Why Do Some People Succeed Where Others Fail?

Everyone wants to succeed, but few people take the time to study success. Similarly, everyone dislikes failure, but few people invest the time and energy necessary to learn from their mistakes. Often we are too busy basking in the glory of our triumphs to think through what we did right, or the pain of failure is sufficiently intense that many of us want to "move on" and "put it behind us" as soon as we can. Yet those who want to improve their chances of success can ill afford to disregard the issue of why; despite seemingly equal levels of intelligence and education, some people succeed where others fail.

A substantial amount of educational research indicates that how learners understand success and failure exerts an important influence on their level of achievement . In this editorial, I outline several parameters according to which high achievers tend to differ from low achievers. These parameters are derived in part from a psychologic approach to motivation and performance referred to as attribution theory . While some factors in the larger equation of achievement may be difficult to alter, each of us can revisit and perhaps revise our understanding of what makes a person successful. In so doing, we can help learners such as managers, CEO, fellows, and even ordinary people to enhance their opportunities for success.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors

The factors that contribute to or detract from success can be assigned into two categories, extrinsic and intrinsic . Extrinsic factors flow from decisions made by people other than learners and include their expectations, reactions of praise or blame, and any rewards or punishments they may offer. Intrinsic factors, by contrast, arise from learners themselves and include their expectations, their level of desire to succeed, and their sense of whether or not they were challenged in a meaningful way. For example, learners tend to feel a greater sense of pride in their achievement if the task they face is a moderately difficult one, as opposed to one that they regard as very easy. Learning effectiveness is enhanced when learners approach tasks with a high degree of intrinsic engagement and a reasonable expectation that they will perform well. It is important to present learners with tasks that challenge but do not overwhelm them.

Fear of Making a Mistake

Some people are afraid to move for fear of making a mistake. Are you one of those people? Why does this happen? Fear of making a mistake is the result of past criticism, judgments, or negative comparison. Don't let the past influence your future. Things you do or fail to do will decide the quality of your life.

Have you ever wondered how you would feel after you overcame your fear and mastered something you have not done yet? Everybody has the will to succeed; not everybody has the skills to get there. Regardless of the past, would you like to acquire the skills to succeed and create the future you want?

You can learn how to become more successful by changing the training you give yourself in the morning. ("Oh my, I have to get up and face my boss, my staff, etc."). Can you imagine waking up in the morning and saying to yourself, "I am going to have a great day today!" See yourself having a good day and feel what that feels like. What kind of day will you have? Would you be more willing to do something new? Would you be more willing to learn new strategies that will produce the success that you want? The absolute truth is that you get from life what you give. Are you giving yourself everything that you deserve?

Success requires releasing old patterns and a commitment to grow. Have you looked at the outcome you want to create? How will you get there? Success Strategies has the tools to help you develop the skills to reach the outcome you want.

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