When life beats us down so much, it tends to feel like we’re just going the wrong way. Everything seems to sabotage our efforts no matter how hard we try.

Every obstacle puts us right back to square one or even worse off than we were before.

We keep seeing these obstacles come at us like they were meant to take us down, and we’re easily defeated because it’s both overwhelming and everything, including everyone around us might be affirming how impossible it is to win.

What gives, and does it really have to be that hard?

Not really. Yes, challenges are going to come. This world was equipped with challenges but if we look at the accomplishments in our history it’s pretty obvious that we were meant to overcome, we were meant to win, we were meant to move through defeat, towards that eventual “sigh” of victory.

So there’s hope, and I’ve seen it play out time and time again in people’s lives that ended up achieving better off than most, or in other words they moved through their obstacles better off than most.

When I look back at these events, I notice 4 things that were evidently missing in the ones who struggled the most.

Here are the 4 things that are preventing you from success:

1. They have the wrong “Why”

There is nothing more debilitating to any endeavor if you have the wrong “why”. Meaning, “why” are you doing what you do? If your “why” is weak, anything will stop you in your tracks. You have to have this “why” to move through your obstacles, and naturally the stronger your “why” is, the more chances you have at winning. Think about your motivations for succeeding? Is your “why” so strong that you would lay everything out on the line to see it come to fruition? Is it so strong that even the biggest disaster could not hinder your progression and desire to win? It’s important that you come to terms with this. If you don’t have a “why”, then that is where your focus should be right now. Find your “WHY“.

“You will face your greatest opposition when you are closest to your biggest miracle.” – Shannon L. Alder

2. They have the wrong “Mindset”

Your attitude can make or break you as well. If you believe you’re a failure, then guess what? You’re a failure. If you believe you’re a success, then guess what? You’re a success and your time is coming for you to reap the harvest. Think “Up”, and use that word as a reminder to always sit up, walk straight, talk clearly, and move about this world like you have a very strong purpose, because you do. That intentional decision to live purposefully puts you in the driver’s seat and keeps your attitude in check. You’re going to win because you say you will.

3. They have the wrong “Habits”

Many of us can see this pretty clearly. We know we have bad habits but are just too focused on other things to give changing them any intended efforts. If I smoked, I would know that I had a bad habit, but perhaps other life stresses keep me from making the extra effort to quit. But all the same, there are many of us who have no idea we’re doing things everyday unconsciously that are damaging our efforts. With just little adjustments, we may end up seeing extraordinary results that could actually springboard us. Paying attention to the daily habits we’re doing each day can set you up for success or failure. Spend time understanding what you’re doing from sun-up to sun-down and ask yourself, “Is this action moving me forward or away from my goal?”

4. They have the wrong “Crowd”

Do you want to increase your chances and arrive much faster? Then surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up, challenge you when you need it, and be your biggest cheerleaders when you do win. The people who bring you down are going to hold you back from anything you set out to achieve. The people in our lives have so much influence that if we really stepped backed and studied the impact they have on our “Mindset”, our “Why”, and even our “Habits”, it would astound us. We are not victims of the people in our lives, but the world that we’re reflecting around us is a victim of the choices we make on the kinds of relationships and input we allow to take root.

Thank you for reading my article! Which of these 4 things are preventing you from success?