BY LOLLY DASKAL
 
President and CEO, Lead From Within
Aristotle once wrote, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit." And often it is your habits that determine your success-or stand in its way.
If you can rise above the habits that are blocking you, you can reach the potential you've always held.
These seven self-destructive habits are a good place to begin:
1. Letting everyone else define what you want. It's your life, so put a stop to allowing other people to decide for you. Take back control, and set healthy boundaries. Make your own decisions, and own your own life.
2. Playing it safe. If you're on a timid path, you're probably fearful about the future. But playing it safe will never be as satisfying, or bring the rewards, of taking the risk and going for it-and getting hurt, making mistakes, and having failure in the process. It's the choices you make along the way that make the journey so rich, so don't rob yourself of that experience.
3. Letting negativity rule. How many negative people do you have in your life? How many negative thoughts in a day? It's easy to be surrounded by negativity without even being aware of it. But it's expensive-it often comes at the cost of the things you want. Cut out negativity from your life, and give that energy back to yourself.
4. Living in the past. Whether it's nostalgia for the good old days or an inability to get beyond a damaging history, dwelling in the past keeps you from moving forward. Do whatever it takes to bury the past so you can come into the now.
5. Proceeding with procrastination. You have a choice of how to spend every minute of every day. It's fine to spend some time thinking and dreaming, but it's the time you spend getting things done that will move you toward your goals.
6. Giving in to despair. Sometimes good things fall apart and bad things come together. But there are plenty of good reasons to keep learning and growing. When things go wrong, it's up to you to learn the lessons and keep on connecting the dots.
7. Giving up. The moment you're ready to quit is often the moment right before it all comes together. Let determination and tenacity carry you through; be the person who falls seven times but gets up eight.
Begin today to eliminate the habits that are standing in your way-whether it's some of these or something else entirely. Then discover the successful person you are meant to be.