“Stop Doing These 7 Things to Finally Succeed”

There’s a lot of advice out there about success. People talk endlessly about what you should be doing: wake up early, hustle hard, network constantly, read 52 books a year. But the truth? Most people aren’t failing because they’re not doing enough. They’re failing because they’re doing the wrong things—repeatedly. I know, because that was me. I spent years checking every box, working long hours, saying yes to everything… and getting nowhere. It wasn’t until I started unlearning some toxic patterns that things began to shift. If you’re serious about becoming successful—not just busy, not just exhausted, but truly fulfilled—then it’s time to start subtracting.

Here are 7 things I had to stop doing before success found me.

1. Stop Saying “Yes” to Everything

I used to say yes out of fear: fear of missing out, fear of disappointing others, fear of not being liked. The result? I was stretched thin, always tired, and constantly overwhelmed. I wasn’t giving my best to anything because I was giving something to everything. Success demands focus. And focus requires saying no—often, and unapologetically. When I started guarding my time like it was gold (because it is), I noticed something powerful: I had energy again. I had room to go deep instead of wide. That’s where the breakthroughs happened.

2. Stop Waiting for Motivation

If I had to rely on motivation to get things done, I’d still be stuck where I was five years ago. Motivation is fleeting. It’s emotional. It comes and goes like weather. What changed everything for me was developing discipline—showing up even when I didn’t feel like it. Success isn’t about being constantly inspired. It’s about consistency. I created systems. I built habits. I lowered the barrier to entry. Even if I only did 15 minutes of focused work some days, that was still progress. The key is showing up on the days you’d rather not.

3. Stop Comparing Yourself to Everyone Online

Social media is a highlight reel. You know it, I know it—but we still scroll and judge ourselves against carefully curated images of success. I used to compare my starting point to someone else’s tenth chapter. It crushed my confidence. It made me question my path. But then I started measuring progress differently. Not against others, but against who I was yesterday. That shift changed everything. I started focusing inward instead of outward. And ironically, that’s when people started noticing my growth.

4. Stop Multitasking

For years, I thought multitasking was a superpower. Turns out, it was draining my productivity and destroying my focus. When I finally began working on one task at a time—fully, with intention—I became twice as efficient. My work quality improved. I stopped feeling mentally fried at the end of the day. Multitasking is a myth. Real success requires deep work. It means closing the tabs (literally and figuratively) and committing to one thing at a time.

5. Stop Avoiding Hard Conversations

I used to run from discomfort. Conflict made me anxious, so I’d avoid honest talks—at work, in relationships, with myself. But avoiding the hard conversations always made things worse. Resentment built. Misunderstandings festered. Clarity was lost. Success in any area—career, leadership, personal growth—requires emotional courage. The willingness to say what needs to be said. The ability to listen without defensiveness. The strength to set boundaries. I lost some people along the way. But I gained my self-respect.

6. Stop Chasing Perfection

This one nearly paralyzed me. I’d rewrite things ten times. I’d delay projects because they weren’t “ready.” I’d overthink every decision to the point of exhaustion. Then I heard a quote that flipped a switch in my brain: “Done is better than perfect.” That was the permission I needed to start. To move. To iterate. Nothing great was ever perfect on the first try—and waiting for perfection was just fear in disguise. Success isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being brave enough to be seen before you’re ready.

7. Stop Doubting Yourself So Loudly

If I could only eliminate one thing from this list, it would be this. Self-doubt is a dream killer. It whispers lies that sound like truth: You’re not good enough. You’ll fail. People will laugh. I let that voice run my life for far too long. Until I finally asked: What if it’s wrong? What if I am capable? What if I do have something valuable to offer? What if the worst-case scenario… doesn’t happen? You don’t need unshakable confidence to begin. You just need enough belief to take the next step.

Final Thoughts: Subtraction is a Superpower

When people think of success, they imagine adding more—more skills, more hustle, more effort. But for me, success started with less:

Less noise.

Less comparison.

Less fear-driven action.

I let go of what didn’t serve me. I stopped giving energy to the things that drained me. And in that space, something new emerged—clarity, momentum, alignment. So if you’re stuck, maybe don’t ask, “What do I need to do next?” Instead, ask: “What do I need to stop doing first?”