell no! You were looking for the easy path that clearly has no direction.
2. Procrastination or lack of motivation.
This is one of the most despicable patterns I've noticed from people who fall into the category of "I want success but don't really want to work for it." Here is an example: A couple of days ago one of my companies (Robb Industrial Corporation) was looking for a subcontractor for a government contract for lawn care services. It's a five-year, very lucrative contract in Pennsylvania. Five years of steady, well-paying work! An individual responded saying he would have done it if it was closer to where he lived. How far away was the job site? One hour away! This individual is willing to turn down a five-year contract because of a one-hour drive. And then he went silent when we sent him another one. That's beyond a lack of motivation. That's straight-up lazy and stupid! And he's surprised as to why he's not successful. Moving on!
3. Fear of failure or taking risks.
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. If you are afraid of failing then don't get off the bench. As a matter of fact, don't even suit up...just stay as a spectator instead of lying to yourself that you want to play the game. Leave that spot for someone else. Thank you!
4. Poor time management or prioritization.
Excuses and bullshit plus more excuses and more bullshit. That's what I hear when someone tells me they are so busy which is why they don't have time to work on their path to success. I do a billion things. I have the same 24 hours per day as you. Stop with the excuses and prioritize your time better. I guarantee you that you're not as pressed for time as you want yourself to believe.
5. Lack of persistence or resilience in the face of setbacks.
Ah! I love this one. I laugh at these individuals who experience one minor or major setback and then just pack it in. Perfect! This was clearly not for you then. I use every setback as a teachable moment. But that's just me, I guess.
I truly hope you went through this and think long and hard if you are exhibiting ANY of those five patterns and quickly get rid of them. Seriously! Get rid of them, NOW!