5 Essential Factors That Will Determine Your Success In Life

We all want to look, feel and find success in life. No one grows up wanting to be a failure who is broke, overweight, unemployed and destitute. However, this is the unfortunate reality for many. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If we follow certain philosophies and actions, we can reverse whatever negative path we may have stumbled upon, to one where our success is pretty much guaranteed – provided we stay the course. 

This then begs the question: what are the best practices to ensure my success in life? Glad you asked! Many people mistakenly assume that success is achieved through one GIANT leap that bridges the gap between where they are and where they want to be. But the reality is, success – in any endeavor or undertaking – is a process that’s strung together by countless minuscule, daily actions taken over a prolonged period of time. There are many moving parts. And in this article, I have compiled a list of 5 essential factors that will determine your success in life. Let’s get started. 

Key Factors For Finding More Success in Life

1. Habits 

Your habits are one of the most important factors that will determine where you end up in this world. What you do (and fail to do) is guiding your life every single day in a particular direction. 

The question you should ask yourself is: are my present habits bringing me to where I want to go? Making sure your habits are aligned with your grandest goals and dreams is one of the essential factors that will determine your success in life. 

Align Your Habits With Your Goals To Achieve Success 

If your goal is to run a marathon but you’re spending more time binge-watching Netflix than you are hitting the pavement, you’re on the wrong track. If you’re trying to save money for a downpayment on your first home, but you’re going out every evening for happy hour with friends, you’re on the wrong track. I think you get the picture. 

Your habits must align with your objectives, otherwise, your desires will always remain vague wishes instead of concrete goals. Whatever dream you’ve set your heart upon, be sure that you make the actions that will get you there a habit-knit staple in your daily routine. 

Related: Link Between Self-Control + Success

2. Relationships 

Who you allow into your inner circle will be, without a doubt, a huge contributing factor to your success in life. If you are spending your time with people who don’t contribute anything to your life, who don’t add any value in the form of support, encouragement, and positive words toward your dreams – then you need a new circle. End of story. 

Life is hard enough as it is, and having big goals and ambitions that you’re trying to accomplish makes it even more difficult. The last thing you need is a negative person discouraging and demoralizing your hopes and dreams. 

Do your best to associate with those who share similar goals and interests as you. These are the kinds of high-quality people that will always have a positive word to say, who will motivate you to keep pushing when you doubt yourself, and who will also give you a kick in the ass when you’re not living up to your potential. And this is because they’re on the same path as you. They’re also reaching to achieve their goals and become all they can be. We all need people like this in our lives. 

Determine Which Relationships To Cut To Ensure Success 

It’s very simple, if they don’t encourage or support you, then they have got to go. Life is too short to spend any second longer than you have to in low-quality relationships with people who drag you down. 

Cut out those relationships that are no longer serving you (yes, even if you’ve known them for a long time). It’s okay and perfectly natural to outgrow certain people in your life. It happens. Don’t feel ashamed or guilty for having to pull the plug on those that refuse to grow alongside you. From there, consciously move toward and align with others who are trying to improve and better themselves. 

3. Mindset 

What does your current perspective look like? Do you think positively and constructively about problems and challenges? Is there an inner belief that you can learn the skills and gain the knowledge necessary to achieve success? Do you have a healthy outlook toward yourself and your abilities? Or do you just give up when the first signs of opposition and difficulty present themselves? 

On the road to achievement, there will be challenges, setbacks, and arduous times. If you don’t have the proper mindset to handle these tribulations as they come, then you will throw in the towel and revert back to the comfort of your old routines and familiar ways. This is the role that your mindset plays in determining your success in life. 

Many people fail to achieve their goals simply due to their own poor thinking. Having the right mindset in place is essential for any undertaking. If you don’t truly believe you’re worthy of what you want, that you are capable of getting it, and that it’s only a matter of time before it’s yours, then you’ll sabotage yourself every step of the way (oftentimes without realizing it). 

How To Develop The Right Mindset For Success 

From now on, start believing in your own awesomeness, start walking with a sense of power and authority in your life. Develop the right mindset about yourself and life by taking on goals and accomplishing them. And not only that, but reflect on what you’ve already accomplished – regardless of how big or small it may be – and remind yourself that if you did it once, you can do it again. 

Write your new goals down, share them with friends, and work on them every day. By taking consistent action, you build momentum, and this momentum will begin to bolster your confidence in unbelievable ways – thus reinforcing the proper mindset. 

It’s like what Dale Carnegie said “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Taking action breeds confidence and courage.” 

4. Drive 

Another one of the main factors that will determine your success is drive. Being driven means going the extra mile, staying consistent with the daily disciplines, and not settling for subpar results that don’t satisfy you. It is essentially you rising above the status quo. 

How badly do you want to achieve your goals? Are you willing to suffer through times of self-doubt and uncertainty? Can you handle other people’s judgements & ridicule? Do you have it in you to persist even when it looks and feels like nothing will ever come from your efforts? 

All of these scenarios and countless others will constantly test your resolve and level of commitment. And many times, all you will have to fall back on is your drive and determination. 

Related: Inspiring Success Stories

5. Attitude 

“It’s our attitude toward life that will determine life’s attitude toward us.” – Earl Nightingale. 

Your current reality is nothing more than a mirror reflecting back to you exactly what you’re putting out. That’s what life is – a mirror. Often a merciless mirror giving back what you have given via your attitude. 

Your attitude has an inordinate effect on the quality of your daily experience. And it is an unbelievably essential factor that will determine your success in life. It would be impossible to determine how many jobs have been lost, promotions missed, relationships ruined, and goals abandoned because of a poor attitude. Don’t let that be you. 

How To Determine If Your Attitude Is Hindering Your Success 

A good way to tell if you have a positive or negative attitude is to look at how other people respond to you. Are they happy and cheerful when you enter a room? Or do they have a scowl on their face as they try to distance themselves in an attempt to avoid you? 

That will tell you everything. You are either attracting or repelling, there is no between. A positive attitude attracts, and a negative attitude repels. It’s as simple as that. Luckily, developing a positive attitude is not a difficult task. All you really need to do is make it a priority to begin being more pleasant and upbeat everywhere you go and to everyone you meet. 

Become curious about life, the world, and other people. Take a genuine interest in the lives of those around you that you see every day. Become like a child; fascinated with everything. Now granted, this will take some practice (and patience). But it will be well worth it when you begin to see the world opening up to you with new possibilities and experiences. And it all begins with a positive mental attitude. 

Till next time,

STRIVE