0 - 500 / Goal Achievement Steps / Habits and Habit Tracker / Seneca

Top 7 Things That Stand In The Way of Success and Goal Achievement [Seneca]

By Effluo | Published August 4, 2022 | No Comments

Have you ever wondered why so many goals fail short of being achieved?  Or why, when setting out on a specific endeavor with the best intentions possible, do you end up exactly where you started?  What stands in the way of success and goal achievement?  What prevents you from reaching your dreams?

It is said that even though technology has progressed tremendously, human nature has remained a constant.   Let us then look at how people in the past dealt with things that stood in the way of their success and goal achievement.  

To study this question, we looked into the works of Seneca.  He was a Stoic philosopher who lived at the turn of the new era.  His work influenced many thinkers, shakers, and movers of our history. He continues to be a very relevant source of information to us even today. 

The Letters Of The Stoic is his best-known work and is the one we will be referencing in our research.  The seven things that stand in the way of success and goal achievement were found in these letters.

1  Avoid Following The Crowd

I am pointing out to others the right path, which I have recognized only late in life when I am worn out with my wanderings.  ‘Avoid,’ I cry, ‘whatever is approved of by the mob and things that are the gift of chance. – Seneca

The first thing that stands in the way of your success and goal achievement is following the crowd.   Doing that, you will end up exactly where everyone else is going, not where you are meant to go.

Throughout his writings, Seneca pointed to the motto of the Stoics, specifically living to your nature.   Your nature is different from the nature of the people around you.  By following the crowd and doing what is approved by the ‘mob,’ you are not living in accordance with nature.

Does this mean you should never do anything approved by popular culture?  Absolutely not; you can definitely fit in and do what is accepted and common.  However, do not let that define you, your goals, or your self-worth.  

Following the crowd means abandoning your path.  Your life is uniquely yours; therefore, to achieve your dreams, live according to your nature.

 2  Avoid Inaction Due To Difficulty Of The Task

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. – Seneca

The second thing that prevents you from achieving your goals and dreams is inaction due to the size and difficulty of the task.

If you ever conceived of doing something great but then stopped yourself from pursuing that dream because it seemed too complicated, stop and re-read the quote.  Take a screenshot, put it on your Pinterest board, and remind yourself constantly that most things are difficult because you do not dare begin them.

We’ll wait ….

Once divided into smaller steps, any big dream can be achieved one step at a time.  In other words, Rome was not built in a day.  Or, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.   All that is required from you is to take that first step.

Effluo Goal Achievement framework is built on these concepts and can help make your dreams a reality.  Effluo Planners allow you to define your objectives, divide them into achievable steps, and track the progress of your successes.  

3  Avoid Relying On Chance

Whenever circumstance brings some welcome thing your way, stop in suspicion and alarm: wild animals and fish alike are taken in by this or that inviting prospect. – Seneca

This is an elaboration of the quote we reviewed in the first section. 

As a reminder, in the first section, Seneca cautioned us against following the mob and relying on chance.  This means that you should not make your plans depending on luck.  i.e., do not make your goals reliant on winning the lottery.

‘Avoid,’ I cry, ‘whatever is approved of by the mob and things that are the gift of chance. – Seneca

In the follow-up quote, Seneca cautions us further, telling us to question things brought about by chance or circumstance.   In our day, there is a saying, ‘there is no such thing as a free lunch.’

Chance and circumstance may bring about events that seem very favorable in your path.  Be happy about it and use them to your best abilities but cautiously.   Do not be ignorant of the dangers that may lie behind such a circumstance.  Use the golden rule, ‘if it seems too good to be true, it may just be.’ 

This world is not without its dangers and is not without people that are out to get what is best for them at someone else’s expense.

Therefore in your pursuit of the goal, stay true to your path, and be wary of shortcuts and ‘too good to be true’ circumstances.

4 Avoid Procrastination

While we are postponing, life speeds by.  – Seneca

One of the biggest obstacles to the pursuit of a goal is procrastination.   Seneca gently reminds us that while we are procrastinating, life speeds by.  

Stoics, in general, had an interesting approach to dealing with procrastination.   They continually reminded themselves of their mortality.   However dire that may sound, their slogan of “memento mori” or remember your mortality, is an excellent weapon in overcoming procrastination.

If you consider that your time on this planet is not infinite and, in reality, you do not know when you will die, completing your goals becomes that much more urgent and essential.   FYI, this may also help you weed out and separate the truly important goals from the non-important goals and help you prioritize your goals. 

With me, no day is ever whiled away at ease. – Seneca

Every day is a chance to get as close to your goal as possible.  Do not let procrastination or anything else get in the way of pursuing your dreams and living the best life possible.  To quote Nike, “Just Do It.”

5 Avoid Ungratefulness

Not he who has little, but he who wishes more, is poor. – Seneca

Nowadays, the practice of gratefulness has taken the psychology world by storm.   According to Psychology Today, the benefits of gratefulness range from improving your physical health to your self-esteem.   It increases your mental strength and resilience.  

It seems that two thousand years ago, Seneca knew of these benefits.  Throughout his writings, Seneca  repeatedly stressed the importance of being grateful for what you have. 

If you are ungrateful, you will be unhappy and lack confidence in your ability to achieve anything.

This practice of gratefulness will not only strengthen your self-esteem by showcasing what you have already achieved and accomplished but also propel you forward.

Unhappy is the man, though he rule the world, who doesn’t consider himself supremely blessed. – Seneca

In short, it is not about how much you have or what you have achieved; your perception of these achievements matters.    As Seneca points out, if you rule the world but are not grateful for what you have, you will undoubtedly be unhappy.   

Therefore, ensure that you take time every day to practice gratefulness.  Observe all the people and things in your life that bring your joy. 

Likewise, in the pursuit of your goals, make sure to stop and observe how far you came.  Celebrate your accomplishments. 

Our Effluo Goal Achievement Framework is built on this practice.  The Effluo Planners have a built-in daily gratitude practice by having you write down three things you are grateful for.   Likewise, at the end of each interval and quarter, you will spend time reflecting on your accomplishments and celebrating your achievements. 

6  Avoid Overindulgences and Extremes

A happy life is one which is in accordance with its own nature.  – Seneca

This concept of living in accordance with nature was Stoic’s golden rule.   Following a simple lifestyle eliminates distractions and aids you in pursuing your dreams.   Falling into extremes can be dangerous to both physical and mental health.  Likewise, overindulgences, whether physical or psychological, cannot lead to anything good.

Both overindulgences and extremes can prevent you from reaching your dreams and living the best life possible.  To begin with, both stand in complete opposition to living in accordance with nature.   Both will lead to disastrous results that will take you further away from your goals.  You will be left with the fall out of the overindulgences and extremes rather than pursuing your goals.

Cling, therefore, to this sound and wholesome plan of life: indulge the body just so far as suffices for good health.  It needs to be treated somewhat strictly to prevent it from being disobedient to the spirit.  Your food should appease your hunger, your drink quench your thirst, your clothing keep out the cold, your house be a protection against inclement weather. – Seneca

Living in accordance with nature means taking care of your personal safety and health.  Food, drink, clothing, and housing serve a specific purpose first and foremost.  They are there to keep your energy levels up, comfortable, and protected against the weather elements.   Do not allow these things to be more to you than they are.  Live your life pursuing your dreams and treat these things as necessary means for living.

Avoid overindulgences in these things as they will hinder you from achieving your goals.

7  Avoid Excessive Possessions

Spurn everything that is added on by way of decoration and display by unnecessary labour.  Reflect that nothing merits admiration except the spirit, the impressiveness of which prevents it from being impressed by anything.  – Seneca

We just reviewed how overindulgence in food, drink, and excessive spending on clothing and housing goes against living in accordance with nature and will prevent you from pursuing your goals.   Here the thought is progressed, further challenging us to turn away from excessive possessions.

Society back in Seneca’s time and in our time has a tendency to worship possessions.  We pay an excessive amount of money for simple things in an attempt to show power and wealth.  Seneca recommends that instead of your possessions, have your accomplishments and achievements, your spirit, speak for you.

Living a simple life frees you to pursue your dreams.  If you have excessive possessions, you will spend excessive time taking care of them, either cleaning them up or servicing them.   This takes time away from your goals and pursuits.   

Focus on developing your natural talents and living in accordance to your purpose, a.k.a.  your nature.  By doing this, you will not only find peace and satisfaction, but you will also pave the way for personal success. 

Summary of the Seven Things That Stand In The Way of Success and Goal Achievement

1  Following The Crowd

2  Inaction Due To Difficulty Of The Task

3  Relying On Chance

4  Procrastination

5  Ungratefulness

6  Overindulgences and Extremes

7  Excessive Possessions

Take a step back and review the goals you are trying to pursue.   Review the seven hindrances outlined by Seneca and determine if any of them are in the way of reaching your goals.   Take the necessary steps to remedy the situation. 

Latest posts