Factors That Negatively Affect Performance

A positive outcome is not just an individual achievement or accomplishment. It is a result of a string of decisions made culminating into one single achievement. One wrong step withing the series of decisions made can falter the positive end-product.

Added to that, every decision made is subject to factors that can either negatively or positively influence the decision itself as well as the ultimate output.

RELATED: Life Changing Decisions

To beat an enemy, you have to know the enemy...
Here are some factors that can negatively affect an individual's performance.

Procrastination

Procrastination is arguably progress's number one nemesis. 

Most people tend to perform well under the spot-light of supervision. When a manager is around, deadlines are met and people go head over heels in a bid to meet deadlines. Some may even cut their bed-time hours in half and some may miss a couple of meals whilst wrestling against time.

However, for the very same individual, his/her own individual project and targets are never treated with the same kind of urgency. 

Oftentimes a goal that required a month to be fulfilled can take a year. Many people have still not started the diet that they've been threatening since the start of the year! Others have been promising to look into business opportunities for the past couple of years but still no action has been put to the words.

Low self esteem and self pity

Success can never run on an empty tank of self belief. 

To realize your potential, one has to believe in their ability to perform at the highest possible level.

Self pity is responsible for the inferiority complex. And once you begin feeling inferior you seize looking forward towards your goal but rather begin looking sideways, seeking help even for tasks that can easily be overshadowed by your potential.

Lack of motivation

Everyone needs motivation.

Motivation is a fuel that helps power up your energy, tenacity and belief that you can, and will achieve whatever lies ahead of you.

RELATED: Why You Need to Pursue Inspiration

Laziness

Simple and straight forward. Some goals that were never achieved were a result of blatant laziness. Many times people feel lazy towards anything that requires commitment and diligence. 

This is why the richest 1% own over half of the world's wealth. It is because almost 99% of the general population are not willing and are too lazy to committed and diligent enough to chase their dreams. The majority would rather seek employment and earn a salary without having to worry about much.

Poor planning

A good plan is one that has objectives and goals clearly stated whilst also detailing the best possible route of action.

Poor planning often negatively affects performance due to the lack of goal clarity. This many times leads to settling for less and finding false solace and consolation in underachievement. 

Stress

Stress clouds the ability to make sound judgement and unquestionably disturbs focus.

Funny enough, the opposite end of the spectrum (extreme happiness) can also inflict equally negative effects on performance. This is why it is often said that one should never make a decision under distress and a promise whilst extremely happy.

Lack of responsibility

Inability to own up to one's actions creates passiveness in decision making. Instead to being proactive and adventurous, those that lack responsibility often take a reactive approach and are very defensive (passive), quickly shifting blame whenever there is a halt in progress.

Lack of ambition

Many people display stagnant and flat performances due to a lack of ambition and imagination.

Ambition is what drives you forward. It is the factor that gives you reason and power to stay up until midnight whilst undertaking your targets. 

Ambition is the bigger picture that gives you the strength to chase down you goal even if it means missing out on your lunch hour break or missing out the weekend party.

RELATED Article: Power of Imagination

Poor health plans

The ability to perform to the best of one's ability can only be achieved if the individual takes good care of his/her own body. 

Otherwise stress on the body coupled with a poor diet may lead to various forms of discomfort or even bodily malfunctions (such as heart attacks or strokes) which in turn negatively affect performance.

Association

"Show me your friends and I will show you your future."

The decisions we make are directly influenced by those around us. When you surround yourself with positive influence you are bound to take a more positive grip on life.

The same goes for negative influence... Surrounding yourself with negative influence will often negatively affect your performance and take on life.

Lack of knowledge

Ignorance is not an excuse.
Many businesses fail not because of incompetent workforce but because of a shallow understanding understanding of the market, competition and the trade trends.

RELATED: Knowledge is Power