Intellectually, everyone recognizes that success is a mixture of persistent work, sound planning and a touch of good fortune. Yet despite this, most fail at the very outset of whatever they do.
This is because the process seems easier in theory and planning than in actual practice; individuals underestimate the amount of work, experimentation and repetition necessary to achieve any meaningful outcomes.
If you are interested in maximizing your chances of success and overcoming obstacles, be on the lookout for these three most common pitfalls that get in the way.
1. Instant Gratification
We live in a time where speed is rewarded in the form of fast results, fast food, even get-rich-quick schemes.
Most people know that building something meaningful takes time, effort and consistency. But many still fall for gimmicks that promise instant results, guaranteed returns and zero risk. These promises are especially tempting when you’ve been convinced they’re true.
A 2015 study published in Frontiers in Psychology examined the link between impulsivity and decision-making with over 200 participants. Researchers found that when faced with a choice between a guaranteed reward later or a risky reward now, impulsive individuals consistently chose the immediate option, even when the outcome was uncertain.
For them, the agony of waiting was more painful than the risk itself. This is where most quit before they even start. They might buy a course, follow the plan for a while and then quit when they don’t see instant results.
At the first sign of failure, they may believe it’s not working, when in reality, they just haven’t given it long enough. They may switch from one plan to the other and finally conclude that it isn’t working for them.
Another 2023 study published in Current Psychology found that people are more likely to delay gratification when they strengthen their self-efficacy and self-control.
Self-efficacy refers to the belief that you can keep going even when you are stressed or unsure, figure things out and make progress. Self-control is your ability to manage your impulses, emotions and actions in an attempt to attain long-term goals.
Next time you learn a new skill, start a project or a hobby, try this:
- Learn to endure the discomfort of waiting. You will get better with repetition, trial and error, but it takes time. Tell yourself, “The start is the hardest. Once I’m done with this, it will become easier.”
- Set a deadline that reinforces your consistency. This gives you certainty and a guarantee of progress. For instance, you can promise yourself that you won’t quit until you’ve done something a hundred times or practiced for one hour for a hundred days. You can start even smaller, but stay consistent.
- Set a limit that may sound unreasonable. This lowers your expectation of getting results fast. For instance, it gives you the certainty that by the 100th attempt at success, you will likely succeed, even if it isn’t as soon as you wanted.
2. Optimism Bias
Optimism bias makes you overestimate the chances that things will turn out in your favor and underestimate the setbacks you might face. This bias keeps your expectations high even when facing difficulties, and that’s exactly what makes it difficult to overcome.
While positive expectations can enhance your motivation, self-esteem and resilience, when you face inevitable setbacks, optimism bias might leave you feeling ill-equipped to face reality.
A 2024 study published in Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry found that when participants experienced sadness, they were also less likely to be unrealistically optimistic.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that we must be pessimistic to be successful. It simply means that when you feel more grounded in reality, it can make you more alert to possible obstacles and allow you to prepare accordingly.
Here are a few things you can try when achieving your next objective:
- Balance your expectations. Optimism bias is our natural tendency to form positive expectations. You need to consciously seek out and consider both positive as well as negative information. For example, reflect on the past evidence, the difficulties you may have faced in a similar project where plans didn’t go as intended and develop a perspective grounded in reality.
- Plan realistically and keep updating your beliefs. Set goals with room for setbacks and delays. Account for times when you will feel down, lethargic or uninspired. Be flexible with your expectations, both good and bad.
- Manage your emotions. Your emotional state influences optimism bias. When feeling overly positive or negative, challenge your thoughts gently. Resist the tug of impulsivity to make steady progress towards your goal.
3. Self-Serving Bias
Self-serving bias makes people take credit when something good happens, like a promotion or a project gone exceptionally well. But when something goes wrong, like getting fired or a pay cut, they blame external circumstances. Then, it becomes about office politics, an unfair boss, an unreasonable deadline — anything but themselves.
To make progress, change is mandatory. When something is not working, it’s best to change your strategy, and test out a different approach. That’s where self-serving bias hinders growth, our learning curve and our ability to adapt. It makes it difficult to point to any fault in ourselves and admit that our approach isn’t working.
A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychology discovered that even when the person responsible for an unfavorable incident was obvious, participants could not bring themselves to own up to their errors. They defended their self-image by blaming others.
Interestingly, such behavior was observed even when participants knew they were being observed or recorded, showcasing how deep-seated the self-serving bias is with regard to owning fault and accepting responsibility.
When you are working toward a goal, it’s essential to recognize and avoid this bias. Here’s how you can make the change:
- Practice honest self-reflection without immediately blaming external factors. Ask yourself, “How did I contribute to this result? Was it lack of effort, an unclear vision or a mistake that led to this outcome?”
- Seek honest feedback from trusted individuals. When you take in different perspectives, it becomes easier to spot when you are in the wrong and easier to accept responsibility and grow from your mistakes.
Self-serving bias is built-in to protect your ego unfairly. This simple two-step process helps you build the accountability and self-awareness necessary to achieve meaningful results.
To experience true success, it’s essential to balance self-belief with a sense of realism and an openness to change. The more you know, the more you grow.
Is your mindset helping you grow or holding back your progress? Take this science-backed test to find out: Growth Mindset Scale
