Negative Habits, Beliefs and Perceptions Block Our Success

Everyone can agree that success is subjective. Success means different things to different people. Success to one person may be based on personal experiences, or personal relationships, or business dealings, and someone else may base success on finances.  However, I believe, no matter what we decide success is for us individually, negative self-sabotaging habits, negative beliefs, negative perceptions and debilitating procrastination keep us from realizing our real success. These things block our success.

We can have a real, authentic, successful life, however we choose to define success, by overcoming negative self-sabotaging habits, perceptions, beliefs and debilitating procrastination through self-reflection. Self-reflection and becoming aware of what our values and beliefs are will allow us to change or release what is getting in our way of reaching our goals and our success. 

Although I can site many, many case incidents of people failing to achieve their goals or experience success, there is one particular case that is a great example of how negative self-sabotaging habits, negative beliefs, negative perceptions and debilitating procrastination keep us from realizing our goal of success.

At one point in my career, I was charged with interviewing, hiring and orienting medical personnel and in some cases, family members, for an assignment in the Middle East. I did my due diligence and verified the credentials of the candidate for consideration and since he passed through the interviewing process with flying colors, he was offered the position. Due to his high position, his wife was allowed to accompany him.  They both attended the orientation program that explained what to expect in the country they were going to be living in. During the first year, the candidate did very well, using the suggested tools that were offered in the orientation, however, his wife was having a difficult time. She refused to accept the culture and developed a negative perception towards the people. Her negativity caused her to lose some of the close friendships she had made with other wives who also had accompanied their husbands. She developed the negative habit of making disparaging remarks about the people and their religion.

 While the other wives were enjoying their time learning about and experiencing the culture and the country, this woman just complained about the country and refused to have anything to do with the people or their culture. Even though people suggested to her to change her attitude and perceptions, she refused to do so. Therefore, she did not have a successful experience in the country she was living. She did not have success in any of in her personal relationships, and ruined her relationship with her husband as well. She ultimately became depressed and jumped out of a third story window and broke her back.

While this is an extreme case of not reaching one’s goal of success due to negative perceptions and habits, it speaks volumes to the point I am making about attitude being a key to reaching our goal of successful living.

Some questions to think about:

Has there been a time when you ruined a situation, or a relationship, or an experience due to your negativity? If so, what happened? Did you turn it around? If yes, how?

What habits do you think are blocking your success? Make a list of them.

Do you find yourself criticizing or judging others? Make a list of how or when you criticize or judge others. Do you criticize or judge yourself? Make a list of some of the ways you criticize or judge yourself.