10 Things to Give Up If You Want to Move Forward

10 Things to Give Up If You Want to Move Forward

10 Things to Give Up If You Want to Move Forward

Most people aren’t stuck because they lack talent, opportunity, or intelligence. They’re stuck because they’re holding onto things that keep them in the same place. If you want to move forward—really move forward—you need to let go of the things that are weighing you down.

Here are 10 things you need to give up if you’re serious about success:

1. Letting the Opinions of Others Control Your Life

If you spend your life worrying about what other people think, you’ll never have time to figure out what you actually want. At the end of the day, it’s not their life—it’s yours. And let’s be honest, people are too busy worrying about themselves to spend that much time thinking about you anyway!

2. The Shame of Past Failures

Your past failures do not define your future success—unless you let them. Every successful person has failed. The difference? They used their failures as a stepping stone, not a sofa. Stop dwelling, start doing.

3. Being Indecisive About What You Want

You’ll never leave where you are until you decide where you want to go. Sitting on the fence only gives you splinters. Make a decision, commit, and move forward with purpose.

4. Waiting for the ‘Right’ Time

The best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. The second-best time? Right now. Stop waiting for perfect conditions—perfection doesn’t exist. The only time you can control is today.

5. Running from Problems Instead of Fixing Them

Life’s problems don’t go away just because you ignore them. They get louder, messier, and eventually demand your attention. Face them. Fix them. Communicate, forgive, and appreciate the people in your life who matter.

6. Making Excuses Instead of Decisions

Excuses are easy. Accountability is hard. But here’s the truth: most long-term failures come from people who made excuses instead of decisions. Own your choices, take responsibility, and stop waiting for someone else to fix things for you.

7. Overlooking the Positives in Your Life

What you focus on determines how you feel. If you only see the negatives, you’ll struggle to feel fulfilled—no matter how successful you become. Start looking for the good in every situation, and you’ll be amazed at how much is already going right.

8. Fear of Being Wrong

If you’re never wrong, you’re never learning. And if you’re never learning, you’re never growing. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Get things wrong. That’s how you get better.

9. Trying to Control Everything

Spoiler alert: You can’t. The only thing you can control is your attitude, your effort, and how you respond to challenges. Focus on those, and you’ll be unstoppable.

10. Not Appreciating the Present Moment

We spend so much time chasing ‘big’ success that we miss the small, beautiful moments that make life worth living. Success isn’t a destination—it’s a series of moments. Don’t miss them.

Every day, you get to choose: stay where you are, or move forward. The choice is yours.

What’s something you have let go of that helped you move forward? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

 Mark Goode

CEO Inspired Recruitment

Mark Goode is the CEO of The Inspired Recruitment Group which originated with the inception of Inspired Selections a recruitment agency primarily focused on recruitment in the optical industry before branching out into audiology and pharmaceutical recruitment. New optical opportunities are featured daily here or if you're a business, looking for help with your recruitment needs, get in touch here