Why are you a failure?

Many people complain about their failure and believe it is the luck that played its role. But I have found most of the Professional Failures are self-induced. Some people remain low as they lack dream and vision, while most people dream and still fail. This is quite unusual but there is a huge mass lying here.
Will discuss my observations in detail but before that you may want to know how to grow, before going into how not to grow. Find it here (10 Mantra for Professional Success).

Growth is not impulsive but its continuous rising.

I am sure many people wont agree with me in this point. But yes, any growth is the result of continuous effort and upward rise. Any impulsive growth is bound to fall and the bigger the impulse, the bigger is the chances to fall.
It is in line with the famous line from Warren Buffet. I would like to mention it here.

"No one has made quick money and retained it".

Yes, impulsive growth is not that good but if one can wait and retain the position after the impulse before making further step, it may remain. But chances are rare.

"4 Ds for growth in Life. Deserve, Dream, Decide and Do."

This is very important. Growth has to be deserved first and then asked for. If you don't deserve, its very likely that you will never get it.

Most Common Mistakes people make

1. Living a Disciplined Life
Yes, I really mean a disciplined life. Most of the disciplined people are inflexible and they are masters of pushing their agenda not understanding the business need. They go to the company at 9 AM and leave at 6 PM everyday. They see themselves as the best people who manage personal and professional life, and lead a happy life. This is true if the business need is well taken care but most disciplined people make two mistakes -
a. Spend time in office not doing anything when there is no work. They could better have enjoyed time and refreshed to work when work comes to them.
b. Find hard to work extra when there is huge work load in the company.
This creates the impression with the upper level, that he is good but not for him. The disciplined people are there when you don't need them, and are hardly available when you need them.

2. Very Professional while dealing with Colleagues.
Everybody works and have to work, but life should not stop there neither the relationship. I want to get work from someone who works and completes his work, but grow someone I enjoy working with.
I don't want Human Robots who works and just works. I should not only enjoy working with my team but enjoy dining too.
I think, same applies to you too. So if you like to work with people you like, same does your manager. Thus a very professional dealing may sometime stuck your growth, and the answer is to grow personal relation and create a bond of friendship in your team.
This is not only true up but below too. Your team should be there to support your growth and if they don't like your personally, they will hardly support.

3. Finish all work given and wait for growth to come.
If you are good at doing what ever is given to you, you are perfect for your job. But when it comes to your growth, you may just not be fit. There are three stages of human development and that the position ladder in any organization seeks.
a. Doing what is given
This is for the level of Engineer/Analyst/Consultant, you do what is told to you. The better you do the better you are fit for your position.
b. Propose solution for Business Problems
It is the general expectation from the Managers. If you are not in a position to do this, then you are simply not ready to be one. Your number of years of experience in the industry hardly matters.
c. Create Business Problems
Directors and above are expected to do it. They will have to think above the current work and think on how to move forward and grow the business. Once someone starts thinking on these lines, he is ready to be there. Else end life as a managers!! No Choice.

Have said all this, I just want to add someting. Growth comes to someone who works at one level and prepares himself for the upper level. Not to forget is the proper communication of the preparation for the next level of work to the people above. Till they know it, chances of growth are again rare.

4. Good people Manager
Well people talk of someone being a good people manager. I wonder if someone can actually be. Companies have Business Problems and they need to be managed and get done. But Employees are people and they have their thought and vision. Managing them can only backfire, and result in losing both people's respect and in-time project completion.

"Good People Management is an excuse, and not great Quality".

People should be lead and lead by example. When someone below you is stuck with some problem, then go and suggest him some solution and help him move forward. If you can't then give him time learn and do it. Rather people managers tend to pressurize him to work long hours and get the work done. This may make the manager feel good about the work getting done, but the day he does that he has lost his position as a leader.
He is then just a manager who lacks vision, and end up just being a person doing what others push to him.

5. Growth by an alternative route
Many people join a company to prepare for CAT, GMAT, GRE etc. and then go for further study. But when they don't find the college of their choice, they turn to the company and see their peers growing more than them. Then the comparison starts. They feel they have done everything what's given to them and have worked hard and deserve the growth as anybody else.
Sadly, people tend to behave differently with the varied priority. And it is visible to everyone in the company. The lack of seriousness is felt and the growth is reduced for people working on lower priority.
The weakness here is not the exploration of alternative route but the expectation of growth within the company. People grow where they focus and you should search success where you have the highest focus. And thats it!

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I am done now. What do you think? I will be happy to hear from you, be it critical or supportive.