“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Robert F Kennedy

If you find yourself up against the same problems and issues today which you were facing years ago, it may be the right time to start looking at things differently. Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.

Being successful is very simple. Just model others who are successful. Talk like they talk, do what they do, and most importantly think like they think. Focus on less, but only on that which is more important to you, whatever that may be.

There are certain areas which are equally important to the well being of every human when it comes to success and happiness. These areas are spiritual fulfillment, vibrant physical health, nurturing relationships, and financial wealth.

There are many reasons why people fail to attain the state known as success, or even happiness. Below are seven of the most common reasons in my opinion.

Not Knowing What They Want
The number one reason why people are unsuccessful or unhappy is because they do not know what they want out of life. You see, life is a like a blank canvas. It is up to each individual to pick the colors they wish to paint and draw any picture they please. If a person does not choose to pick their colors or picture to paint, they can be certain that someone else who does know what they want will pick it for them.

When going into any situation, whether it is as simple as a phone call, or as complex as an entire lifetime, knowing what you want is essential to getting what you want. It is the destination which we must have in mind clearly prior to starting any journey.

Not Doing What They Know
Knowledge and action are worlds apart. Just because you know that you need to eat healthy and exercise regularly in order to attain vibrant health does not mean that you will do it.

In my personal opinion, the only reason why people do what they know is because of an intense desire to gain what they are after. If there is a strong emotional need to become healthier, richer, happier, or whatever else, there is nothing in the world which can stop a human will to achieve these ideals.

Not Associating With The Right People
Simply said, you will eventually become who your friends are. Either they will become like you, or you like them. It is plain, yet profoundly true. It is also a fact that your earnings will be within 20% or so of the average earnings of your five closest friends. Don’t believe me? Do the rough math in your own head for your own situation and you are certainly in for a shocker.

The people who we surround ourselves with immensely affect how we think. We borrow not only their thoughts and ideologies, but also their manners and habits. Associate yourself with positive, successful people and you are certain to become one as well.

Not learning and Educating Further
Tom Hopkins, a Real Estate genius put it this way; “No one limits your growth but you. If you want to earn more, learn more.” Further educating yourself in the areas which you deem important and worthwhile is an absolute necessity to just earning more but also advancing your life further as a whole.

Want to learn more? Walk into a Borders or Barnes & Noble and you are certain to find more books on the areas of your interest that you can possibly read in the next year. There is also a tremendous amount of free information available of the Internet on any subject you can think of. Use this information to learn more and constantly grow yourself.

Doing What Everyone Else Is Doing
If you do what everyone else is doing, you are going to have what everyone else has. This may not be a bad thing, however if you are not wanting to settle for what everyone else has, than be ready to take action differently. Most adults go out and get a college degree, or not even that, they work different jobs for 30-40 years, and are dependent upon the government or others to take care of them in their later years.

If you do not want that for yourself, you have got to get away from the weekly paycheck trap. It is a total hamster wheel. You may be working very hard and constantly busy but you will not be going anywhere in all actuality.

Not Taking Enough Risks
Simply put, the bigger the risk the bigger the reward. If you are willing to put yourself out there and be vulnerable, you will have so much more to gain than those who choose to blanket their lives with “security.” I love what Bob Parsons, founder of GoDaddy.com has to say about security, “Security is for cadavers.”

The truth is that real growth occurs when you get and stay out of your normal comfort zone. You only gain the most when you push yourself to do things you are uncomfortable doing under normal circumstances.

Giving Up
Unfortunately most people have been accustomed to giving up as being okay. If you are running a marathon and your foot start hurting, society teaches us that it is okay to stop and pull out because you foot was hurting. The question to ask yourself is; how can you ever win a race if you don’t finish it?

In reality, the last 20% of your effort typically gives you 80% of your results. You must keep going until you have accomplished whatever you set out to do. If you can only learn to get out of your own way and just keep going, there is nothing that will be able to stop you.

These seven reasons are what I believe to be the biggest challenges which stop people in living the life of their dreams and experience the beauty of all that life has to offer. If we can learn to overcome these challenges, and constantly push ourselves to advance further, all of the rewards are ours to gain and enjoy.

May your journey to your best be filled with success and happiness.