7 reasons why smart people or hard workers may not be successful. Because from the facts in real life, it has been shown that being smart or hard working is not a guarantee that we will be successful. So, to understand this matter more, let’s continue reading this article.
Since childhood, we are often taught to be diligent students because diligent students will become intelligent children. Even we ourselves believe that people who study hard for exams will definitely be the ones who get the top scores in the class in the final exams. It’s as if it’s a formula that we’ve been set up with, that if we’re diligent, smart, and in a good environment, that person will definitely be successful.
But when we step into the workplace, we will see that the truth is not always like that. There are many variables that make intelligence and hard work not always lead to success. First of all, the success that everyone craves for may be different. But if we explain it neutrally and easily, it is a life where we have the desired career, have a warm family while still being healthy. So what is the reason that intelligent people who work hard do not reach these successes?
Here are 7 reasons why smart people or hard workers are not successful, even if you are smart and hard working.
1. You’re not open to meeting new people.
It is normal to stick to the same people, such as the same group of friends, the same team, or the same boss. Actually, these things are not wrong because the people we know well are the ones with whom we can talk comfortably, know what should and should not be done. In other words, we already know each other’s styles. The disadvantage of sticking to the same society is that the set of ideas you receive will be the same set of ideas that are repeatedly used. Trying to open your mind to get to know new people will help open your world, and you will learn new perspectives and ideas that you have never experienced or even that you and your friends have never known.
Start with a simple goal, such as introducing yourself to someone new once a week. It could be a friend from another department, a vendor at a rice shop, or someone sitting at the next table drinking beer.
2. You don’t accept change.
Staying stuck in the same old thing for too long can make you a walled person and not open to new things because you don’t know it. But change is always an opportunity for growth. Change is a channel that people use to develop and move forward. People who stand still can never succeed. Sometimes, a small change can help you find the way to the goal that you have been waiting for all along.
Open your mind to the world and allow yourself to make some changes. You can start with small changes like taking the bus instead of driving, taking a training course on an unfamiliar topic, or trying out coaching books.
3. You are not willing to take risks.
Most intelligent people always have reasonable considerations in every action. They choose the path that is safe for their work and themselves. It can be said that they have a comfort zone created from their intelligence. Therefore, they do not dare to step out into the unknown because it is too risky to calculate the desired results. However, being stuck in the comfort zone will make your work ordinary, not special to others. The unknown will create creative work and create learning that you have never experienced.
Whenever you feel unsure about stepping out of your comfort zone, think about what you will regret if you don’t do this in 10 years. Will you say, “I should have done this”?
4. You believe you will succeed simply because you have succeeded in the past.
This is a scary thing for smart people. When we get a grade 4 throughout high school, it turns out that when we enter university, it is not like that. Not only children, but many people tend to be lost in past successes and pull it into the present, wondering how successful they were in the past. If we continue to act the same way, we will be successful in the present and in the future. But the real world is not like that. Being correct does not mean being praised. Being the best in terms of quality may not be the best in the eyes of the examiner. You do not always get the results that match the work you do.
This isn’t to say to throw away your past successes. You can still be proud of your past successes, but you need to tone down your ego by stopping thinking that you can achieve the same success you’ve achieved in the past. Real-world success involves hard work, strategy, and luck, and if you want to have a little bit of luck, you need to combine the first two. You don’t just have to be smart; you have to work hard and strategically.
5. You are afraid of wasting time.
One of the things that smart people hate the most is wasting time on things they see as useless. Every minute wasted could be a minute that they miss out on something important, making them want to turn the tables when they feel like it’s not the right path. While this is a solid time management skill, it will prevent you from achieving your long-term goals. There are steps along the way to your goals, and they take longer or longer depending on how you manage them. But if you’re afraid to waste time and don’t go all the way, you’ll never reach your long-term goals. You’ll only be halfway through the many paths you’ve taken. In the end, even if you’re good at it, you won’t be the best at it.
Give time to the path you choose. When you have a long-term goal, plan it step by step, be patient and keep going, even on days when you feel tired, discouraged or have a difficult time, but try your best. Reaching your goal requires perseverance. Focusing on one long-term goal gives better results than chasing after one thing and then changing when you get bored.
6. You can’t decide.
Most successful people have a ton of options knocking at their door. They spend a lot of time trying to decide which path to take once they open the door. The many paths that open up to them are filled with opportunities and risks. What keeps them from succeeding is the inability to make a decision, the fear that if they make the wrong choice, they will fail or that they will not be able to make the same choice again.
The easiest way to know which path is the most suitable for you is to try it out. Try to go in, talk to it, touch it, study it, and research it to see which path is the path you want and that you can succeed in. Of course, you are not the first one to encounter these paths. There are many examples from the past that are waiting for us to study and research. It is better than just sitting and thinking until it is too late to choose one path.
7. You don’t believe in yourself.
Most intelligent people who can evaluate people or work well, have the lowest self-evaluation. They are their own worst critics. The intelligence that leads to analysis to find the most perfect work often ends up accepting the work done twice. On the surface, this may sound like an advantage, but this kind of repetitive work is very bad for the person doing it. Their body will be used more for the work than it should be. The perfection from the result that they want will prevent them from doing the same thing and not being able to move forward.
Don’t let the thought “I’m not good enough” keep you from moving forward or trying something new. Every time you think you’re not good enough, ask yourself, have I tried? What would my life be like if I didn’t do it? What would it be like if I did? Looking at the results will make you excited and can’t wait to finally try.
Conclusion
This article is not just for smart people. As I said, you smart people often fail because of your carelessness and overconfidence. Now you know that thinking like that is hindering your success.
The 7 reasons above are things that we do or feel without our realizing it. Try to observe yourself carefully and stop these obstacles in time. Everyone can succeed if you want to.
So, deal with the 7 reasons why smart or hard-working people don’t succeed. And that’s it, your chances of success will instantly increase.
Reference: 7 Reasons Why Smart, Hardworking People Don’t Become Successful
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