Are You Standing In Your Own Way?

12 Obstacles to Success

Being smart and talented is the spark to Entrepreneurship (this also includes music producers/ various artists) but there is much more involved in success. We each have areas we can improve on that will result in greater rewards and returns. SocialWerk has identified the following 12 behaviors that cause businesses to fail. The great news is once we recognize the patterns, we can work to change them.

1. Lack of Motivation

Self motivation is very necessary. Being inspired is cool but if you aren't motivated to DO something it means nothing and results in nothing.

2. Lack of Self Control

The inability to control impulses can cause havoc in all areas of people’s lives, but in business especially, unplanned choices can lead to undesired outcomes. Impulsive decisions can hinder you long term, being thoughtful and deliberate is the best course of action for success.

3. Lack of Perseverance

If you give up on your goals too soon you will never know what could have been achieved. Obstacles are not end of the road, they are just obstacles in the road. There is no guarantee that if you continue that you will accomplish every goal but there is a guarantee that if you quit you will never accomplish them.

4. You Don't Have The Right Skill Set

 Okay this is a hard one for people to recognize. Maybe your dream and your abilities aren't as compatible for success as you would like. Maybe your skill set is better utilized in a different field. Check your reality often. Everything isn’t for everyone, yall.

5. You Don't Actually Execute Your Ideas

Many people have great ideas, but if they are never executed it results in nothing. At SocialWerk we say,” Thoughts that don't become things are really just dreams.” Make sure you credit us on the quote! lol

6. Unfocused

Is what you are working on right now part of your overall plan or goal? What does it contribute to the end result of your over all goals? We suggest creating a graph of where your time and energy is being spent, you might be surprised where your time is going and where you can redirect your focus.

7. Next Step Fear

 People find it difficult to end their projects or move into the next step and studies indicate that is generally fear based behavior. Perfectionists tend to find themselves stuck in this process. We have worked with clients who won't complete a project because it is more comfortable to be working on it then to deal with the anxiety of possibly failing or not meeting their expectations.

8. No Real Plan aka The Just Throw It Out There Crew

Failure to create an actual plan is another type of behavior that can result in undesired outcomes. People who do not have a plan will often blame any lack of success on just throwing it out there or act like it wasn't that important to them anyway. A plan is always necessary for long term success. Failure anxiety can literally paralyze an entrepreneur.

9. Lack of Accountability

When things don't go as planned, and that is something that is bound to happen along the way, we have to be able to properly assess the situation. Being able to objectively evaluate what went wrong and what went right is a skill that Bawses possess. Blaming others or circumstances is a weak characteristic of individuals who don’t recognize they have control of their own lives.

10. Self Pity

 A successful business person does not have time for a pity party. Everyone is dealing with something, deal with your personal issues and keep it moving. Allowing personal problems to interfere with professional life will take you out of focus on the tasks at hand. Highly emotionally intelligent people are able to manage these two areas separately and keep things in proper perspective.

11. Requiring Instant Gratification

 It is easy to get caught up in being rewarded right now. You might even be feeling highly successful and benefiting currently from impulsive decisions financially but what you are focusing on for the immediate can away from building out long term. Creating a brand that has long term potential means making decisions that require time and patience in execution. It makes sense when you are first starting out to focus all of your efforts on immediate sales that bring income in. But focusing on marketing to build your brand over the long haul is what will result in longevity in business.

12. Lack of Self Confidence

 Regardless of a person’s intelligence or business savvy, lacking self confidence will have a negative effect on the ability to successfully attain goals. Lack of confidence results in inaction, setting the bar too low and missed opportunities. Self confidence is not arrogance, but the belief in one’s self, skills and the ability to succeed at determined goals. Self confident people have the ability to say no when appropriate and the ability to say yes because they know they are worthy.

The obstacles above can all be overcome with the desire to recognize shortcomings paired with the willingness to learn and the strength of purpose to succeed. SocialWerk is available to assist with all aspects of Social Media coaching, strategy, marketing content and branding. We are available at socialwerkinc@gmail.com