Giving up isn’t an option for some people. They meet challenges with an in-your-face attitude that helps them overcome even the most difficult circumstances. You may wonder what habits these people possess that keep them going.
How do you know if you’re settling for less than your best?
Look out for these behaviors.
Behavior #1 – You blame others
You’re settling for less when you blame others for your failure to pursue your best. You feel cheated by others or say if you had only had the chance, you could have done better. If you find yourself saying it’s somebody else’s fault, you may need to evaluate if you’re settling for less in your life.
Behavior #2 – You assume you’ll fail.
You never get started working towards your goal because you assume you’ll fail anyway, so there’s no reason to continue. You have a defeatist attitude that stifles your energy and drive. Ask yourself if this is you, and begin taking tiny steps to reach a goal, no matter how small. Small victories build your confidence so that you will pursue more meaningful pursuits.
Behavior #3 – You put off things
You say things like, After I get my car paid off, then I’ll save money. Everything is “after” you do this or that. Of course, the “after” never happens. So, you get stuck in a vicious cycle of always waiting and lacking motivation even to try. Begin today by doing something. If you want to lose weight, go for a walk. You don’t need to walk too long or far, get outside and walk. You’ll grow in confidence and, over time, be able to reach your goals.
Behavior #4 – You think a lot but never take action.
Too much talk and not enough action describes your life. You’re always dreaming and talking about what you want to do but never taking that first step towards your goal. Whether it’s because of fear or laziness, years go by without your pursuit of your best. Eventually, people quit listening to you. Stop talking about what you want to do and take a step towards the goal. If you’re going to travel, fill out your passport application. If you’re going to go back to school, sign up for an online class.
Behavior #5 – You don’t like successful people.
Deep inside, you’re envious of success, but you’d never admit it. You like to mock and point out why those who succeed are phonies. You feel like you’ll never be successful, so you don’t want anyone else to be successful. It’s easy to spot people like you in a crowd. They’re usually the ones who mock and scorn accomplished people. Ask yourself if you do this. If so, try to stop mocking successful people. Look at their lives and find things you can emulate to improve your life.
Here are ten habits common to individuals who refuse to settle for less
Do any of these behaviors sound familiar to you?
1 – You exercise
Almost without exception, people who don’t give up usually practice the habit of daily exercise. It may be yoga, or bike riding, or jogging, anything to get your body active. Studies found that there’s a connection between mental well-being and exercise. Exercise also increases your energy level and gives you more incredible stamina to face complicated situations you may face during the day. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day for the most benefit.
2 – Compelling vision
Tenacious people who won’t settle for less have a vision that compels them to keep going. You may be a visionary and a dreamer, but you can combine these qualities with a determination to reach your goal. The goal gives you motivation not to quit. You think about this vision every day and get the energy to keep going. You dedicate your life to reaching this goal and don’t get bogged down by difficulties or setbacks. Problems seem to spur you on even more.
3 – Get others excited about their goals
People who refuse to give up are usually good at getting others to join them in their vision. You motivate and envision others with contagious enthusiasm. Sometimes you share your goals to get others to get on board with your idea. But frequently, you enjoy talking about your vision and want others to feel the same excitement. People may encourage you to keep going or even try to dissuade you, but it doesn’t matter what people say for the tenacious person. You will pursue your goal with or without the support of others.
4 – Confidence
Those who won’t settle for less exhibit confidence. It’s not an egotistical, arrogant type of confidence, but a humble sort of confidence in yourself, knowing you are on the right track. You study and learn everything you can about what you are pursuing. If you don’t understand something related to your goal, you will get help.
Self-confidence doesn’t mean you think you know it all. It means you feel confident that you can reach your destination through hard work. If your confidence does get shaken, you don’t cave but become more confident and determined.
5 – Self-discipline
Having self-disciple is a common habit of tenacious individuals. You aren’t distracted by a lack of self-control but stick to your goals. You have self-control in several areas that make them successful, including:
- Money: You make wise investments, spend money if you need it, and are disciplined to save money.
- Time: You use their time wisely, not getting caught up in time-wasting situations.
- Relationships: You focus on your family and close friends rather than wearing every relationship thin due to over-committing.
- Focus: You don’t lose focus or get caught up in minor issues or things that aren’t within your job description.
- Work with a team: You don’t micro-manage people. You have people around you that they trust. You allow people to do their job knowing the team effort will help reach the goal.
You know that today’s efforts will help you reach your goals in the future, so you stay the course with self-disciple.
6 – Flexible
Persistent people are flexible and able to adapt to changes in the pursuit of their goals. You may encounter setbacks or need to adjust your goals, but this doesn’t discourage you. If you believe in what you are pursuing, you will be flexible and ready to find a new way to accomplish the goal.
You hear stories about famous inventors who continued to try even when they failed over and over. Once they reached their destination, they often said that the failures were worth it because they learned from them.
7 – You are curious
People who refuse to settle are curious. You take the time to study, learn and wonder about things. Your curiosity motivates you to continue your growth at every stage of life. You will look for new information, ask for help, or get others’ input about your ideas and goals. You admit you don’t know it all, but you are hungry to learn as much as you can. It’s as if you want to cram as much information into your brains as they can. Of course, you may drive others crazy with questions because you’re so curious, but that’s okay.
8 – You are tenacious
Stubborn, unshakeable, preserving. No matter how you define it, people who refuse to settle for less are tenacious. You won’t give up easily. Studies show that people who are unwavering in the face of a challenging situation find it helps them have a better career, health, studies, and more opportunities.
9 – You know when to back down
This may surprise you since people who refuse to settle for less are thought to never settle for less, but a genuinely persistent person is wise enough to know what battles to fight and which ones to concede. For instance, if you want to go to college, you may decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree but not get a Master’s degree. It may look like a compromise to not seek as much education as possible, but when you don’t settle for less, you know where to invest your time and energy. You know that a Bachelor’s degree will be enough for what you want to do.
10 – You go with your gut
You listen to that still small voice inside of you. Whether you call this intuition or listening to your gut, persistent people know whether they should act or not. You take your time and listen. You evaluate what you should do next. You don’t shy away from risk, but you find your comfort level of risk. Persistent people ask questions, look at all sides to get a good feel of what they’re about to do.
Final thoughts on refusing to settle for less than your personal best
People who refuse to settle for less have everyday habits they’ve incorporated into their lives. They pursue their goals with enthusiasm and confidence. They have self-disciple and find time every day to exercise. When they meet challenges, they don’t get give up, but they know when to try another avenue.
Even if they feel discouraged, it won’t keep them down for long. Tenacious people get input and learn from others because they’re humble enough to know they need help to reach their goals. If you want to refuse to settle for less, try incorporating some of these habits into your own life.
You may not be able to do all of them, but even a couple can change the way you live. Your life is worth living to its fullest potential, so find encouragement and strength from others who are on the same path as you to see their personal best rather than settling for less.
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