In a world of unlimited opportunities we find fewer people taking advantage of what surrounds them to become successful. It is not as if there is a manuscript written for the “success role.” Rather there could be some limitations or common flaws that are hindering the unsuccessful from becoming what they can be.

1. They procrastinate

Unsuccessful people put off projects and tasks until they are ready or all factors seem perfect for them to act on a task. Importantly, to be successful means not waiting but taking charge of a task or a situation as quick as possible. Successful people don’t wait, they act immediately.

2. They are not resolute

Unsuccessful people give up when faced with challenges or obstacles. Fighting to the finish line seems so daunting and they rather settle for a secure or comfortable position. However to attain success you have to be willing to face obstacles and conquer them.

3. They think and talk negatively

Have you heard the saying that the optimist sees the doughnut but the pessimist sees the hole? Unsuccessful people see problems in every opportunity. They rather make excuses than look for reasons to keep on marching towards a goal. It takes positivity to be successful.

4. They daydream a lot

How much the unsuccessful adore the successful. Yet they are not willing to put the work by taking action. They rather dream all day than create an actionable way to attain their dreams. To reach success one has to be willing to put in the work as well.

5. They don’t admit to their flaws

Unsuccessful people think they have it perfectly laid out. They don’t want to listen to other people’s opinion or learn from their mistakes.

According to Zig Ziglar, “More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying them”.

6. They have poor relationships with people

Unsuccessful people do not realize that to surge ahead requires developing and building on relationships. Being able to develop rapport with others is a skill the successful have developed and unsuccessful people should also do.

7. They do not take care of themselves

As much as your desire to be successful, there should be a time you give your body the rest and care it deserves. Unsuccessful people do not see their body as a tool that should be well managed and taken care of, and with this can occur either a physical or a mental breakdown.

8. They spend time with the wrong people

To trigger success time has to be spent with the right people who are there to offer you the energy, support and direction to keep on going. But the unsuccessful people will rather sit and settle with people who are unsuccessful like them and do not have the ambition to ever be successful.

9. They don’t take risks

No one likes to be disappointed and meet failure. Yet failure is an important element in attaining success. Unsuccessful people have a wrong perspective of failure and are willing not to fail rather than commit themselves to a task or a possible opportunity.

10. They never appreciate others

Unsuccessful people are not willing to share any credit with anyone. They think it bad about them and do not believe in teamwork. It takes appreciation to be successful. You have to be willing to help others grow if you want to be successful.

11. They are not passionate about work

Unsuccessful people think work results in getting paid or as a survival strategy. Rather success requires you to be passionate about work and willing to help others get what they want.

12. They do not value their time

Unsuccessful people never place a value on their time. To succeed, time has to be managed efficiently and spent on productive pursuits that will lead you to your goals.

13. They are not willing to delay gratification

We live in a “now” age when you want your desires met immediately. Unsuccessful people are not willing to delay gratification or wait for their actions to yield results. It takes patience, tolerance and resilience to pass through challenges and become successful.

14. They are not willing to improve

Unsuccessful people are only positioned for the status quo and not willing to change, adapt or improve. To be successful you have to be willing to constantly develop and improve yourself to match your goals and desires.

15. They don’t believe in themselves.

You have to be self-aware and know what you are capable of achieving. Unsuccessful people are not aware of how much they can achieve and thus doubt their potential or abilities.

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Sometimes the most charismatic people are the ones who finish first. Added to our skills should be how we make the other person feel when he/she engages us. Yes, great conversations stick to our heart for a long time. People who make great conversations are interesting to be with. It is a law of attraction to want to be around those who listen with their heart and also speak to our hearts. This is why people will always appreciate people like Stephen Fry and Charlie Rose. Here are some elements that make some conversations with some people more memorable than others.

1. They offer genuine compliments.

The human is wired not to refuse reciprocity. Great conversationalists offer thoughtful and genuine compliments during a conversation, which makes the other person feel validated and appreciated. This stirs the conversation and propels it in a positive direction. Make sure your compliment is sincere and these compliments could be directed at what they are wearing, doing, or saying.

2. They maintain steady eye contact.

In many cultures, maintaining eye contact with who you are speaking with adds sincerity and appropriateness to a conversation. It means you are serious and engaged during the conversation. Great conversationalist know why and how to make eye contact—they do this between 70–80% of the time and add value to the conversation with this non-verbal act.

3. They contribute to the conversation.

It is better to also be a giver during a conversation rather than just a taker. Add interesting facts or elaborate on a statement. People who make great conversations observe their environment and pick up interesting stuff from it which could be infused into a conversation. It is like they are building something together with the other person. Great conversationalists contribute to the conversation and thus make the other person relaxed and comfortable.

4. They listen and are attentive.

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.”

—Ernest Hemingway

By listening and paying attention, you show you respect the other person. When the other person is listened to, he or she will feel important during the conversation. According to Michael Hyatt, great conversationalists listen with their hearts, and this doesn’t require any verbal action, but rather, good body language and attentive ears.

5. They remember the names of those they are speaking with.

People tend to like and appreciate you more if you use their name a few times during conversations. According to research, people respond better to their names as it validates their identity. Remembering names means you are a detailed person and this makes great conversationalist stand out.

6. They keep the conversation informative.

“Never leave home without reading the newspaper.”

—Leil Lowndes, author of How To To Talk To Anyone

The brain has a very short attention span so it is safer to be informed and provide an interesting conversation. This is why it is important to be abreast about current trends. They don’t have to start talking about a complex topic. It could be what happened on the last episode of Game of Thrones. As far as you bring an intelligent and informed angle to it, you will make a great conversation with it.

7. They are enthusiastic about what the other person has to say.

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Which is just another way of saying that the way to make a friend is to be one.”

—Dale Carnegie

“When you’re interested, you’re interesting,” says Jill Spiegel, author of How to Talk to Anyone About Anything! Be open to what the other person has to say and ask intelligent questions moderately which would show that you are willing to know more about the other person.

Featured photo credit: Stephen Fry in V for Vendetta via mystery756.files.wordpress.com

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1. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

The 4-Hour Work Week teaches techniques to increase your time and financial freedom giving you more lifestyle options. By automating a passive income and liberating yourself from unproductive tasks, you can live the lifestyle of the “new rich”—one defined by having, doing and being what you want. Even for those people who have no interest in starting their own business, the principles in The 4-Hour Work Week can be applied to almost any situation or environment you find yourself in. The ideas behind the 80/20 principle, outsourcing, elimination and liberation will help you develop a much more productive mindset.

2. Getting Things Done by David Allen

Getting Things Done is arguable the world’s most well known book on productivity. The lessons in this book should be considered essential reading for anyone looking to pursue a more productive lifestyle. Getting Things Done takes you through a workflow which you can use to manage your workload much more effectively. The principles in the book are simple, but are often the things we forget about that we need reminding of. Getting Things Done was recently updated to reflect how this workflow applies to modern technology.

3. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Everyone, and I mean everyone can learn something from How to Win Friends & Influence People. The principles in the book are simple, but something a lot of us fail to use or remember. This book will help you to convince people to your way of thinking, avoid arguments and become more liked. If you’re in a leadership or sales type role, I strongly recommend this book. HTWFIP was one of the first best-selling self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie and first published in 1936, it has sold 15 million copies world-wide. But what has it got to do with Productivity? Well, by managing people more effectively (particularly in a working environment), you can produce better quality work together. This increased effectiveness goes hand-in-hand with higher productivity.

4. I Will Teach You to be Rich by Rami Sethi

I Will Teach You to be Rich helps you identify where your money is going and gets it working for you so that you can save for the things that will bring you true happiness and lead a rich life. The six week program identifies how to create a system for optimising your bill payments, savings and investments so that your money goes to all the right places with less than an hour of maintenance a month. Now who wouldn’t want to spend less time managing their bank accounts while at the same time knowing that your money is going to the places it needs to be. Automating your finances like this is incredibly rewarding and will save you heaps of time every month.

5. Manage Your Day to Day by 99U

As the book describes; should you answer that email, or answer your calling? Tune into social media, or tune in to your own voice? Respond to other people’s needs or actively set your own agenda? When it comes to creative work, every decision, every day, matters. 99U brings together the insights of 20 creative experts to produce Manage Your Day to Day. Learn how to build a rock solid routine, find focus and sharpen your creative mind.

6. Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson

Sleep Smarter is a quick and easy read packed with facts, studies and scientific insight all about getting better quality sleep. Author, Shawn Stevenson takes you through the essential components of a good nights sleep. The book also contains a few surprises about how much impact sleep has on your day to day health. When you improve the quality of your sleep, almost every aspect of your life improves, including—yes, you guessed it—your productivity. By the end of the book you’ll definitely be settling in for a good nights sleep.

7. What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam

Productivity researcher Laura Vanderkam has combined her three mini e-books into one comprehensive guide. Through Laura’s research and interviews, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast reveals how to plan your mornings, weekends and work time to be achieve greater productivity and happiness. It was after reading Laura’s book that I transformed my morning routine which is now one of my favourite times of day. If you’d like to learn the most common productivity skills among the worlds top performers, then this is the book for you.

Featured photo credit: PicJumbo via picjumbo.com

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