Deepak Chopra on What NOT to Do to Succeed

When you look at the most successful people you know, you probably focus on what they did to achieve their success. But what about what they didn’t do? According to Integrative Nutrition visiting teacher Deepak Chopra, those non-actions play just as significant a role in determining career success.

In an article on LinkedIn last week, Deepak laid out the three biggest mistakes he sees derailing people’s potential:

1. Setting your expectations too low.
2. Feeling that you have to be certain.
3. Not seeing how much you will grow.

A visionary in the world of holistic health and mindfulness, Deepak may not immediately seem like someone who would be giving tips for how to succeed in life professionally. However, his advice—as well as the arc of his own life—is proof of the fact that it’s not only possible but even easier to achieve success if you listen to your inner voice.

In the article, he explains how lack of confidence and low expectations create psychological limitations that trap you in dead-end jobs; how being unwilling to question the status quo closes you off to possibilities; and how being unable to envision your future, more capable self, can prevent that self from ever coming into existence.

It takes a mix of authenticity and savvy, intuition and know-how, a gut feeling and a leap of faith, to attain all of your potential success. Whether that means applying for a dream job, getting out of an unhealthy relationship, or deciding to pursue a Health Coaching career, the same mentality applies.

Which of the mistakes that Deepak lists, if any, have you made in your career? Tell us your experience in the comments section below!