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Mental Health
Pragya Dani May 12th, 2020 · 8min read

7 Habits Of Highly Ineffective People

Being ineffective can be tormenting! Any idea why?

Possessing an unproductive attitude mixed with plenty of talent often results in ruined dreams, especially when you are this close to achieving it. Repeatedly failing in the same job because of inefficient mannerisms takes a toll on mental health.

Talking about mental well-being, can you imagine a world where inspiring names like Walt Disney and Bill Gates are struggling in corporate jobs, ranting about the political conflicts in the office, and searching for reasons to play the blame game? What an unfortunate sight that would be!

What does an Ineffective Person Sound Like?

Well, without beating around the bush anymore, let’s conduct a small test. Answer the questions in your mind- How quickly do you wish to get rich? What are the goals that will help you get rich? Are you struggling with getting things done? If yes, what’s stopping you? Is it a person, time, situation, or an unanticipated change? Can you list at least 10 things holding you back?

In case you have successfully penned 10 things to blame, then here is what you should know( note- it may sound bitter)- You are amongst those who always find reasons to condemn and crib about your present condition and easily find excuses to blame others. Tell me I’m wrong?

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey,” brilliantly describes the mannerisms of highly capable and efficient people, how to raise the bar in life without pushing others behind. Well, I am not here to discuss the same!

While Stephen does a fantastic job in sowing the seeds of nuruting effective human beings, we will get you thinking about the elephant in the room- The 7 traits of highly INEFFECTIVE & INEFFICIENT people.

7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People Holding Back Your Growth & Success:

Here are seven key habits of highly ineffective people:

1. Let’s Lodge My Complaint

“Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining.”

– Theodore Roosevelt

Complaining is synonymous with escaping for unproductive individuals. Instead of bearing the consequences of a situation, it is easier for them to blame something or someone.

They often victimize themselves, cursing their existence in the world and blaming destiny for throwing unexpected surprises at the right time and right place. As if life was a cakewalk, isn’t it?

The corporate crybabies have an even better weapon to hide their blunders. By saying “I am not experienced in this field.” they believe they can sneak out of the problem, but how long can they sustain the corporate life by saying so.

2.   Need to be Everywhere and perform Everything

“You can have it all. Just not all at once.”

Oprah Winfrey

Let me share a funny fact with you- Multitaskers live in a false inner-belief of being talented. Afraid to burst your bubble- but multitasking has nothing to do with talent.

Trying to put your hands on too many tasks at once not only spoils them but definitely delays the prioritized activity. Oh, wait! In case the famous saying – “Time and tide wait for none” confuses you, don’t worry.  Once you get deep down in the life of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, you will realize how efficiently he created an innovative brand by completely staying away from the “art” of multitasking.

Read More: How to Live Life on Your Own Terms?

3.   Mind others Business a Little More.

“If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does.”

– Lewis Carroll

Most of us have plenty of jobs in our minds. And, I assume being ideal in this fast-growing life is next to impossible. Yet, a lot of us find fruitless hours to poke our noses in others’ matters. Right from our next-door neighbor to our office colleagues, everyone is a victim of this petty behavior.

Clearly, staying alert and aware of your surroundings is essential. But that should not be misinterpreted with uninvited interference in others’ life. Many fail to understand this thin line and find themselves in complicated circumstances with nowhere to go.

4.   Far away from being patient

“It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.”

Julius Caesar

Being patient is not everyone’s cup of tea. Agree? But asking for quick success and its consequent pleasures ahead of time is unfair.

It takes time and effort to conquer a mountain. Mountaineers train their bodies and mind for years to aim for the scary treks. If going uphill in less oxygen was easy, anyone could have done it.

Patience, coupled with perseverance, plays a vital role in success. But the ineffective clan rarely gets the gist of waiting before achieving their goals. A big part of their life is consumed in dealing with disappointments.

The impatient attitude also plays with the weak mind, often leading to quitting the so-called “unachievable” tasks. Even the most god-gifted humans on earth did not win trophies overnight, there is a period of struggle in everyone’s story, and keeping a patient outlook can make it a journey to remember.

5.   Please, don’t move my cheese

“If you do not change, you can become extinct.”

Who Moved My Cheese? , Dr. Spencer Johnson

The book, “ who moved my cheese?” captures a contemporary issue of adapting to change, which inevitably is today’s harsh reality.

Out of the many traits that define an inefficient person- avoiding risk and getting out of comfort zone is an enormous challenge they face. Evidently, it’s hard and uncomfortable for them to wear a new hat and try out something different, especially if money is at stake.

However, trying times like today’s, in the midst of a global pandemic, one realizes the worthlessness of this mindset and adapts to the idea of risk and change.

Read More: These Life Changing Ways Will Make You Wise Everyday

6.   Procrastination is the mother of no creation

“Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.”

– Mark Twain

We all are blessed with equal numbers of hours a day. You, me, Barack Obama, Stephen Spielberg, Satya Nadella, Usain Bolt, and every other human being. But how and what we do of this time is all that makes the difference.

Time is not endless, and it is irreversible; wasting time behind fruitless activities results in a struggle-filled future. Ineffective people are often identified working restlessly to complete tasks at the last minute while they lost precious time behind.

Procrastination ends up ruining a great chance in hand.

7.   Can’t handle criticism

“If you are not open to constructive criticism, then you are not open to truly growing as a person.”

-Anonymous

Who likes to hear criticism? Do you?

Ineffective people equally run away from criticism. However, the only difference between an ineffective and effective person is – the response.

Ineffective people have an innate tendency to impulsively react when criticized. For them, healthy criticism is non-existent and does not fall in the category of feedback.

It’s funny in a way that some people suffer from a false sense of confidence that no one is better or more capable than them. To get criticized, they are pushed to a level where only the critic has a say, and no one else can interfere, however humiliating it may sound.

So, where do you start in changing the 7 habits of highly ineffective people?

Feeling guilty, confused, or hurt?

After reading this, you may find your behavior matching the above traits, but at the same time, some of you have introspectively identified your mistakes. That’s good news! Why?

The first and most important trait of a competent person is to ‘not to be ashamed of accepting their mistake’.

Remember, life may throw unexpected challenges at you, leaving you shattered and puzzled on what to do next. It is not your knowledge, contacts, or money that get you out of danger. Your attitude, your behavior is the real game-changer. Everything else follows.

If you still wish to damage control of what you have left of your life and want to knock the door of success, then do away with the 7 habits of highly ineffective people, not quickly but patiently and gradually.

You May Like these Also:

1. How To Turn a Bad Day Into a Good Day

2. Best Mindfulness Books to Learn Mindfulness

3. Quick Tips On How You Can Become An Alpha Male

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