Lose These 12 Bad Habits If You're Serious About Becoming a Millionaire There are too many barriers on the path to success to tolerate the ones we create ourselves.
By Renzo Costarella Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Success is a mindset. In order to be successful you must commit to planning your life around that one burning goal or desire. Before making that big leap of faith, there are certain things that you need to cut out of your life so that you can be prepared when your chance comes along.
I have listed 12 habits that you need to cut out of your life immediately. Dropping these habits won't just make you successful in business, they will help you become more present with your friends and family, and in the long run will make you happier.
1. Stop underachieving, start overachieving.
Everything in life worth doing is worth overdoing. When pursuing your goals don't stop when you have achieved the bare minimum. Keep going until you have blown those goals out of the water, and then keep working some more. When you have this work ethic, the only thing that can stop you is you.
I always set very attainable goals for myself. I also never fall short of the mark. It's great to be ambitious, but if you're constantly coming up short it can be demoralizing and kill your motivation.
Related: 9 Everyday Habits of the Average Millionaire
2. Stop multitasking and focus.
Studies have shown that 98 percent of humans cannot successfully multitask. Usually those who believe that they can multitask are actually the worst at it. Stanford scientists write that multi taskers have trouble filtering out irrelevant information, organizing their thoughts, and shifting from one task to another.
Next time you're trying to be productive, try shutting down every tab on your computer except for the ones that relate to the task at hand. Turn off your notifications and use 100 percent of your focus on that task. You will see a tremendous boost in your productivity.
Related: Why Smart People Don't Multitask
3. Stop checking social media while you're working.
Social media platforms create a maze of links and posts that are designed to keep you hooked. It is a major time drain, and one that does not contribute to success. Instead of checking Instagram and Facebook on your breaks, read the New York Times or TechCrunch so you can bring something truly meaningful to your next conversation.
Related: Science Says Our Constant Connectivity Is Hurting Productivity. Here's How to Fix It.
4. Don't compare yourself to anyone.
This will never end well. There will always be someone out there who is smarter, wealthier, more successful and better looking than you. Thinking like this is a distraction, focus on you and you alone. Most importantly, focus on winning your short-term goals and the dominoes of success will start to fall.
Related: The Limitless Power of Focusing Fully and Then Letting Go
5. Stop wasting time with negative people.
Don't cause a scene or ruin a friendship. Just limit your availability for those toxic people in your life. Sure, see them once in awhile. But, a negative influence can cause you to lose focus on what is really important.
Related: 12 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People
6. No more excuses.
If you want something, go out there and get it. Don't create excuses, don't even create reasons. Reasons are just excuses with makeup on.
Before I started working for Due, I worked with a small team on a crowdfunding startup. We had little experience, so we constantly came up with excuses and convinced ourselves of our limitations. A couple hundred thousand dollars gone and a year later, we realized we created so many reasons why we couldn't that it became a reality. Don't become a victim. Victims never succeed.
Related: How to Overcome 5 Excuses That Kill Entrepreneurship
7. Don't be a perfectionist.
Be a realist. Don't spend those extra five hours meticulously creating fonts and color schemes for a presentation that only you will notice. This goes into time management. Be efficient and effective. Don't procrastinate by obsessing over little details that don't matter in the long run (or maybe even in the short run).
Related: Don't Become Paralyzed By Perfectionism
8. No more complaining.
It's simple. If you think positive and talk positive, positive things will come to you. Keep the glass half full. Levels of optimism and pessimism correlate directly with overall health. Keep those smiles up and frowns down.
Related: The Amazing Lesson of the Pope's No Complaining Sign
9. Stop thinking everything is about you.
Your upset boss isn't looking to fire you. The Lyft driver isn't giggling at your tie. They have their own problems, and that's what they are thinking about. Not you!
You'll be a lot happier when you stop assuming it is all about you.
Related: Don't Believe Everything You Think!
10. Don't carry all the weight on your back.
Sure you are in charge. But, that doesn't mean that you need to take on every challenge and micromanage your staff. Learn to delegate. The question you should be asking yourself is not, "how can I get this done," it should be, "how can this get down in the most efficient manner possible." Usually good enough is all you need.
Related: 7 Rules for Entrepreneurs to Delegate Effectively
11. Stop making meetings a priority.
Mark Cuban once said, "never take a meeting unless someone is writing you a check." Meetings start late, run too long and seldom are very productive. Meetings are time killers. It is always better to make targeted contact with the necessary people throughout the day.
I always request a detailed agenda when I'm asked to join a meeting. If there's no clear value for me to gain or for me to give I won't waste anyones time. Remember, it's always okay to say "No."
Related: How the Best Companies in the World Run All-Hands Meetings
12. Stop using to-do lists.
Start plugging all of your tasks into your calendar. Having your work integrated into a time table will greatly enhance your efficiency. Spend the necessary time planning out your calendar, and then live by it.
Live and abide by these rules and you will see change in a matter of weeks. At the end of each day sit and reflect on what you did right and what you can do better tomorrow. Most importantly visualize success; and success will come.
