MAJOR CAUSES OF FAILURE

Major Causes Of Failure - Part I
Go through this list first on your own and check to see how many of these you can find in your personality. Then find a good friend who will be outright honest with you and have them go through this list. You will be surprised at what you find. Here's the first Ten.

MAJOR CAUSES OF FAILURE


How Many Of These Are Holding You Back?
Life's greatest tragedy consists of men and women who earnestly try, and fail! The tragedy lies in the overwhelmingly large majority of people who fail, as compared to the few who succeed.

I have had the privilege of analyzing several thousand men and women, 98% of whom were classed as "failures." There is something radically wrong with a civilization, and a system of education, which permit 98% of the people to go through life as failures. But I did not write this book for the purpose of moralizing on the rights and wrongs of the world; that would require a book a hundred times the size of this one.

My analysis work proved that there are thirty major reasons for failure, and thirteen major principles through which people accumulate fortunes. In this chapter, a description of the thirty major causes of failure will be given. As you go over the list, check yourself by it, point by point, for the purpose of discovering how many of these causes-of-failure stand between you and success.

1. UNFAVORABLE HEREDITARY BACK GROUND. There is but little, if anything, which can be done for people who are born with a deficiency in brain power. This philosophy offers but one method of bridging this weakness—through the aid of the Master Mind. Observe with profit, however, that this is the ONLY one of the thirty causes of failure which may not be easily corrected by any individual.

2. LACK OF A WELL-DEFINED PURPOSE IN LIFE. There is no hope of success for the person who does not have a central purpose, or definite goal at which to aim. Ninety-eight out of every hundred of those whom I have analyzed, had no such aim. Perhaps this was the MAJOR CAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE.

3. LACK OF AMBITION TO AIM ABOVE MEDIOCRITY. We offer no hope for the person who is so indifferent as not to want to get ahead in life, and who is not willing to pay the price.

4. INSUFFICIENT EDUCATION. This is a handicap which may be overcome with comparative ease. Experience has proven that the best-educated people are often those who are known as "self-made," or self-educated. It takes more than a college degree to make one a person of education. Any person who is educated is one who has learned to get whatever he wants in life without violating the rights of others. Education consists, not so much of knowledge, but of knowledge effectively and persistently APPLIED. Men are paid, not merely for what they know, but more particularly for WHAT THEY DO WITH THAT WHICH THEY KNOW.

5. LACK OF SELF-DISCIPLINE. Discipline comes through self-control. This means that one must control all negative qualities. Before you can control conditions, you must first control yourself. Self-mastery is the hardest job you will ever tackle. If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. You may see at one and the same time both your best friend and your greatest enemy, by stepping in front of a mirror.

6. ILL HEALTH. No person may enjoy outstanding success without good health. Many of the causes of ill health are subject to mastery and control. These, in the main are:

a. Overeating of foods not conducive to health
b. Wrong habits of thought; giving expression to negatives.
c. Wrong use of, and over indulgence in sex.
d. Lack of proper physical exercise
e. An inadequate supply of fresh air, due to improper breathing.


7. UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES DURING CHILDHOOD. "As the twig is bent, so shall the tree grow." Most people who have criminal tendencies acquire them as the result of bad environment, and improper associates during childhood.

8. PROCRASTINATION. This is one of the most common causes of failure. "Old Man Procrastination" stands within the shadow of every human being, waiting his opportunity to spoil one's chances of success. Most of us go through life as failures, because we are waiting for the "time to be right" to start doing something worthwhile. Do not wait. The time will never be "just right." Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

9. LACK OF PERSISTENCE. Most of us are good "starters" but poor "finishers" of everything we begin. Moreover, people are prone to give up at the first signs of defeat. There is no substitute for PERSISTENCE. The person who makes PERSISTENCE his watch-word, discovers that "Old Man Failure" finally becomes tired, and makes his departure. Failure cannot cope with PERSISTENCE.

10. NEGATIVE PERSONALITY. There is no hope of success for the person who repels people through a negative personality. Success comes through the application of POWER, and power is attained through the cooperative efforts of other people. A negative personality will not induce cooperation.



Napoleon Hill


Congratulations!

Everything you say is absolutly right. Here is my saying over what I have achieved recently. "Once I had a dream... a big dream. Now I dont have that dream anymore simply because I made it real!"
Till last Christmas, I kept puzzling my self on what was the right business for me ... to succeed. I remember when I started decorating a cloth by sewing it with coloured threads. And as I was sewing, a thought came in mind... I said to myself "by the time I ll have this cloth finished, Ill know what kind of business is the right for me". I just kept telling myself the same thing every time I d start sewing. Till one day, not long after, all of sudden, I realised what it was! A store selling sewing stuff, beads and wedding favors! Guess what. All these things have indeed to do with needles and cloths and threads!What a quinsidence!
The hole concept wasnt easy at all. Consider that fact that I had no money. I just kept thinking every single day how I d manage to complete my dream.It took me one year to figure everything out; I went to the banks to ask about credit checks. I didnt buy any cloths for nearly a year. And all this time I found 2-3 different stores which I thought were suitable for my business. Nothing happened. I wanted those stores but there were no money. Until one day, when I had the right savings for the rents,I saw another store,the perfect one, which finally proved to be the best of all the rest and which was empty for two years. The owner was nowhere and I found out that he was the worst kind of person ever in the neighborhood. But I didnt give up! I kept asking ppl if they knew his phone number etc. And yeah! I found one who had it! After I met this man, not only I realised he was a gentleman, but also that he liked me more than anyone else who had previously asked for his store in the past, so we agreed! Now I run my store succesfully already one month and I cant believe its doing soooo well! Im thankful to myself for not giving up for a moment. And here is my advise to all those who want to succeed in life and just dont know how; DO NOT GIVE UP EVEN FOR A MOMENT, EVEN IF YOU DONT HAVE A PENNY, BECAUSE FOR E V E R Y P R O B L E M THE SOLUTION IS JUST HIDING SOMEWHERE. YOU JUST HAVE TO UNCOVER IT. JUST THINK HOW!LOOK AROUND YOU!

Dear Sir,
This is to thank you for the wonderfulwork you are doing. Even though some people may be knowing some of the principle but your manner of saying it is very succint and wonderful.
Thanks once again,
Rudrank
India
Keep These Coming

The article contains well-defined characteristics of leadership borrowed from Psychology, and categorising human personality ibn three broad categories i.e DETERMINANTS (the heritage carried by the DNA, such as physical built-up, colour of eyes & hair and complexion in general), ACQUISITION (the special skills learnt through a specialised training), and IDIOSYNCRACIES (tendencies inexplicable but explaining likes & dislikes of a given personality). In other words, sum total of socio-physiological aspect coupled with the heritage acquired, and tendencies peculiar to a given personality are Human Personality; and the personality carrying the esssential ingredients prepare a person to acquire a position of leadership & to maintain it at a desired plane for a certain span of time till he starts suffering from physical disabilities & senility. Extremely well written article for those trying to be familiar with the concept.
Jameel Zaidi