The 14 Mistakes to avoid while going for your dreams - Part 2
I rest assured that you have given a deep thought to the first seven errors people commit albeit unknowingly. After having contemplated it deeply you could proceed to read the next 7 mistakes that can block your success.
SMART PERSEVERANCE
Note what I just wrote. It is all well to go after what you want and keep struggling and struggling. And you know full well that perseverance is important in getting you what you want. Perseverance without a focus would only drain and discourage you. So the way out is again a simple word that has already been mentioned in the last line. FOCUS. When your focus is like a laser beam, incidental things fall by the wayside. When that happens your perseverance is well worth it. That is around the minimum you must wait to get what you want.
An example to clarify things? I know of so many people who keep losing and gaining weight much to their chagrin. Yet the top models know that your body can be completely transformed in just 90 days time. 90 DAYS!! With the right diet, exercise and mindset of course. So your perseverance in sticking with the plan is only for ninety days. Then you are on auto pilot. Compare this to the time millions take. Years!! And yet no stunning results.
Point driven home?
IGNORING FEEDBACK
There are many who keep doing the same thing over and over again with the hope of getting something different. In some cases it may be true, but you must learn to trust your intuition and not lock yourself in the one solution paradigm.
There is a friend of mine in the industry who wanted to sing with a music director who was doing well at that point of time. He used to wait at his doorstep day and night in the hope that one day his dream would come true. He did the same for nearly a decade. A DECADE!!! That Is a long long time. While I admire his perseverance, I do feel that he has missed out on numerous opportunities to make a mark. The perseverance quotient is great but since feedback was ignored, he lost out on precious time. No wonder he is embittered today. The mistake was that he thought that there was only ONE way to become famous and that was through that music director. There are other routes that he could have taken. To name a few:
a) approaching other music directors
b) Finding out what is the unique value he can give
c) Cutting an album by himself that showcases what his specialties are
d) developing other talents than singing that would increase his marketability value.
NOT BEING CREATIVE
This is another error that people make. If you look at phenomenally successful people in any field, you would find nearly all of them have offered something in the market that was not there before. Something new, something novel. They filled a need. So the point I intend making is that if you want to be phenomenally successful, make a resolution that you will offer something fresh and creative. This very resolution will propel you to act in ways different from the masses and increase the chances of success immeasurably.
BEING PRONE TO NEGATIVE INFLUENCES
I know you folks are familiar with this but it is so important that it warrants repetition. This point is perhaps the most important of them all. It can kill the toughest spirit over time. If you listen to negative people, they will show you all the evidence as to why you cannot succeed and that it is not worth it. Over time it eats into your confidence like a virulent bug. Remember they may all sound very logical and valid. It is all TOTALLY unfounded. Want proof?
Fifty years ago if you were to tell a cynic that in some time from now, there would be an instrument that is smaller than the size of your palm without any wires that can make you speak to your loved ones not just hundreds but thousands of miles away, your sanity would be questioned. Now it is a way of life. There are so many such examples that can be given.
NOT KEEPING ONESELF MOTIVATED CONSTANTLY
Lets face it. We all run into periods wherein we feel life is not worth living anymore and when all this struggle would end. The secret (no big one at that) is to dwell on the delightful things that would be yours once you achieve your dream. Make a mini script for yourself that elaborates on the glorious details as to how your day and eventually your life would unfold when you actually get there. Watch videos of people who have done what you have wanted to do so that you see an actual movie of what it is that you desire.
NOT HAVING A STRONG ENOUGH REASON/S
I tell this with personal experience. Unless you have a strong enough WHY, you will be discouraged by the HOW! It is only when you have the WHY firmly in place will you get the courage and perseverance to do the requisite things. Else there is a good chance of your giving up when the going starts to get rocky. This WHY list is your sacred shrine, your safety net that would catch you whenever you get lost in the depths of despair and hopelessness.
NOT PRACTICING THE EXERCISE OF GRATITUDE
It is very important from a metaphysical standpoint to be genuinely grateful for every small good thing that comes your way. As regards this point, there are people who have written about this topic much better than I can hope to. I shall quote them exactly
Broadly these are the fourteen mistakes that people make when they go in search of their passion. Rest assured that by not succumbing to these, you are bound to see success.
