The Habits of Unsuccessful People vs. Successful People [infographic]

Succeeding is hard: it requires a lot of work, strong will and a great deal of patience.

What Do Unsuccessful People Usually Do?

1. Disapprove of Change

The hallmark of unsuccessful people is that they reject any sort of change. They are forever looking for ways in which things can go wrong. In the process, they pass up opportunities to make their lives better. They do not entertain the idea that a little change may improve their current situation.

2. Judge People’s Responses 

Unsuccessful people are constantly trying to undermine others. Although they ask for other people’s opinions, they are judging those answers or ranking them. This does not help achieve a useful outcome because, in time, people will stop giving honest opinions as they are not valued. Instead of respecting the other person’s opinion, unsuccessful people will dismiss them.

3. Refuse to Apologize

Another commonly seen characteristic in unsuccessful people is the inability or refusal to apologize. Saying sorry may seem like a failure or a loss to them. They view life as a competition wherein they need to get ahead of others, by whatever means possible. They are poor losers who take defeat very badly. Their pride comes in the way of their living a normal and happy life.

4. Avoid Gratitude

Saying “thank you” is seen in a similar vein to saying sorry by unsuccessful people. Showing gratitude is considered to be a weakness. They feel that the world owes them something and that they deserve everything they get.

5. Have a Negative Attitude

Unsuccessful people are very good at finding faults in everything. You could say that their favourite pastime is criticizing. At every opportunity, unsuccessful people will find problems. They fail to think of solutions but tend to magnify every problem. Unsuccessful people are devastated by their failures and look for ways to blame it on something else. They do not look upon their mistakes as a chance to learn, instead, they are easily disheartened and tend to give up too soon.

What Do Successful People

1. Always Try to Improve

Successful people push themselves to step outside their comfort zone. They are comfortable taking risks and even view their failures with a positive frame of mind. They want to explore opportunities to grow and advance their careers.

2. Possess Strong Sense of Self-awareness

Successful people have a very strong sense of self-awareness. They are confident and have faith in their ability to face life squarely in the eye. However, they are not self-oriented and do not work with only their personal goals in mind.

3. Possess a Sense of Ownership

Taking responsibility and accountability for their actions comes naturally to successful people. They do not try to cover up their mistakes. Instead, they try to learn from others and their own failings. Successful people will not make the same mistake twice.

4. Oriented Towards Goals

To keep themselves motivated, successful people set targets and goals for themselves. Both long-term and short-term goals are effective in setting the pace of their work. Successful people set realistic goals and are clear about where they want to go next.

5. Value Time

Time is indeed very important for successful people. They treat time like a precious commodity and use it as effectively as they can. They do not put off for tomorrow what they can do today.

The distinction between unsuccessful people and successful people is quite clearly marked. Mere observation can lead you to correct conclusions about a person’s status.

About Michael Yardney Michael is a director of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He's once again been voted Australia's leading property investment adviser and one of Australia's 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.