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If You Want to Be Successful Stop These 3 Toxic Habits

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Are you finding life more of a struggle? With more distractions, more bills, and more choices, it can feel as though we’re not making any progress. As technology disrupts multiple industries, many people are trying to build their own business or start the much talked about side hustle.

The struggle is real, and after a few years, we can start to wonder why our goals haven’t come to fruition. The networking, upskilling, and hustle might not have paid off. We can question and throw blame, but in truth, our failure to progress is often because we need to be someone new, in order to achieve something we haven’t achieved before.

If you are in this situation, feeling exhausted of the grind, and wondering why you’re not getting your break, then it might be time to change who you are being. What are you willing to sacrifice?

Here are the 3 things you need to stop doing immediately if you want to be successful:

1. The Clothes Maketh The Man: Stop owning so many clothes.

We understand the power of what we wear, and how it can impact the first impression that we make, but do we have too many choices? Over the years, our wardrobes have grown to the point that the idea of moving house fills us with dread.

We have lost count of just how many items we have, as each year they are added by the various holidays and celebrations that suggest clothing as a quick and easy present choice. Buying clothes can be fun too, and we all like to wear new items. The problem is that in our fast paced, multiple choice, lives, it’s all too easy to suffer from decision fatigue.

It takes energy to make decisions, and we can be assaulted by choices every moment of the day. We need to limit this by building habits such as the route to work we take, what we have for breakfast, and what clothing we wear. You probably have a style that suits you, and an outfit or two that makes you feel confident and attractive. So why not replicate that every day? 

You will not be alone. In fact, you will be in the company of Presidents and CEO’s. Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama, all had a small interchangeable wardrobes. Your aim is to limit the choice, know you will look good and be comfortable, and as an added bonus, you will be adding to your personal brand.

“I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.” – Barack Obama

2. Body Eating Spirit or Water Of Life? Stop drinking alcohol.

Alcohol can be seen as a great way to relax, network, or deal with imposter syndrome. It can calm the nerves, feels like it boosts creativity, and help us de-stress. Sadly, it can also get out of hand, cause regret, waste time and money.

Alcohol does have an impact. If you’re not happy, or are struggling to achieve your goals, it may be time to quit drinking and see what happens. Recently, Justin Kan, the 35 year old that sold Twitch to Amazon for $1 Billion, has stated that he has given up alcohol as it was preventing him from being fully in touch with his emotions and his experience of life.

Other big names such as Warren Buffet, Tyra Banks, and Jennifer Lopez are also teetotal. It might be a struggle at first, but there will be many benefits that begin to appear over time. 

Even in the short term, you will have better quality sleep, more energy and focus, as well as a fighting fund of additional cash. Giving up alcohol may just give you that slight edge you need to win.

3. Your Life Is Not A Soap Opera, Stop with the drama

As human beings, we are natural storytellers. We can be happily productive and going about our day until we hear a colleague telling a story. It might be meaningless, and have nothing to do with our lives or our work, yet we need to know what happens!

As the characters fall into place and the drama unfolds, we begin to get involved in a narrative that has nothing to do with our own journey. We want to be part of the fairy tale, with the villain, the hero, the overcoming of obstacles. Sadly, what we often end up with is merely gossip. Gossip that often has nothing to do with reality.

“Anyone who will gossip to you, will gossip about you.” 

We know our goal and what we want to achieve. The drama is a distraction pulling us off target. It is another form of procrastination. We may even be attracting it by mind reading and creating fictional motivations for those around us to cause us stress. We need to remove the drama from our lives and focus on creating a calm and conflict free environment that prioritizes effective communication and the reality of the situation.

Try stopping these 3 things for a month and see what happens. Will the more streamlined and focused version of you be more successful? Let us know below!

Darren Horne is an educator and consultant focusing on leadership and communications. He is an author of an award winning book, a Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner, on the board of trustees for an alcohol and addiction charity, and has been interviewed globally. His mission is to help a million people be a little happier. Darren also owns a martial arts studio focusing on mindfulness, emotional intelligence and life performance. You can find him on Facebook, and www.darrenhorne.com.

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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
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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
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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:

  • 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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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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