By Dr. Z.
You may be on the right track. You may have completed your grueling training and passed all obstacles. You may now be a heavily credentialed competitor poised for success. What can go wrong? Well, nothing, not on your end anyway. You have done everything possible to maximize your success in life. However, success goes beyond those factors that you can control. Your success depends just as much on the places, events and people who you surround yourself with. People, in particular may impact your success depending on their traits. The point is, we need to be mindful of the company we keep. The more positive and encouraging the crowd is, the better the greater the possibility for maximum success. The aim of this article is to describe 8 people who are likely to hinder success, and therefore must be avoided.
1. People who do not Learn from Experience
Avoid people who do not learn from experience. You can identify these individuals by the following 4 distinct traits:
- They do not learn from Mistakes.
- They do not learn from consequences.
- They do not learn from others.
- They make the same poor decisions when given a second chance.
Keep your distance when you see these signs. People who cannot learn from experience are a threat to your success.
2. People who are Argumentative
Argumentative people may be the way they are for a few reasons. They may be rigid, may have poor reasoning skills, or may just be immature. Whatever the reason, argumentative people are likely to interfere with your success by always causing friction and doubt. They cannot see the dream and will not understand your vision. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of argumentative people.
3. People who are Close-Minded
Closed minded people live in a concrete prison of their own making. They cannot see the world beyond their own limited experiences. However, this is in and of itself is not problematic. What makes the closed-minded person dangerous is their imposition of their limitations onto others. When you want enterprise they say “get a job.” When you aim to create, they strongly urge you to conform. When you have ideas, they push protocol. The bottom line is, closed-minded individuals cannot see your success on the horizon, and will try to discourage you to prove themselves right. Avoid these individuals, and do not share your ideas with them.
4. People who are not Teachable
People who are not teachable are a special breed of toxicity. These people will hinder success because they cannot be taught new and progressive ideas. There are 5 symptoms that will help you recognize people who are not teachable.
- They do not take advice.
- They do not follow directions.
- They already know it all.
- They reject mentors and role models.
- They are indifferent to good examples, proven truth, and sound evidence.
Once you recognize these individuals, keep a healthy distance and guard your success.
5. People with Poor Judgment
We all have made poor choices in life. This is part of the human experience, which adds to our learning. However, there are individuals who frequently make terrible choices, no matter what the endeavor is. They squander time and resources, resulting in missed deadlines and failed budgets. They continually pair up with people who have betrayed them, resulting in subsequent betrayals. And, ultimately, they just make terrible decisions that are irrational and illogical. These people have poor judgment, and are likely to make choices that will negatively impact your success. Run from these individuals, and do not entrust them with a role in your life or business.
6. People who are Impulsive
While people with poor judgment make poor choices, impulsive people do not take the time to make choices at all. They have no filter, and there is no thought process. They simply act without thinking. This is dangerous for obvious reasons. The road to success is a process, which involves research, carefully planned steps, precise execution, and deliberate improvement through trial and error. Impulsive people are not able to engage this process because they cannot delay gratification. As a result, their actions are likely to impede your success. So, make certain to keep these individuals far away from you during important activities.
7. People who are Surrounded by Misery
Misery is an infectious disease. It is a social pathogen that can be passed on from person to person. There are 2 types of people miserable people. The first are those who inherit misery. These are people who likely surround themselves with miserable people. The second are people who spread misery. These are carriers, who knowingly or unknowingly infect others with misery. It is not difficult to identify miserable people. They frequently complain; they are always neck-deep in crisis and misfortune; and, they always seem to be down in the dumps. They often need excessive support. This will eventually drain the life out of you, leaving no energy to put toward your success. Encourage these individuals from a long distance, and focus on your success.
8. People Involved in Scandal
Scandal is a cruel executioner. It is the one thing that will permanently halt your success. The biggest challenge is that it is difficulty to initially identify people who are involved in scandalous activity. Also, a scandal is likely to be discovered when you are already affiliated with the scandalous individual, which is likely to impact your reputation whether you are part of the scandal or not. With this in mind, it is important to find out everything there is to know about individuals that you will be associating with. Your reputation is a currency of trust. It is the one thing that will help to keep friends or create buy-in with stakeholders in your success. If it is tarnished, then it will be difficult to partner with quality people who will contribute to your success. And, nothing destroys your reputation quickly than scandal. If you suspect that a person is involved in any form of scandal, then do yourself a favor and avoid them.
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