Sir Isaac Newton, the great scientist and philosopher once said “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” A Chinese proverb also said, “If you want to know what lies ahead, you ask those who are coming back”. Learning from the mistakes and experiences of others can make a big difference in helping you to achieve greatness and success in life. And you can drastically reduce the time it’ll take you to achieve success by learning from successful people.

So in today’s post, we’ll share with you 10 mistakes rich and successful people don’t make. These are common actions that hold people back from success. If you are new to these posts, you are welcome. These posts are also in video format up on our Youtube channel, AfterSchoolAfrica. Consider subscribing for more insightful videos like this one below:

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1.   Not show up

80 percent of success is showing up, says Woody Allen. Not showing up is the number 1 reason most people fail, and it’s a very common and easy mistake to make. No matter how much you think you deserve something, if you don’t show up consistently, you will miss out on opportunities to get it.

Showing up again and again requires faith and persistence, but it also creates discipline. You’ll never conquer what you don’t move toward. If you don’t make consistent moves, you’ll become stagnant, unmotivated and ultimately spiral downward.

2.   Waiting too long to make a decision

If you can apply the 40/70 rule, you’ll be successful at whatever you choose to do. The 40/70 rule is a valuable principle from General Colin Powell: You only need 40 to 70 percent of the information to make a decision. If you require total certainty before you make a decision, you’ll miss opportunities. So how do you make a call while leaving potential data on the table? Trust your gut, pull the trigger and move on. Effective leadership is a blend of knowledge and experience. Often, your ability to make decisions in the absence of information can be your ultimate value proposition.

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3.   Backsliding

It’s tempting to be slack off. But if you want to achieve great outcomes, putting in the work is not negotiable. It’s easy to lose momentum when you have put in considerable time and effort without visible result. Just remember that 80 percent of success is showing up. You may need to put in 6 months, 2 years, even 5 years; if you are willing to put in the work, you will meet success when and where you least expect it. consistent work is what it takes.

4.   Having a negative attitude

According to Shark Tank investor, Barbara Corcoran, “When I hire someone for my business or partner with an entrepreneur on ‘Shark Tank,’ I look for one thing: a positive attitude”.

You can’t change someone with a bad attitude. It only takes one negative person in a group of 10 positive people to bring the whole team down. But nothing gets in the way of someone who says, ‘Yes, we can do this.’ Even during tough times, you have to be able to bounce back and maintain a positive attitude — no matter what.

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5.   Focusing on too many things at once

Have you ever met someone that has several million dollar ideas but never get around at starting anything? Too many people have hundred brilliant ideas and never start any of them. You don’t need many ideas to be successful. In most cases, you need just one profitable idea. Pick one thing you’re passionate about and dedicate to doing it better than everyone else. Stay in your lane and delegate to other people to do what you are not good at. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

On the other hand, we are often told that rich people have multiple streams of income. So to be financially independent, you must have multiple streams of income. What you rarely hear is that most rich people started with one thing. Then as the one thing grew, they had more resources to diversify into other things. To be successful, first focus on one thing.

6.   Not scheduling important reminders in your calendar.

Rich and successful people often have well organized calendar. They get things done by scheduling and organizing each and every single thing they commit to. It might sound like a no-brainer, but most people fail to do this. If you can get into the rhythm of assigning yourself tasks and calendar appointments, you’ll never find yourself struggling to remember all the things you already forgot at 3 a.m.

7.   Blindly emulating successful people

When there are many potential solutions for a problem, it’s easy to pick one that worked for someone else. But here’s the truth: It doesn’t matter if it worked for someone else. What matters is whether it’s going to work for you. The best leaders don’t blindly emulate the most successful people around them. They know that wearing a black turtleneck every day won’t turn them into Steve Jobs.

Instead, they look at the components of success and apply them to their own circumstances. You have to learn from successful people to become successful. But you don’t have to copy and paste their entire approach. In fact, you are better off learning from many people to develop your unique personality and approach.

8.   Trying to control everything

Life is full of uncertainties. And people are not always predictable. You really cannot control everything. In fact, there is very little you can control. Most people struggle with controlling themselves, let alone controlling events and people. If you want to live a fulfilling life, realize that you cannot control everything. If you want to achieve your goals, let go the common belief that everything is within your control.

Sometimes, you just have to accept the reality of a situation, be decisive and allocate your time to where you can truly make a difference. This is the key to achieving success in both your work and personal lives. It’s also a good way to maintain your mental health.

9.   Not leaping into the unknown

Building a company, personal brand, or career demands an ‘all in’ mentality. Step outside of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to fight an opponent above your weight class. For example, apply for that senior position you really want, even though it requires decades of experience and seemingly unattainable qualifications. What’s the worst that could happen? You might get the job and find that you’re in over your head. But it doesn’t mean you can’t dive in and learn. In six months, you might grow in ways you couldn’t have otherwise. Even if you don’t get the job, you can still say you took the leap — and that makes you better than all the other people that stayed their cubicles because they were too afraid to fail.

10.                     Not smiling

Studies have found that smiling makes you happier, healthier and more creative. The power of smiling is underrated. A warm, genuine smile instantly creates trust, which is the cornerstone of every business transaction. Not only does it add positive energy to your expression, but it also makes you seem approachable. People want to do business with people they like, connect with and feel comfortable around. Don’t fake it, either; the more authentic you are, the more you will make an impact. Best of all? It’s free to smile.”

These are common actions that hold people back from success. Now that you’ve watched this, what are you going to do? Let’s discuss further in the comment section. Remember to thumb up and share this video with that person who needs to watch it. If you are yet to subscribe to After School Africa channel, now is a good time to hit the subscribe button. Until next time, YOUR SUCCESS MATTERS!