There are simply some things successful people never say.
Worst of all, there’s no taking it back once these things have slipped out. So stop saying these things, and you might just find yourself on the path to more success.
1. “No”
Successful people are risk-takers, yes-sayers, and fear-shakers. They’ll stand up to any situation, and won’t ever say no if it’s something they’re passionate about. They won’t take no for an answer – and certainly won’t say no to any potential opportunity for growth.
2. “I have too much work”
Being successful means you worked hard to get to where you are – most successful people are incredibly appreciative of what they have, and often reflect on what they had to do to get to where they are. They understand that it takes vigor and hustle to achieve success, and often reset their standards on what an acceptable quantity of work is.
Author, investor, and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss once said something along the lines of “Being too busy is just a form of being lazy”.
3. “I can do it myself”
Successful people surround themselves with people who can work together as a team, and often don’t take on the role of doing everything themselves. A successful person (generally) knows that trying to do everything on their own means they’ll just slow down the entire process.
4. “I give up”
Giving up never crosses a successful person’s mind. Yes, they might come across a few failures in their life – but it’s never seen as giving up. Failure is not the same as giving up. They may fail at one thing, but quickly move onto the next.
In a defiant message to his employees after the Falcon 1 loss, Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX said, “I will never give up and I mean never.”
5. “I need to check my calendar”
A successful person will always make time for a meeting if it means helping a teammate out. There’s no excuse for not finding time – especially if it inhibits the success of a project and lending a hand. A successful person knows that any helping hand they offer means a favor returned in the future.
6. “I sweat the small stuff”
A leader and a successful person often sees the overall larger scale outcome of a project or plan. They’re generalists, and often don’t fret the details. While, yes, details are important – they focus on a set goal and do whatever it takes to reach that goal.
In an annual letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates wrote. “You can achieve amazing progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress toward that goal.”
7. “I don’t know how”
Successful people will always figure out a way to fix something, or find a solution to a problem. If they’re given the opportunity to learn more about the problem at hand, they’ll jump on the opportunity as quickly as possible.
8. “I don’t like reading”
You’ve probably never heard a successful person say they don’t like reading. Successful people are well read, and often read about topics that have little to no relevance with what they’re directly working on. Students of the world!
9. “I did it myself”
Successful people are incredibly good at giving credit where its due. They’re first to highlight the hardwork of their teammates, and often don’t like being in the spotlight.