Success Advice
5 Psychological Barriers That Super Successful People Violate

In every moment, we’re living two lives. The first consists of the daily events and external events happening around us. The second life is unfolding in the amalgam of our emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Smart and successful people are self-aware. They understand that they can only exercise control over their inner life.
See, we are born in diverse cultures with different values, systems, and beliefs. Our everyday behavior and decision-making are heavily inspired by the societal beliefs with which we were brought up.
You unconsciously start accepting your beliefs as “the truth.” They become deeply rooted in your core personality. If an event shakes up your belief, then you feel strongly. You instinctively try to guard it because your identity is at stake. In order to be successful, you need to have original perspectives. You can only arrive at new extraordinary moments in life when you break the rules.
Here are 5 common psychological barriers that the super successful consciously disobey:
1. Conform: The unwritten social behavioral rules
We’re trained to follow instructions from our childhood, get a college degree, search for a decent-paying 9 to 5 job, strike a balance between your work and personal life, and to cultivate a smart and calculated professional image.
Successful people aren’t shy about bashing conventional wisdom. They study the traditional route and analyze their problems to devise the most efficient solution.
2. Instant gratification: Seeking immediate pleasure
In the on-demand economy, we get food, cabs, and clothes at the push of a button. No wonder our monkey instinctual brain loves the rush of adrenaline. But do you know a simple secret of the successful? They don’t let their hunger mitigate with minor victories along their paths.
They delay their gratification, thus building mental toughness and conserving their energies for the mega events. When your growth plateaus and you feel your internal resistance stepping up is when you need to do it the most.
“Without delayed gratification, there is no power over self.” – Sunday Adelaja
3. Fear of missing out (FOMO)
Want to know a trigger that leads to instant gratification seeking behavior on your Smartphone? The fear that you’ll miss out on an important update if you don’t check your Facebook feed every hour. If your phone serves as an extension of your body, then you might be suffering from FOMO.
Savvy marketers are aware of this fear and they carefully design features in their apps that capitalize on this instinct. But you know what ninja achievers believe in? They consciously choose to live with awareness in the present moment.
If you want to change your future, then it’s essential to commit yourself to the current. This is possible when you keep your phone and other distractions away. Instead of caving into the fear, increase your attention span.
4. Fear of uncertainty
The early man had many fears essential for their survival. Fortunately, as we’ve evolved, most of humanity doesn’t struggle to meet the basic needs. Nonetheless, our defense mechanism still kicks in when we’re thrown into novel situations. We fear the unknown, and we’re prone to wasting time and delay taking action just to come to terms with the uncertainty.
Successful people understand that the modern world evolves rapidly. You’ve to trust your abilities and move forward. A great example is Jeff Bezos. In his recently released letter, he revealed the “disagree and commit” principle that Amazon swears by. In the business world, it’s important to keep pace with competitors.
So instead of waiting to collect 100% data for making accurate judgments, Amazon takes aggressive action when they merely get 70%. Even if they make a wrong decision, Amazon believes that they can change the course and still make it work.
As an individual, you’ve to also get comfortable with not knowing it all. Ultimately, intentional action is the key. Even if you don’t get expected results, you’ll learn, grow and can take corrective action.
“Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing.” – William Congreve
5. Feeling like you’re a fraud: Impostor syndrome
“I am not good enough. My salary doesn’t reflect the value I add to my job. I am probably a cheat. I don’t deserve the life I lead.” Most people arrive at such limiting thought patterns and let these thoughts define their identities. It’s called the impostor syndrome.
High achievers overcome such internal doubts on their creativity, intellect, talent, and skills. They gently smile on that inner impostor voice (when it arises) and confidently get back to work.
While doing this, they still manage to remain humble. They keep a journal of their successes and small wins to remind themselves that it wasn’t luck that steered them all along the way. Our environments shape our beliefs and personalities, but you should carefully scrutinize your behavior and find those hidden trails that are defining your life.
If you find a barrier that isn’t serving you, then you need to let go of it. I get occasional impostor syndrome attacks, and my sheer awareness of it ensures that such feelings don’t stay.
Are any of these barriers limiting your life? Let me know in the comments below!
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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