If you’ve chosen this piece to read, then maybe we assume that you’re not successful, or at least not to the degree you really want to be. By the end of this article, you will finally understand why that is and what needs to change for you to get there.

Here at Entrepreneurs Blog, we represent intelligent individuals who despite growing up under harsh conditions have taken their future into their own hands. We know you’re one of them and that’s why you‘re a part of our community.

We will hold no punches, we will call you out on your bullsh*t, and hopefully, this will be a stepping stone for the both of us. Here are 15 Do’s & Don’ts for a Successful Life. Also, we’ll try understanding the “don’ts” first, and then find a solution(do’s) in the contrary of it.

01 Overestimating Where You Are in Your Timeline

Success is not around the corner, success is at the end of this highway you’re on. You probably expect it to come sooner than it’s meant to happen.

Here’s the mistake people make: You expect the target to come to you sooner, instead of increasing the speed you go towards it. The more you learn about the world, the clearer it becomes just how far you still have to go. Don’t focus on time — instead — focus on how fast you’re able to move.

Time flows the same for everyone, but we don’t move through it at the same pace. This is the breakthrough you’re looking for, this is what other people manage to do in a single year 3 to 5 times more than everyone else. This is why you’re left behind as you’re simply not moving the same way.

Take control of your timeline by taking control of how fast you move!

02 Failing to Build a Team & the Systems Required to Accelerate the Process

You’re accustomed to doing everything yourself because you know how to do it best, don’t you? Your entire life changes the moment you realize that even at your full capacity, you can not hold this rhythm for long enough for you to win.

The sooner you get this brutal wake-up call, the sooner you’ll realize the importance of bringing people in on your journey. No matter how brilliant you are, long term you will lose out to those competing as a team. Working together as a team is a completely different beast than working alone. Trusting other people to deliver on their promises is just as important.

Here’s the golden rule of working in teams:

Just do what you said you’ll do!

This builds predictability and predictability allows you to build self-sustaining systems. If the people you choose, care about the destination just as much as you do, they’ll work on improving those systems on your behalf. It will take some time, but once you all click in together, you’ll be unstoppable and the growth will be exponential.

03 Not Knowing How to use Other People’s Money to Make Yourself Rich

This is the difference between people who climb 2–3 steps at a time on the wealth ladder, versus, those who climb up one step at a time. And it’s not just other people’s money, it’s other people’s know-how, other people’s connections, other people’s businesses, and more.

You’re too much of a lone wolf, and that’s good if you’re hunting rabbits or squirrels. But if you want to take down the wooly-mammoth, you will need new tools and a pack to hunt together. You will need to learn how to be strategic, how to corner it, and how to go in for the kill. The more you think about this metaphor, the more you’ll understand your current limitations.

Other people’s money allows you to build wealth 10x faster!

Learn how to use banks, learn how to pitch to investors, learn to use crowd-funding, and tokenize your project if you have to. The problem of using your own money is that there’s always a limit to your ability to finance your growth. Allow other people to take some of that risk and let them reap some of the rewards alongside you.

04 Not Hanging Out With the Right People

We’re not talking about people who can open doors for you, although that definitely helps, but about people who are so committed and focused on their journey that they inspire you to push even harder on yours.

When you’re in the presence of greatness, of success, of visionaries, some of their aura rubs onto you. Watching them move, hearing them articulate their own vision, brute forces your mind to shift gears and think in a way you haven’t before.

It’s always bigger —

Bigger in terms of impact.
Bigger in terms of the amount of action.
Bigger in terms of the size of the true end goal.
We love Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn and he has a phenomenal quote that says —

The fastest way to change is to hang out with people who already are what you want to become!

Your main problem right now — believe it or not — is that you’re unable to think big enough. Even if you say you do think big enough, you have no idea how to connect the dots from your present to this imagined future.

05 Not Setting, Following & Tracking Your Goals Properly

Speaking of thinking big and setting big goals: You go through life in the general direction in which you want to go, but don’t structure it enough for it to become a process.

You’re like someone lost in the woods, you know that if you just keep heading north, you’ll eventually get out. Well, those super successful individuals have a different strategy. They have GPS, they keep track of the time, they check for the weather, they create a progress calendar in order to have a predictable time frame of getting out of the woods and into the promised land.

90% of the population has dreams & wishes.
10% of the population has goals for their life.
But only 1% has a plan to hit those goals.
That’s what makes them extraordinary, that’s why you look at them in awe…

There’s a way to deconstruct goals in such a way that it makes them achievable in a shorter timeframe than you expect. Everything we’ve ever achieved has been the result of this unique framework that we have perfected for ourselves.

06 Lacking the Discipline to Move the Needle Every Single Day

This article is about Do’s & Don’ts for a Successful Life. The secret is in the things you do every day that gets you one step closer to your target. You know how you feel, we know you’re tired, exhausted & burned out. Learn to rest, learn to focus on other parts of the process, but keep the process going.

People hit this inflection point where they just want to burn it all to the ground and quit, but what you don’t see is the progress you’ve made versus where you started. The more you zoom out, the more you realize just how far you’ve actually come. Your life is better today because of the little things, of the small actions, because of the days where you didn’t feel like putting in the work and still did something to move the needle.

The biggest secret to our long-term growth has been the commitment to action. Once we say we are going to do something, we never stop doing it unless the fundamentals have radically changed. That’s why even to this day, we publish 1 article per day on our blog. So make sure you’ve followed us & subscribed to our daily newsletter for everyday knowledge, productivity, self improvement & more.

07 Not Focusing

Or better said: Getting easily distracted!

The world is abundant with opportunity, but you’ve only got so much brainpower to go around. In business, this is called “Opportunity Cost”. The more time you spend on something else, the less time you invest into what actually matters. Find the thing that will probably have the highest impact into your life and make that your guiding light.

Put on your horse blinders and go after that “one thing” relentlessly…

Everything you consume, every action you take should be congruent with that “one thing”, because that’s what’s actually going to change your life.

08 Not Being in the Physical Proximity of Success

Did you know there’s such a thing as physical proximity to success?

Statistically: You’re more likely to become a billionaire if you’re in Silicon Valley, US rather than Manipur, India — just to give an example.

Physical proximity allows for deal flow and the opportunity to run into people who can be an active part in your growth process.

Please remember this: The closer you are to the money, the more likely you are to make money! Hang out with rich people and you’ll eventually be rich. Hang around market-makers, and you’ll take advantage of the market.

09 Not Yet Being the Person Worthy of Success

What we mean by that is that you don’t yet have the skills required to achieve the tasks you set out for yourself. But that’s okay, because it’s part of the process.

Very much like a video game, you need to build up your inventory of tools and experience so that you can move into the next level. You think you’re ready, but the upcoming boss fight would prove most painful.

Not putting you in front of the perfect opportunity is life’s way of not squandering it away. It’s waiting for you to be ready. What tools are you missing? What’s missing from your puzzle? In the ideal situation, what would your team be able to do to get you to that next level?

Do’s & Don’ts for a Successful Life

If you’ve chosen this piece to read, then maybe we assume that you’re not successful, or at least not to the degree you really want to be. By the end of this article, you will finally understand why that is and what needs to change for you to get there.

Here at Entrepreneurs Blog, we represent intelligent individuals who despite growing up under harsh conditions have taken their future into their own hands. We know you’re one of them and that’s why you‘re a part of our community.

We will hold no punches, we will call you out on your bullsh*t, and hopefully, this will be a stepping stone for the both of us. Here are 15 Do’s & Don’ts for a Successful Life. Also, we’ll try understanding the “don’ts” first, and then find a solution(do’s) in the contrary of it.

01 Overestimating Where You Are in Your Timeline

Success is not around the corner, success is at the end of this highway you’re on. You probably expect it to come sooner than it’s meant to happen.

Here’s the mistake people make: You expect the target to come to you sooner, instead of increasing the speed you go towards it. The more you learn about the world, the clearer it becomes just how far you still have to go. Don’t focus on time — instead — focus on how fast you’re able to move.

Time flows the same for everyone, but we don’t move through it at the same pace. This is the breakthrough you’re looking for, this is what other people manage to do in a single year 3 to 5 times more than everyone else. This is why you’re left behind as you’re simply not moving the same way.

Take control of your timeline by taking control of how fast you move!

02 Failing to Build a Team & the Systems Required to Accelerate the Process

You’re accustomed to doing everything yourself because you know how to do it best, don’t you? Your entire life changes the moment you realize that even at your full capacity, you can not hold this rhythm for long enough for you to win.

The sooner you get this brutal wake-up call, the sooner you’ll realize the importance of bringing people in on your journey. No matter how brilliant you are, long term you will lose out to those competing as a team. Working together as a team is a completely different beast than working alone. Trusting other people to deliver on their promises is just as important.

Here’s the golden rule of working in teams:

Just do what you said you’ll do!

This builds predictability and predictability allows you to build self-sustaining systems. If the people you choose, care about the destination just as much as you do, they’ll work on improving those systems on your behalf. It will take some time, but once you all click in together, you’ll be unstoppable and the growth will be exponential.

03 Not Knowing How to use Other People’s Money to Make Yourself Rich

This is the difference between people who climb 2–3 steps at a time on the wealth ladder, versus, those who climb up one step at a time. And it’s not just other people’s money, it’s other people’s know-how, other people’s connections, other people’s businesses, and more.

You’re too much of a lone wolf, and that’s good if you’re hunting rabbits or squirrels. But if you want to take down the wooly-mammoth, you will need new tools and a pack to hunt together. You will need to learn how to be strategic, how to corner it, and how to go in for the kill. The more you think about this metaphor, the more you’ll understand your current limitations.

Other people’s money allows you to build wealth 10x faster!

Learn how to use banks, learn how to pitch to investors, learn to use crowd-funding, and tokenize your project if you have to. The problem of using your own money is that there’s always a limit to your ability to finance your growth. Allow other people to take some of that risk and let them reap some of the rewards alongside you.

04 Not Hanging Out With the Right People

We’re not talking about people who can open doors for you, although that definitely helps, but about people who are so committed and focused on their journey that they inspire you to push even harder on yours.

When you’re in the presence of greatness, of success, of visionaries, some of their aura rubs onto you. Watching them move, hearing them articulate their own vision, brute forces your mind to shift gears and think in a way you haven’t before.

It’s always bigger —

Bigger in terms of impact.
Bigger in terms of the amount of action.
Bigger in terms of the size of the true end goal.
We love Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn and he has a phenomenal quote that says —

The fastest way to change is to hang out with people who already are what you want to become!

Your main problem right now — believe it or not — is that you’re unable to think big enough. Even if you say you do think big enough, you have no idea how to connect the dots from your present to this imagined future.

05 Not Setting, Following & Tracking Your Goals Properly

Speaking of thinking big and setting big goals: You go through life in the general direction in which you want to go, but don’t structure it enough for it to become a process.

You’re like someone lost in the woods, you know that if you just keep heading north, you’ll eventually get out. Well, those super successful individuals have a different strategy. They have GPS, they keep track of the time, they check for the weather, they create a progress calendar in order to have a predictable time frame of getting out of the woods and into the promised land.

90% of the population has dreams & wishes.
10% of the population has goals for their life.
But only 1% has a plan to hit those goals.
That’s what makes them extraordinary, that’s why you look at them in awe…

There’s a way to deconstruct goals in such a way that it makes them achievable in a shorter timeframe than you expect. Everything we’ve ever achieved has been the result of this unique framework that we have perfected for ourselves.

06 Lacking the Discipline to Move the Needle Every Single Day

This article is about Do’s & Don’ts for a Successful Life. The secret is in the things you do every day that gets you one step closer to your target. You know how you feel, we know you’re tired, exhausted & burned out. Learn to rest, learn to focus on other parts of the process, but keep the process going.

People hit this inflection point where they just want to burn it all to the ground and quit, but what you don’t see is the progress you’ve made versus where you started. The more you zoom out, the more you realize just how far you’ve actually come. Your life is better today because of the little things, of the small actions, because of the days where you didn’t feel like putting in the work and still did something to move the needle.

The biggest secret to our long-term growth has been the commitment to action. Once we say we are going to do something, we never stop doing it unless the fundamentals have radically changed. That’s why even to this day, we publish 1 article per day on our blog. So make sure you’ve followed us & subscribed to our daily newsletter for everyday knowledge, productivity, self improvement & more.

07 Not Focusing

Or better said: Getting easily distracted!

The world is abundant with opportunity, but you’ve only got so much brainpower to go around. In business, this is called “Opportunity Cost”. The more time you spend on something else, the less time you invest into what actually matters. Find the thing that will probably have the highest impact into your life and make that your guiding light.

Put on your horse blinders and go after that “one thing” relentlessly…

Everything you consume, every action you take should be congruent with that “one thing”, because that’s what’s actually going to change your life.

08 Not Being in the Physical Proximity of Success

Did you know there’s such a thing as physical proximity to success?

Statistically: You’re more likely to become a billionaire if you’re in Silicon Valley, US rather than Manipur, India — just to give an example.

Physical proximity allows for deal flow and the opportunity to run into people who can be an active part in your growth process.

Please remember this: The closer you are to the money, the more likely you are to make money! Hang out with rich people and you’ll eventually be rich. Hang around market-makers, and you’ll take advantage of the market.

09 Not Yet Being the Person Worthy of Success

What we mean by that is that you don’t yet have the skills required to achieve the tasks you set out for yourself. But that’s okay, because it’s part of the process.

Very much like a video game, you need to build up your inventory of tools and experience so that you can move into the next level. You think you’re ready, but the upcoming boss fight would prove most painful.

Not putting you in front of the perfect opportunity is life’s way of not squandering it away. It’s waiting for you to be ready. What tools are you missing? What’s missing from your puzzle? In the ideal situation, what would your team be able to do to get you to that next level?

Build those skills or hire people who already have them and that’s it!

10 Not Exposing Yourself to Enough Inspiring Information

We believe in this idea of micro-learning: the notion of consistent consumption of valuable information that stacks up throughout your life. This idea of getting any percent better every single day has proven to be the most effective way of getting high returns in life.

Knowledge compounds over time!

And you never know where that one piece of information that you’re missing might come from. One idea from an audiobook, a course or a piece of advice from a mentor could be the click you need.

Not to spoil anything, but we think we figured out a way to deliver that kind of concentrated value on a consistent basis. We’ll say nothing more but just navigate you to these 3 mins read after completing this article.

11 Being Invested in “Passive Income” Instead of “Capital Gains”

The biggest mistake newbie entrepreneurs make is they think that — Early in the game, you should focus on “Passive Income”. That is wrong! If you are early in your journey, the focus should be on “Capital Gains”.

Pay attention, because this is important: If you’ve got $25,000, that’s nowhere near enough to build passive income with. You might use it as a down-payment on a house, rent it out and have the renter cover the mortgage. If you do all the math and subtract all the expenses, you’re left with $200 a month in passive income. And that’s nice, you’ve got a stream of income and building equity in the property, but that’s not life-changing money. 200 extra dollars per month will not be the shift you’re looking for.

At this stage of the game, instead of using that initial capital to build passive income, you need to find ways to turn the 25k into 250k. This is the challenge you have right now. It’s not that you don’t have enough passive income, your problem is you don’t have enough money to buy the passive income sources. Pay close attention to this important distinction. The sooner you figure out your capital gains game, the sooner you can move into the passive income sources.

Note: But it won’t work unless you find ways to consistently increase your income.

12 Not Embracing Enough Risk & Playing it Safe

This one builds on the previous point. You’re disappointed that you’re not successful yet or that it’s taking far longer than expected to get there, but you’ve been scared of the risk, you’re scared of taking the kind of risk that gives you higher rewards.

Maybe it’s because you’re not confident in your ability which is why you should invest in yourself first. Maybe it’s because you’re scared you’re going to lose everything you’ve built, which leads us to believe you got to this point through luck or things outside of your control.

A massive wake-up call came into our lives when we realized that if everything went away, our minds and everything we’ve learned is our biggest asset. Nobody can take away what you know! Of course, it would suck having all your hard work swept away by this imaginary demon you project in the universe you live in, but everything around you is replaceable. It’s just things and people you met at one point in your life.

You can build another team.
You can get new tools.
You can find new customers.
You can build new products & services.
Once this revelation happens, your attitude towards risk dramatically changes and you’re free to pursue higher rewards.

13 Nobody Knowing Who You Are & What You Do

Let’s be honest, no matter how good you think you are as a product or service provider, if nobody knows who you are, they won’t be able to buy from you or give you the credit you deserve.

It doesn’t matter if you’re the smartest person to ever live, if you spend your entire life in a cave not sharing your knowledge with the world, it’s all in vain. If you don’t share your gift with the world, you’re doing everyone a disservice including yourself.

If you’re wondering why you’re not successful yet, the most likely answer is that you have an awareness issue. If what you deliver is actually as good as you claim to be, then it’s just a matter of getting in front of as many people that need what you provide. If it’s actually valuable, they’ll buy it, they’ll tell their friends, they’ll speak highly of the service you provided to them and how much you helped.

People simply can’t buy from you if they don’t know you exist!

14 Being Busy Without Being Productive

If you know what to do… Do! If you don’t know what to do… Learn!

There’s two types of work —

One that moves you closer to your goal.
One that keeps things stable.
If you’re not making progress towards your goals, it might be because you’re spending too much time on doing only maintenance work. Yes, the engine is running, but unless you put the car in drive and grab a hold of the steering wheel, you’re not gonna get very far.

Learn to tell the difference between being busy & being productive and your entire perspective on what needs to happen will change.

15 Being Scared of Success & Losing Yourself in the Process

As outrageous as that might sound, it’s actually true!

As individuals: We’re scared of progress, we’re scared of leveling up, because it means effort, it means hard work is ahead of us, it means we have to go into battle and conquer whatever comes at us and we know going into battle is dangerous. There’s a pre-installed piece of software within you that’s there to keep you out of danger.

“Why do you want to change anything, when we’re safe right now… we might not be doing that well, but at least we’re not in danger.”

That’s what the voice in your head says!

In order to make the jump, you’ve become someone else. You keep the good, strip away the bad and evolve into the next stage of your identity. You’re not switching, you’re not changing your core — You’re becoming something better!

When the desire for more overcomes the fear of the unknown, you evolve!

The true test is realizing which of these 15 actually plays the biggest role in your life right now and deciding to do something about it. In a test of honesty we ask you: Which of these 15 Reasons is the main one holding you back?

You got here because you were looking for answers and if you did find them, clap this article and come back to re-read it every time you feel like your life has hit a plateau.

As for those of you who stuck with us until the very end, of course there’s a bonus waiting for you.

BONUS

Ask yourself: “What’s your superpower?”. And then, bet everything on that!

The jump you’re looking for lies in your unique ability to do something. Everything you’ve learned up to this point, everything you’ve been through, everything you’ve seen, heard & tasted contributed to a unique cocktail that’s you. Put that authenticity to work and you’ll end up successful sooner than you think. Nobody can compete with you when the game you’re playing is being yourself.

Nobody can be a better “you” than you are!

Be yourself, focus on the superpower of being you and it will prove to be the highest competitive advantage you can find. It’s the leverage that’s missing. Yes, put your name out there, assume risk under your own name, show everyone who you are and you will be rewarded.

At one point, you’ll wake up and realize just how much of an opportunity being you is and you’ll kick yourself for not making the most of it sooner.

CONTRIBUTED BY Entrepreneur’s Blog

Read More:How To Reinvent your Life If You Want to Have a Better Life?