The accusatory, second-person writing style of this article may seem harsh, but I believe that the message is true. As I read and re-read my own words, I will be forced to deal with the "you" accusations as well.

As we all strive for success, we need to make sure that we are willing to make personal adjustments so that our work has the best opportunity to succeed.

Good News First

I firmly believe that everyone (well almost everyone) has a solid idea for a book, blog, or website stuck somewhere in their head. We all have a unique combination of life experiences, passion, and expertise that can serve others if channeled in the proper way.

Most people will never, ever attempt to bring what is in their minds to paper or the internet. Fear prevents most people from even starting.

For the rest of us (the dreamers, the adventure seekers, the people who want to change the world), fear is no longer our greatest enemy, we are!

You Dream Big, But You Keep Failing.

You have the dream. You are overcoming the fear. You know your motivations (money, fame, life-style change, helping others, etc). So why do you keep failing?

You might be experiencing one or more of the following obstacles.

1. You lack patience.

Think of all the people you know who overcame fear to try something new only to give up without investing enough time and effort into their new adventure.

That could be you. Being patient enough to wait for results is one key to the long-term success of your blog, book, or any other project that you are working on. Simply put, you need to give it some time to succeed. Persevere!

Remember that "Rome was not built in a day." We live in a microwave world and expect instant results. You might need to change your mindset and give your project a little bit (or a whole lot) more time to succeed.

Remember that "why you need to succeed" will not make you succeed. But your willingness to invest time and effort in developing genuine relationships and great content will increase your chances of success.

2. You lack discipline.

If you have given the project enough time to succeed, but have not done the work necessary to succeed then you are stilling going to fail.

If you thought that success was going to be easy, then you were dead wrong. A lot of hard work is required! New initiatives require an extensive amount of effort and energy.

If you feel overwhelmed by the tasks that you are facing, start breaking up the project into manageable pieces.

• Determine a reasonable finish date for your project.
• Divide the project into major parts. Divide major parts into tasks that can be accomplished in one day.
• Consistently work on your project every day.

You might work hard and still not succeed. But I guarantee you will fail if you are not willing to work hard.

3. You don't have a niche.

You might be failing because you don't have an audience. You can create great content, draw great artwork, and provide great services, but without an audience, you are going to fail. Building an audience (by networking and building relationships) is an important step in achieving success.

Now that you have an audience make sure that you understand their needs. It is easier to keep a follower than it is to find a new one. Invest in the people who have expressed interest in your work. Communicate with them about their needs and how you can help them.

You might be failing because you are trying to create a product or service for everyone instead of focusing on a small, strategic group of people. I would rather have a smaller number of fully committed followers than a large number of unengaged followers. Finding a niche is a great way to meet very specific needs and grow an interactive community.

4. You haven't yet found your voice and/or point of view (POV).

If you are delivering the same material as everyone else, you will get the same results as everyone else. One reason why people might read your blog (or book) is because you provide a unique perspective on the topic of interest. How you communicate can be just as important as what you communicate.

People want to hear the real you. A lot of readers are tired of the same bland viewpoint that everyone else is passing out. They are ready for a new voice and a new perspective.

5. You came to receive. You are not yet ready to give.

Your readers, followers, and/or potential customers will quickly see your motivations. They can see when you are wanting more than you are willing to give. I understand that business is about making money, but you can not make money if you are not willing to serve others.

You readers will notice when you are living out of scarcity instead of living out of abundance. They can sense if you are expecting something before you are willing to give something.

If you started a blog to make a lot of money, you need to be willing to sacrifice first before you should expect results.

6. You are comparing yourself to other people.

In our digital world, we run the danger of expecting quick results without doing the hard work. When you look around and see a lot of successful people, be sure not to compare yourself to them.

You are starting from the beginning. They have been traveling down their path for a long time. You might not know their past failures from what you see today. You have not seen the tears they have cried or the countless times that they wanted to give up.

All you see is today. Let their success motivate you to strive for success. Find great role models and mirror your actions and behaviors after them. And if a successful blogger or author offers you advice, follow it.

Final Thoughts

Success is not guaranteed. Many of the most successful people you know have failed many, many times. What separates them from other people is that they get back up and try again. They do not let their past failures define them.

We live in a world where many of the traditional barriers to starting something new have been removed. But we still must put in the time and effort to reach our goals.

Be encouraged, friend! Keep moving forward and keep Steeming!

What is the biggest obstacle preventing you from being successful?

Share with us in the comments section.

@sumatranate

---

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/home-office-workstation-office-336378/