15 Signs You Won’t Be Successful in Life (And What to Do About It)

Alright, let’s rip off the band-aid: You might not make it.

I know, not the feel-good pep talk you were hoping for. But if we’re going to be honest about this whole “success” thing, we need to start by acknowledging that most people never get there.

Look around, and you’ll notice it—people are stuck, they’re frustrated, and deep down, they know they won’t break through. And it’s not because of fate or bad luck or the universe conspiring against them. Most of the time, it’s because of them—how they think, what they do, and the excuses they make.

This is where you have a choice. You can read this and feel attacked (perfect, because you’re probably the target audience), or you can take a hard look at your life and ask, “Am I screwing this up?”

We all love to think we’re special and destined for greatness, but the cold, hard truth is that greatness doesn’t show up just because you think you deserve it.

Success is earned. And trust me, I’m saying this from experience—lots of failure on my part.

So let’s get into it. Here’s a nice, honest list of signs you won’t be successful in life.

If any of these hit home for you, maybe it’s time to wake up. Or, you know, don’t—and stay stuck forever. Your call.

When “Living My Best Life” Is Actually Just Coasting

Comfort. Oh, sweet, soul-crushing comfort. If you think you’re making it just because you have a stable job, a decent paycheck, and weekends free to binge Netflix, congratulations—you’re officially coasting.

Coasting is where dreams go to perish, not in some spectacular blaze of failure, but in the quiet monotony of mediocrity.

Life has a sneaky way of convincing us we’ve “made it” just because we’re not panicking about money or scrambling to survive. It’s called the comfort zone, and it’s a no-go.

But real success? The kind that leaves a mark? That requires discomfort, risk, and a fair amount of holy-guacamole-I’m-not-sure-this-will-work.

So if you find yourself playing it safe, here’s your wake-up call: you’re probably headed for a lifetime of unremarkable, forgettable, meh existence. Nothing’s going to change if you don’t push harder.

15 Signs You Won’t Be Successful in Life

Now that you’re emotionally prepared (or not, whatever), let’s get into the real dirt. Here are the top signs you’re just not going to make it. Ready? Hope so, because the truth isn’t pretty, but it’s the only way to turn things around.

1. You’re Full of Excuses (And You Actually Believe Them)

We all know that person who’s full of excuses. Everything wrong in their life is someone else’s fault—bad boss, bad economy, no time, no money, not enough support. What they don’t realize is that nobody cares about their excuses. Success doesn’t give a hoot about your reasons for not succeeding.

Excuses are just stories you tell yourself to avoid responsibility. They’re a mental shield that keeps you comfortable, safe, and, most importantly, stagnant.

So next time you’re about to say, “I can’t because…,” just stop. The only person you’re fooling is yourself. Own your situation, or stay stuck—your choice.

• You’ve got a ready-made excuse for everything—why you’re stuck in a job you hate, why you haven’t started that project, or why you can’t make time to exercise.
• You genuinely believe your circumstances are special or uniquely difficult, even though everyone else is dealing with the same stuff (reality: they’re not).
• You seek out people who will validate your excuses, creating an echo chamber of mediocrity.
• Successful people face the same obstacles but find solutions instead of giving themselves an out.

2. You’re Waiting for the “Right Time”

There’s always a perfect time coming, right? Maybe it’s when you save more money, finish that course, wait for the kids to grow up, or—my personal favorite—when “things calm down.”

Guess what? The perfect time doesn’t exist. It’s like a unicorn that can breathe fire and cook for you—nice in theory but completely imaginary.

Successful people understand that the right time to start was yesterday. The second-best time? Now. If you’re still waiting for everything to line up perfectly, you’ll be waiting forever. And while you’re waiting, someone else is out there taking action, messing up, learning, and ultimately—succeeding.

• You constantly tell yourself you’ll start when conditions are perfect—when you have more money, more time, or more energy.
• You’re afraid to make moves in the present because you’re focused on an idealized future that will never exist.
• You use planning and preparation as a disguise for procrastination.
• While you’re waiting for the stars to align, someone else is already taking action, failing, and getting better.

3. You Can’t Handle Criticism

I get it, nobody likes being told they suck. But if you can’t handle criticism, prepare for a long, lonely road to nowhere. The difference between winners and losers? Winners use feedback as fuel, while losers take it as a personal attack.

If someone tells you your work is sloppy, or that you need to improve, it’s not an insult; it’s an opportunity. But if you’re too busy being offended, you’ll miss the lesson.

So grow a thicker skin and learn how to separate your ego from your work. It’s the only way to get better. And trust me, you need to get better.

• You take every piece of feedback personally, as if it’s a direct attack on your worth.
• Instead of seeing criticism as a tool for growth, you use it as an excuse to quit or shift to something easier.
• You surround yourself with “yes men” who will stroke your ego rather than challenge you to improve.
• Successful people invite feedback, learn from it, and use it to get better. You? You’re just busy protecting your ego.

4. You’re Afraid of Failure

Fear of failure is the ultimate destroyer of potential. If you’re terrified of failing, you’ll never take the risks necessary to succeed. It’s that simple. Playing it safe might protect you from immediate embarrassment, but in the long run, it’s a one-way ticket to mediocrity.

Look, failure feels terrible. It hurts, it’s humiliating, and it can make you question everything. But every successful person you’ve ever admired has a closet full of spectacular failures.

What separates them from the rest? They didn’t let those failures stop them. If you’re not willing to fail, you’re not willing to succeed. Period.

• You’ve never actually pushed yourself beyond your comfort zone because you’re terrified of falling flat on your face.
• You idolize successful people without realizing they’ve failed more times than you’ve even tried.
• Your fear of embarrassment is bigger than your desire to achieve anything worthwhile.
• Failure is part of the process, but if you’re avoiding it at all costs, you’re avoiding success, too.

5. You Talk More Than You Act

You’ve got big plans, big ideas, and you’re not shy about telling everyone. But nobody cares what you say you’re going to do. They care what you actually do. The world is full of talkers who never seem to move the needle. You know the type—they’re always planning, but never executing. Always talking about what they’ll do “one day,” but today? Nothing.

Successful people know that action beats intention every single time. If you spend more time talking about your goals than working on them, it’s time to stop talking and get moving.

• You’re constantly talking about what you’re “going to do” but have nothing to show for it.
• You’re addicted to the validation of people being impressed by your “big ideas,” not the actual grind required to pull them off.
• You spend more time strategizing than executing, thinking the perfect plan will somehow eliminate the need for hard work.
• Successful people don’t waste time talking about what they’ll do—they’re too busy doing it.

6. You Think You Already Know Everything

Arrogance—success’s most reliable saboteur. If you walk around thinking you’ve got it all figured out, congratulations—you’ve just set a glass ceiling on your potential. The truth is, the more successful you become, the more you realize how little you actually know.

If you’re not constantly learning, growing, and evolving, you’re falling behind. And fast. Success is a moving target. If you’re not willing to admit you don’t know it all—and actively seek out new knowledge—you’re basically signing up for failure.

• You’re not interested in learning because you believe you’ve got it all figured out.
• When someone challenges your ideas, you get defensive rather than curious.
• You cling to your outdated ways of thinking because admitting you don’t know everything feels like failure.
• Successful people are perpetual students. They know the game is constantly evolving, and so should they.

7. You’re Obsessed with What Other People Think

Other people don’t care about you nearly as much as you think they do. I know—shocking, right? You spend so much time crafting the perfect image, curating your social media, and worrying about what your co-workers think, but the reality? They’re all too busy worrying about themselves.

If you’re spending your energy trying to look successful rather than actually becoming successful, you’re in trouble. People who succeed don’t have time to obsess over what others think. They’re too busy, you know, doing the work.

If your decisions are driven by the fear of judgment, you’re living someone else’s life, not your own. And you won’t win at this either.

• You make decisions based on what will make you look good, not what will get you closer to your goals.
• You fear failure not because of the consequences, but because of what others will say about it.
• Your actions are motivated by the need for external validation rather than internal fulfillment.
• The truth is, people are too busy worrying about themselves to care that much about you, but you’re stuck in your own head.

8. You Don’t Stick to Anything

Notice how people have a new “passion” every six months? It’s like clockwork. One minute they’re all about that startup idea, the next they’re switching to crypto, then it’s NFTs, then they’re selling handmade soap on Etsy. The problem isn’t that they’re exploring different things—it’s that they never commit long enough to actually get good at any of them.

Success takes time. A lot of time. You don’t become an expert overnight, and you definitely don’t succeed by bailing when things get tough (which they always do).

If you’re jumping from one thing to the next because it’s “not working fast enough,” you’re in for a lifetime of mediocrity. Stick to something, learn, fail, get better, repeat. There’s no shortcut.

• You start new projects with enthusiasm, but the moment they get tough or boring, you bail.
• You justify your quitting by saying the project “wasn’t right for you,” but deep down, you know it’s because you weren’t willing to grind.
• You’ve never stayed with anything long enough to actually see meaningful results.
• The people who succeed are the ones who stick around after the initial excitement fades and the real work begins.

9. You’re All About Short-Term Pleasure

How many hours do you spend scrolling through TikTok or watching random YouTube videos that you swear are “educational”? Don’t worry, I’m not judging. I’ve had my fair share of those.

But if you’re choosing mindless entertainment over meaningful progress, well, congratulations—you’ve found a one-way ticket to nowhere.

Successful people understand the value of delayed gratification. They put in the work now so they can enjoy the rewards later.

Meanwhile, if you’re constantly chasing dopamine hits—whether it’s through junk food, social media, or retail therapy—you’re training yourself to settle for scraps instead of going after the feast. The question is: are you feeding your future or just indulging in the present?

• You’d rather spend hours scrolling social media or binge-watching Netflix than investing in something that will pay off later.
• You know what you need to do, but you constantly opt for the easy, immediate rewards over long-term gains.
• You’re stuck in a cycle of instant gratification, never building anything that requires time and effort.
• Successful people sacrifice now for rewards later. You’re stuck prioritizing now, which means later never comes.

10. You’re Hanging with Losers

Yeah, I said it—losers. And if you’re already offended, it’s probably because you know exactly what I’m talking about. You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with, so if you’re surrounded by unmotivated, excuse-making, energy-draining complainers, guess what? That’s what you’ll become.

Successful people know the importance of their circle. They surround themselves with driven, optimistic, and challenging individuals who push them to grow.

So take a look around. If you’re the smartest, most ambitious person in your group, that’s a problem. You’re not going to grow if you’re always at the top of the pile. Get around people who force you to level up or stay in your comfortable little bubble—your choice.

• Your friends don’t challenge you to grow; they enable your mediocrity and excuse-making.
• You surround yourself with people who make you feel comfortable, rather than people who inspire you to level up.
• You’re afraid of leaving your current circle because it would mean admitting you need to change.
• Successful people seek out those who push them to be better. Losers stick with those who keep them stagnant.

11. You’re Always Playing the Victim

“I can’t because of my upbringing,” “The system is rigged,” “It’s not fair”—blah, blah, blah. Life isn’t fair. If you’re waiting for the world to bend to your will and make everything right for you, you’ll be waiting until you’re six feet under.

The victim mentality is the most dangerous mindset you can have. It’s a surefire way to give away all your power. When you believe life is happening to you instead of because of you, you stop trying. You give up responsibility for your own outcomes.

Successful people don’t wait for the stars to align—they create their own opportunities, no matter the odds. So stop crying about what’s unfair and start doing something about it.

• You’re constantly blaming others for your lack of progress—your boss, your parents, society, the economy—everyone but you.
• You find comfort in telling your sob story rather than taking action to change your circumstances.
• You’ve given up your personal power by constantly casting yourself as the victim of external forces.
• Successful people take responsibility for their lives, knowing they can’t control everything, but they can control how they respond.

12. You Can’t Focus

Multitasking. You think you’re a productivity wizard, juggling emails, Slack messages, and projects all at once. But multitasking is a myth, and it’s making you less effective at everything you do.

Successful people aren’t trying to do a million things at once. They know how to prioritize and focus on one thing—the most important thing—until it’s done. If you can’t sit down and focus on a single task without getting distracted by your phone or the latest notification, you’re sabotaging your own success.

Get control of your attention, or someone else will control it for you (looking at you, TikTok algorithm).

• You’re easily distracted by shiny objects—whether it’s a new business idea, social media, or whatever’s trending this week.
• You start 10 projects and finish none because you can’t stick to one thing long enough to see results.
• Your attention span is so short that you rarely give anything the deep focus it needs to truly excel.
• Successful people aren’t superhuman; they’re just really good at focusing on one thing until it’s done.

13. You Don’t Invest in Yourself

Let me guess—you think investing in yourself is “too expensive,” right? You’d rather buy the latest iPhone than pay for a course that could actually move you forward.

If you’re not willing to put time, money, and effort into improving yourself, don’t expect life to improve for you.

Successful people know that the best investment they can make is in themselves. Whether it’s learning new skills, expanding their network, or even taking care of their health, they prioritize growth.

Meanwhile, you’re busy spending money on things that depreciate in value the second you buy them. If you’re not investing in yourself, you’re investing in your own stagnation. Your call.

• You think personal development is “too expensive,” but you’ll drop money on the latest tech or designer clothes without hesitation.
• You expect success to come without investing in the skills, resources, or networks needed to achieve it.
• You consume tons of free content but never pay for the things that will really help you grow.
• Successful people understand that investing in themselves is the only surefire way to increase their value over time.

14. You’re Scared of Hard Work

This one should be obvious, but let’s go there anyway. If you think success is going to come without grinding, hustling, and putting in long hours, you’re living in a fantasy. Somewhere along the way, we got sold this lie that life is supposed to be easy.

But nothing worth having ever comes easy. Successful people work harder than everyone else. Period. It’s not glamorous. It’s not fun. But it’s necessary.

If you’re always looking for shortcuts, hacks, or ways to game the system without doing the actual work, let me save you some time: it won’t work. Put in the hours, or stop pretending you want success.

• You think you can hack your way to success without putting in the necessary hours.
• When the grind gets real, you look for an easier path or something that feels less demanding.
• You want the rewards but aren’t willing to make the sacrifices to get them.
• Successful people don’t shy away from hard work; they embrace it because they know it’s the price of success.

15. You Don’t Set Goals (Or You Set Fake Ones)

Do you even know what you want, or are you just floating through life hoping something good happens? Successful people set clear, specific goals. They know where they’re going and exactly what they need to do to get there.

Meanwhile, if you’re just “going with the flow,” you’re letting life happen to you rather than taking control.

And don’t even get me started on people who set vague, fluffy goals like “I want to be happy” or “I want to be rich.” Those aren’t goals—they’re fantasies.

A real goal has a plan, a timeline, and measurable steps. If you’re not doing that, you’re just daydreaming.

• You talk about “wanting to be successful” but have no clear definition of what that looks like.
• You set vague, half-hearted goals with no plan or timeline, then wonder why nothing changes.
• You’re more focused on wishful thinking than setting actionable, measurable steps to achieve real progress.
• Successful people set specific, realistic goals and create detailed plans to make them happen. You’re still hoping things will magically improve.

Conclusion: It’s Time to Wake Up

If you found yourself nodding along to any of these signs you won’t be successful: you’re not alone. The bad news? You’re the problem. But here’s the thing—being the problem also means you’re the solution.

Success isn’t some magical, unreachable place reserved for the lucky few. It’s a grind, a mindset, and a series of choices. The good news? You can change. You can stop making excuses, stop waiting for the “right time,” and start doing the hard, uncomfortable work it takes to get there.

But let’s be real—most people won’t. Most people will read this, nod their heads, and go right back to the same habits that are holding them back.

Don’t be like most people. You want to be successful? Then it’s time to get uncomfortable, drop the excuses, and start acting like the person you say you want to be. Otherwise, well… you already know how that story ends.

Ready to take action?

If you want to change your life, you need to change your habits. Knowledge is power, but only if you take action on it. If you’re ready to ditch the excuses and start building a life of real success, you need tools, education, and accountability.

Check out Skillshare for hands-on learning in everything from entrepreneurship to productivity to personal development. Invest in yourself, learn new skills, and surround yourself with people who want to grow.

And for those ready to dig even deeper, grab one of our must-read books to get started.

Time to stop talking and start acting. You in?

FAQs

1. How can I succeed in life if I keep making excuses?

The first step to succeed in life is recognizing your excuses for what they are—disguises for fear or procrastination. Success comes when you replace excuses with action, regardless of the circumstances.

2. Why do people procrastinate even when they want to be successful?

Procrastination often stems from fear of failure or perfectionism. People avoid starting because they fear things will go wrong or they won’t meet their own expectations, even though taking imperfect action is key to success.

3. How do I know if I’m focusing too much on what other people think?

If your decisions revolve around getting validation on platforms like LinkedIn or social media rather than actual accomplishment, you’re prioritizing other people’s opinions over your own growth.

4. What are some early signs that things are going wrong in my pursuit of success?

Early signs include excessive procrastination, lack of clear goals, and a refusal to take constructive criticism. These behaviors keep you stagnant and stop progress before it even starts.

5. Can surrounding yourself with the wrong people really affect your success?

Absolutely. The people you spend time with shape your mindset and actions. If you’re hanging around negative, unmotivated individuals, it’s likely you’ll adopt their attitudes and habits, which can go wrong for your personal growth.

6. How do I overcome the fear of failure so I can start achieving success?

Start by shifting your mindset. Embrace failure as a learning opportunity rather than something to avoid. Every successful person has failed multiple times; it’s what they did afterward that made the difference.

7. How important is setting clear goals if I want to be successful?

Setting clear, actionable goals is critical to success. Without a roadmap, you’ll find yourself drifting, which leads to wasted time and missed accomplishments. Define your goals, break them down into steps, and track your progress regularly.