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8 Harsh Truths About Success From a Psychologist

The truth is success only comes with discipline

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Image Credit: Midjourney

There’s a lot of trial and error on the path to success. I can personally attest to this fact, having been on the same journey myself. I was someone who would start a project with burning motivation, only to see it ebb away as I faced challenges and things got hard. I accumulated experiences of giving up and starting new.

I was always in search of quick fixes, easy wins, always expecting success to come easy. But with time and experience, I learned that this limited mindset was my biggest hindrance to being successful.

Today, I want to share 8 harsh truths about success, truths that have shaped my journey and can help yours.

1. Discipline Instead Of Motivation

The motivation we often seek in inspirational quotes or uplifting videos isn’t something you can depend on consistently. Motivation is too vulnerable; it comes and goes. The truth is success only comes with discipline. You need to form habits that make you take action, irrespective of how you feel.

Remember, you’re going to face setbacks. But it’s in these challenging times that your character is tested and shaped. Success is not an easy, quick process. It’s a journey that demands your patience, time, and undivided attention. Remember, when things get hard, these are the times when most people give up.

This is why not many people are successful. We expect it to be an easy and smooth journey with endless Motivation. The harsh truth is your Motivation will vary, and you will fail and experience many hardships. Still, you need to act regardless of how you feel and develop discipline. 

2. Single-Minded Focus And Consistency

Continuously switching between ideas will only decrease your energy. Instead, concentrate on one specific task, and dive deeper into it. Success is not achieved overnight; it’s the culmination of countless hours, days, and even months of consistent, focused work.

Find your passion, devote yourself to it, and give it at least a year before you start looking for outcomes. Remember, the road to success is a marathon, not a sprint. The harsh truth here is multi-tasking does not exist; dividing your attention will bring you nowhere. Pick something, stick to it, and pursue it.

Don’t evaluate after 1 month of trying; stick with what you pick for at least 1 year. Stay consistent and try without focusing too much on the outcome. You have to be patient; if you want to have easy money, easy success fast, you will fail. 

3. Physical Activity Is Key 

In our pursuit of success, we often overlook the importance of physical health. Exercise isn’t just about weight management or fitness; it’s also about improving your psychological well-being. It stimulates endorphin production, making you feel happier, more focused, and more resilient.

Neglecting physical exercise will make you more susceptible to diseases, laziness, and failure. The harsh truth is that you will fail if you think you can get ahead without being physically active. 

4. Create A Priority Checklist

Organization is key to productivity. By creating a priority checklist, you make sure that your most important tasks are handled first, helping you avoid distractions. This strategy promotes self-integrity and creates momentum as you see yourself completing tasks.

If you lack organization, you may end up avoiding the challenging tasks, hindering your growth. I used to spend too much time on less important things because they were easier to do, avoiding the important, harder-to-do tasks. Sure enough, I only made small progress.

The harsh truth is if you don’t organize your working days, you will procrastinate and not focus on what you really need to do.

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele

5. Evaluate Your Circle

“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

Look at your friends. Are they ambitious and supportive? Or are they complacent and laugh at your goals? Sometimes, your friends are the ones to pull you down, fearing your success. The harsh truth is sometimes loneliness might be the price you need to pay for success.

6. Focus On What You Can Control

It’s easy to lose ourselves in the problem, but you need to focus on the solution. If you can’t change the situation, move on. Complaining about uncontrollable factors will only hinder your progress.

The harsh truth is: If you are constantly complaining about things like who the president is, the taxes you need to pay, the weather, and the selfishness of people, etc., you will fail. Focus on things you can control.

7. Outwork Your Self-Doubt

One thing is for sure. You will doubt yourself. You will have imposter syndrome. Affirmations are cool, but again, not sustainable. In order to be truly successful, you need to change within. You need to build integrity. That means you will outwork your self-doubt by doing the things you said you’ll do.

Self-doubt is normal; you can use affirmations but don’t forget your work. Here again, the harsh truth is Work Work Work, no matter how you feel, outwork your self-doubt until there is no denying anymore.

8. Recognize And Challenge Your Mindset

Recognize that you have a poor mindset. You might be surrounded by less successful people than you aspire to be. Recognize that you have been programmed to have a poor mindset and to resist growth. To resist money. You have to break out of that. The harsh truth is here; If you don’t recognize your poor mindset, you will self-sabotage yourself whenever you see success.

Looking back, I realize how my old habits of not exercising, complaining, being inconsistent, hanging around with poor-minded friends, and having a poor mindset myself were blocking my path to success. I am still a work in progress, but I take these 8 hard truths as my mantra.

I remind myself daily that the road to success is not easy, but it’s worth it. I want to leave you with Charles Bukowski’s words, which I put as my screen saver: “If you are going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.” 

Heythem Naji is a psychologist and blogger dedicated to teaching mental and physical health. Heythem's Blog integrates the complexities of mind and body, giving comprehensive, actionable insights by combining professional expertise with a personal narrative. Learn more here.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

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:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • 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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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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