Home
>
Success
>
Avoid The Thirteen Habits of a Failure

Avoid The Thirteen Habits of a Failure

Jim Rohn, the success guru and mentor, said, "Failure is a few errors in judgment repeated every day." The word to watch is "repeated."

Now there's a difference between temporary and permanent failure. We fail at many things in life; it's all part of our growth and development. A baby starts to walk and falls down, tries again, falls again. Eventually she walks. Failure evolves into success. You make an investment in a stock, based on the seller's advice. It turns out to be a dud. Failure here may teach you a lesson - a need to do more research on the stock, or on the seller ? or on both. You meet someone, fall in love, and get married within a month. Three months later you're in the middle of a divorce. Another failure with a lesson learned, hopefully.

Then there's permanent failure; he does the same thing over and over again and gets the same bad results. He earns the title, "Failure."

Everyone wants to know how to be successful, but not everyone is prepared to take the action required to do (or stop doing) what it takes to achieve success. We avidly devour books on success and motivation. They are some of the biggest sellers found in bookshops, usually listed under "psychology", "self-improvement", "management", or "business." People attend lectures and seminars by business and motivational speakers on how to be more accomplished, more productive, and more successful. They are impressed, inspired, and uplifted. But 80-90% of those people do nothing as a result of attending those events. They take no action to achieve what they know and believe should be done to change their circumstances for the better. How come?

Rather than spout off here about how to become successful, I'm going to talk about how you can become a failure ? a little reverse psychology. I can talk about this because I've been there and I've learned some tough lessons. Tom Peters said failure in itself is good, even necessary. Without failure there can be no real learning or achievement. Permanent failure, however, is when we don't learn from our temporary failures. The real issue is that if you don't focus on what causes failure, and if you don't decide to do something about it, you're perpetuating permanent failure and blocking any path to success.

Here are thirteen ways to fail consistently:

1. Have no written goals whatsoever.

2. Have no plans.

3. Take little or no action, even if you have goals.

4. Associate with the wrong people.

5. Watch too much TV.

6. Never listen to, or inquire about, others' interests.

7. Avoid all risks.

8. Complain and whine constantly.

9. Depend on others too much.

10. Don't read or study success.

11. Stay in your comfort zone.

12. Blame others for your "bad luck."

13. Be afraid to say 'No!"

Here's how to reverse the flow of permanent failure

? Make a big circle around the ones that are true for you.

? Make a decision to make them part of your new focus.

? Rewrite each circled item like this: for example, # 1: "Because I have no goals whatsoever, I am dissatisfied (or bored) with my life" or "I see no success in my future" or "I will never be promoted", or some other negative result you can think of. Be as honest as you can. Then decide to change the status quo. Pick one item and work on it, starting today. Let me know how you made out! In future articles I will elaborate on some of these specific causes of permanent failure.

John Madden is an international speaker, trainer, and author of "Leap, Don't Sleep" (How to get different results by doing something different). He helps businesses and individuals become more successful through customer service training, changing present results, coaching skills for managers, stress management through humor, time management, and interpersonal skills. You can reach him at 316-689-6932; email at john@leapdontsleep.com; web site: john@leapdontsleep.com

move out cleaning service Lake Forest ..

In The News:

A third-party dental marketing agency's unsecured database exposed millions of patient profiles with personal information that could be exploited for identity theft and insurance fraud.

New York-based Aircela unveils refrigerator-size device that converts air and water into fossil-free gasoline, with initial deployments planned for 2025.

Your home address is easily accessible on people finder sites, putting you at risk for stalking and identity theft, but data removal services can help protect your personal information.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Robot combat evolves at Unitree's Iron Fist King event as G1 robots face off in China, featuring knockouts, precise strikes and agile machines that can perform side flips.

Take control of your digital privacy with actionable tips like Facebook privacy checkup, location tracking management and data removal services to protect your personal information.

Smart TVs and streaming devices manufactured in China are being compromised by BadBox 2.0 malware before users even power them on; infections have been detected in 222 countries.

The lightweight, 15-pound Tenniix tennis robot mimics pro playing styles like Nadal and Federer, using AI trained on 8,000 hours of professional tennis data.

Oak Ridge's uranium enrichment facility supports America's AI ambitions amid concerns that China's aggressive nuclear reactor construction could give it an edge in powering data centers.

Facebook scam ads now leverage AI and deepfakes to create convincing celebrity endorsements, targeting specific demographics with sophisticated schemes.

Apple unveils iOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe and iPadOS 26 with translucent Liquid Glass design at WWDC 2025, featuring ChatGPT integration as competitors advance rapidly.

The Atom Touch prosthetic arm combines an AI neural interface with EMG sensors, allowing amputees to control individual fingers with precision at an affordable $25,000.

Aspen officials aim to have crews on the scene within five minutes — something they say would be nearly impossible without precise location data the AI technology gives.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says iPads are usually secure, but hackers can access them. Spot warning signs early to protect your data.

Tech expert Kurt Knutsson reveals how to easily move photos and videos off your iPhone or Android to securely protect your favorite moments.

The Social Security Administration is launching digital SSN access this summer. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to use it and protect your identity.

Glide underwater with CudaJet and make the ocean your playground. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses the redesigned tech that might be your next big thrilling adventure.

Protect yourself from login alert scams with five security steps, including avoiding suspicious links, checking account activity and enabling two-factor authentication

Skip the usual Father's Day gifts with personalized ideas for tech enthusiasts, home brewers, pool owners, seniors, outdoor lovers and privacy-conscious dads.

DMV text scam alert: Fraudsters impersonating motor vehicle departments nationwide are sending threatening messages about unpaid tickets and tolls to steal your information.

Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.

E-BAR, MIT's mobile robot, provides physical support for seniors with handlebars that follow from behind, helping prevent falls while maintaining dignity for aging adults.

AI is changing everything – now, we can even use it to generate video. I tried OpenAI's Sora and Google's Veo – here's how they measure up against each other.

Five simple phone setting tweaks that make your device work harder for you, from automatic text message deletion to scheduled focus modes.

Android users can save time with 10 simple automations, including automatic battery saver mode, location-based Wi-Fi settings and scheduled "Do Not Disturb" mode.

Avoid The Thirteen Habits of a Failure

Success