CAUSES OF OUR FAILURE I believe that all of us want happiness and success in life. However, very few can actually admit that they have got there. Many didn't know why they aren't successful, so few knew why, but didn't do anything about it. I have the privilege to come across a list of reasons why most people couldn't achieve happiness or success in life. As I read through, I too discovered that some of the reasons here have been standing in the way between success and me. As you go over the list now, check yourself by it, point by point, to find out how many of these causes-of-failure stand between you and success. 1. Lack of Purpose In Life Before I start taking my life seriously, I have no major purpose in life. All day long, I would either play games at home, or after work, chill out with my friends. There is no sense of responsibility to my family, no commitment at work and of cause, no purpose. Life was pretty much a routine - a routine that I hate - a routine that I want to get rid of. Many people I have come across are leading the life that I have led years ago. And gradually I discovered that lack of purpose in life (or anything else for that matter) is always and will always be at the top of the list of failure. 2. Lack of Ambition to Aim High People who are not happy at where they are and yet are unwilling to aim high above mediocre and pay the price of success, will never be happy. I have seen them, they will whine about their work, about their boss, about everything and anything under the sun. But they aren't willing to work on it, to find out how to get ahead of the pack. When told of what they could have done so that they could get out of the rug, they will come up will excuses for not able to do it. No success will ever befall on those who lack the ambition to aim high above the mediocrity. 3. Insufficient Education This is a handicap, which can be overcome with ease. How many times have you read or heard of successful people having little or no educational background? Experience has proven that the best-educated people are often those who are known as "self-made" or self-educated. In times like these, college degree alone is no longer sufficient to bring you to the top. Education consists, not so much of knowledge, but of knowledge effectively and persistently applied. We are paid, not merely for what we know, but more particularly for what we do with which we know. 4. Lack of Self-Discipline Self-discipline comes from self-control. This means you need to control all the negative qualities you believe you have. Self-control will be one of the hardest skills you will ever learn. However, if you do not conquer yourself, yourself will conquer you. 5. Ill Health No one can enjoy outstanding success without good health. Many causes of ill health are the result of poor self-control. Some of the examples that contribute to ill health are: · Overeating · Smoking · Drinking · Wrong habits of thought · Lack of proper physical exercise 6. Unfavorable Environmental Influence Most people who have tendency to commit crime acquire them as the result of bad environment and improper associates during childhood. 7. Procrastination Procrastination is the deferment or avoidance of an action or task and is often linked to perfection. Most people failed in life because they are waiting for the 'time to be right'. The thing is ‘the time will never be 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. 8. Lack of Persistence There are many good 'starters', but very few finishers of everything they begin. They will begin something with high hopes and enthusiasm but loss that excitement when they are facing the first sign of defeat. But we ought to learn that nothing substitute the lack of persistence. And those who know this discovered that failure has no way in coping persistence. 9. Negative Personality There is no hope of success for a person who repels others through negative personality. Not many realize this; success is attained through the cooperation efforts of other people. A negative personality will not induce cooperation. Above are reasons that may have stopped you from achieving happiness, attaining success. Look through it and see if you have possessed any of them. If you have, ask yourself "what will you do to overcome them?"