Some people succeed and others fail. The key difference between the two groups is not talent or luck. It is what they choose to do and choose not to do. Here are seven of the key habits of ineffective people.

有人成功有人失败。决定成败的不是天赋或运气，而是他们对做什么和不做什么作出的选择。下面是没效率的人们的七大习惯。

1. They drift.

游移不定。

Ineffective people drift though life with no clear goals. They approach each day in a haphazard way without any priorities. They do not have a to do list, or if they have one they ignore it. They are busy all day without ever accomplishing the really significant things they should do. 

没效率的人一生中没有明确目标，总是游移不定。处理日常事务很随意，没有优先次序。他们没有“必做”清单，或有清单却不实施。他们整天忙忙碌碌，真正该做的重要事情却被束之高阁。

They find it hard to differentiate between jobs that are urgent and jobs that are important. They do not measure progress against written objectives because they do not set themselves any objectives.

他们往往分不清紧急工作和重要工作。他们不按列出目标测算进度，因为他们没有为自己设定目标。

2. They settle for second best.

不争。

These people do not lack ambition, but they have modest ambitions. They want to do well, but do not demand high standards of themselves. Deep down they know that they are capable of achieving much more in their chosen fields, but they are satisfied with mediocre attainments. Highly effective people are self-critical. They have enormous self-belief and they set high standards for themselves.

他们不缺乏抱负，但没有远大抱负。他们想做好，但又不想设定高标准。内心深处，他们知道，他们有能力在选择领域做得更好，但他们满足于小有所成。高效率的人挑战自我，他们信心十足，他们高标准地要求自己。

3. They avoid risk and discomfort.

避开风险、追求安逸。

Successful people are prepared to move out of their comfort zones and take some calculated risks. Ineffective people prefer to stay doing what they know they can do. They do not want to try new things at which they could fail or make a fool of themselves. They are reluctant to learn new skills; instead they are keen to keep treading the paths they know well.

成功的人随时准备离开舒适区，冒可预测的风险。没效率的人喜欢停留在他们知道可以做到的事情上。他们担心失败或出丑，不愿意尝试新事物。他们不积极掌握新技能，乐于在自己熟悉的道路上踏步。

4. They are easily distracted.

容易分心。

Unproductive people spend time on easy, low-value activities and find it hard to get round to the really tough but critical tasks. They waste time watching TV, reading social media, surfing the web or playing games. They mean to do some important work but find that other things keep getting in the way.

没效率的人把时间花在容易做、意义不大的活动中，抽不出时间做那些需要克服困难却重要的工作上。他们把时间浪费在看电视、浏览社交媒体、上网或玩游戏。他们打算做重要事情，但发现总有忙不完的琐碎事。

5. They are indecisive.

犹豫不决。

Successful people make choices, they are decisive – and they get quite a few decisions wrong. But they move forward. When they see an opportunity, they seize it. Unsuccessful people often avoid hard choices. They defer decisions. They wait to see what will happen. They fear that if they make a decision it might turn out to be the wrong decision so they pause. They do not move forward. They miss opportunities.

成功的人果断作出选择——他们决定的错误率相当高。但他们不会停滞不前。一旦机会呈现在他们面前，就别想跑掉。不成功的人常常避开艰难选择，他们推迟决定，他们静观其变。他们担心，如果一旦作出决定，可能导致错误发生，所以他们停下来。他们举步不前，他们错失良机。

6. They do not work through people.

不借助他人之力。

Successful people achieve success by asking, motivating and involving others. They network and approach contacts for help and information. Ineffective people prefer to browse the internet and occasionally meet some familiar people face to face. They do not actively network and engage others in their plans and projects.

成功的人求教、激发或借助他人，达到自己成功的目的。他们建立社交网、多方联络求得帮助，获取信息。没效率的人喜欢浏览网络，偶尔与熟悉的人面对面交流。他们不主动社交，不吸引他人加入自己的计划或项目。

7. They blame others.

推卸责任。

Ineffective people have a long list of excuses. They are victims. Their parents, teachers, bosses and colleagues have all let them down from time to time. They have been unlucky. Fate has conspired against them. Successful people take ownership of their lives and do not blame others. They know that it is their actions and choices that determine their success or failure.

没效率的人总是有很多借口。他们是牺牲品。他们的父母、老师、老板和同事时时让他们失望。他们运气不好。命运成心跟他们作对。成功的人是自己命运的主宰，不归咎他人。他们知道，决定他们成败的是他们的行动与选择。

If you read the biographies of successful people in different fields you find that they share some common habits. They set goals, they believe in themselves, they take risks, they work through people, they demand much of themselves, they make decisions and they take full responsibility for their careers and objectives.

各种领域都有成功的人，当读到他们的传记时，你会发现他们有着共同的习惯。他们有目标，他们相信自己，他们敢于冒险，他们借助他人，他们对自己要求较高，一旦作出决定，他们会为自己的职业生涯和目标担负起全部责任。

It is not so easy to read the stories of ineffective people because, although there are a great many of them, very few warrant a biography. However, just like the successful, the ineffective are shaped by their habits, actions and attitudes.

不大容易读到不成功的人的故事，因为他们虽为数众多，却几乎没有人为自己树碑立传。然而和成功的人一样，不成功的人由他们的习惯、行动和态度所造就。

How can an ineffective person become effective and successful? First by acknowledging that they have some bad habits that are restricting them, and then by taking actions to break the habits. Ingrained habits are hard to break, but it can be done. That is what successful people do.

没效率的人怎样变得高效与成功呢？首先要认识到束缚自己的一些坏习惯，然后采取措施改掉这些坏习惯。积习难改，但可以改。那就是成功的人所做的。