I've spent some time around unsuccessful people.
Most of them live in a bubble of hopelessness trying to
figure out how to break out of their cell (or cubicle). It's sad. One
person I know is so unhappy and stuck that he seems to always be moving
backward, not forward--faltering so much in his lack of productivity that it's almost comical. Being around unsuccessful people is never fun.
If you listen to folks who can't seem to push ahead in
their career or who have never started a company or led large groups of
people, they all seem to mimic the same speech patterns. They talk the
same language. Here are the 10 phrases they always use. Spot this
negative talk in others (or in yourself), and you'll find the wrench in
your business's growth.
1. "That's impossible"
The most unsuccessful people are always pointing out what
is not possible. "Oh, we can't make an app like that because it will
compete too much with Tumblr" or "That new Bluetooth speaker won't
generate any sales because there are too many on the market already."
They live in a world of impossibilities; they have a can't-do attitude.
And they are sinking the ship of success.
2. "I can do it all myself"
When you hear someone on your team or a colleague insisting
how she can finish a project or how he can complete the work better
without any help from other employees, take note: That person is going
to slow things down and is ruining the project. He or she will not
create an atmosphere of success but has only his or her ambition in
mind. Ironically enough, unsuccessful people are always those who push
their own agenda and don't see the value of teamwork. That's the very
thing that ruins their career.
3. "I have a problem with that"
Nitpickers never prosper. I remember going to meetings in my corporate career with dozens
of people sitting at tables in a big room. Inevitably, someone would
always stand up and start venting about some highly specific pet peeve
in front of the entire crowd. He or she should have started wearing a
sign that said "unsuccessful" to the meeting. He or she found one
problem and then overfocused on it to bring the whole team down.
4. "Don't forget the details"
People who are really unsuccessful are crippled by their task list.
The most successful people are those who see the goal and know how to
get there. Most important, they know that the details on a project are a
means to an end. Finishing a task list is not a sign of success;
creating a lasting company that makes an outstanding product is.
5. "I like my own idea"
Have you noticed how people at work sometimes like only
their own ideas? It is a sign of selfishness and shows an inability to
embrace the team objective. It also spells disaster. Those who like and
promote only their own ideas are severely limited, because none of us
can achieve success with only our own ideas. Imagine trying to build a
company by never entertaining any other ideas. Collaboration always
propels a company forward.
