Sometimes, to become successful and get closer to the person you’re wishing to become, you don’t have to add more things — you need to give up on some.

Here are 10 of the best for those interested in going to the next level .

1. Give Up On The Unhealthy Lifestyle

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” — Jim Rohn

Recently, I got sick. Or, more accurately, I was sick for some time but only recently did I take it seriously.

Once I finally admitted this to myself, I decided to invest in my health.

It turns out that getting sick is expensive.

And mindful awareness to get healthy again is exhausting.

“I just want to eat what I want to eat and do what I want to do. It’s not that much to ask for, is it?” I would say.

The trouble is, I wasn’t listening to my body and I paid the price for it.

Now, I’m healthy again, I realise it’s easier (and cheaper) to stay healthy rather than get sick and start over again. So, I’m giving up on all the unhealthy lifestyle choices and channeling them into creativity.

As of yet, it’s paying off.

Read also: 4 ways to speed up your personal growth

2. Give Up On the Short-term Mindset

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”_ — _Mae West

Successful people set long-term goals, dream big, and have incredible stamina. However, they know that their goals are met by creating daily habits that support growth and discipline.

Therefore, healthy habits shouldn’t be something we do; they should be something we become.

3. Give Up On Playing Small

There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” — Nelson Mandela.

If you never take risks, opportunities will never materialise because there will always be familiar outcomes.

So, give up playing small and unleash your true potential.

Try not to be afraid of making mistakes or failing either. And definitely don’t be afraid to succeed.

4. Give Up Your Excuses

“It’s not about the cards you’re dealt, but how you play the hand.” ― Randy Pausch

Successful people know that they are responsible for their own lives, no matter how difficult their starting point, weaknesses, or past failures have been.

Realising that we are responsible for what happens next in life is both exhilarating and frightening. But when we start letting go of excuses that limit and prevent our growth, our personal, professional, and spiritual development can blossom.

That all starts with taking full ownership of one’s life.

5. Give Up The Fixed Mindset

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” ― Robert Greene

Successful people invest an enormous amount of time and energy into developing a growth mindset. They acquire new knowledge, learn new skills, and constantly change their perspective to remain current.

Paradoxically, this ability to focus on one path while adapting a thousand ways keeps us fresh.

But first, we have to give up the idea that anything is fixed, especially the mind.

6. Give Up Believing There’ll Be A Perfect Time to Start

“Remember, there is no perfect time for anything. There is only now.” — Jack Canfield

Overnight success is a myth. And the best time to start was last year.

Successful people know that making small continual improvements every day will be compounded over time, and give them more desirable results.

Everyone wishes they’d planted a tree yesterday. But as the old Chinese proverb goes: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

7. Give Up On Perfectionism

“Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” — Mark Twain

Nothing will ever be perfect, no matter how hard we try.

The fear of failure (even the fear of success) doesn’t help the process along either. In fact, it often prevents us from taking action or putting our creative energy out in the world.

So many opportunities either get lost or not taken when we wait around the things to be perfect.

Giving up on perfectionism releases some of the pressure.

8. Give Up Your Need to Control Everything

“Relax, nothing is under control” — Adi Da

So, detach from the things you can’t control and focus on the ones you can. But more importantly, know that the only thing we can control is our attitude towards something.

9. Give Up On Saying YES To So Many Things

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” — Steve Jobs

Successful people know that in order to accomplish their goals, they will have to say NO to certain tasks, activities, and demands.

In the short term, this might feel like a sacrifice but when your goals come to fruition, it will all be worth it.

Read also: 5 Habits of emotionally stable people

10. Give Up Your Need To Be Liked

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

This was a huge one for me when I first started writing online.

Suddenly, I was out there naked for all to see.

This made me vulnerable to hate mail.

Ironically, the idea of hate mail was way worse than actually receiving it. That’s when I realised that we can never appeal to or please everyone and that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay because there is space for everyone.

And there’s no need to justify yourself.

The only yardstick that I live by now is how authentic I am being and how much value am I adding to the world every day.

That’s it.

If there are a growing number of “haters” it probably means I’m doing something right.

Contributed by Andy Murphy

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