Success can look like many different things. It looks differently for everybody. Never believe anybody who says being successful means going to a specific school or getting a specific degree or job. It all depends on you and what you want to do.

But that doesn't mean that we can't define what success means. To be successful means that you're going after your goals and you're executing those goals.

Sometimes our mindset can prevent us from reaching success because we're distracted from our goals or we're scared to try our best.

Here are 3 thoughts that can prevent us from being successful:

1. "I will start tomorrow."

This can easily turn into next week, next month, next year, and realistically: never. If you want to accomplish something then you need to start working towards it today. What are you waiting for? Your circumstances to change? To gain more confidence?

We often think that if we just finish our degree or find the dream job or reach our target GPA that then and only then can we start working towards accomplishing specific goals that we may have.

But the truth is that your circumstances will never make it the perfect time to go after success. It's your mentality that makes it the perfect time. And if you're busy saying "I will start tomorrow" then there's something wrong with your mentality.

2. "I can't do it."

How do you know that? If you're busy telling yourself what you can and cannot do when you haven't even made an attempt then you're limiting yourself. There's no way around it.

You may not be able to do everything at once, or do everything in a day, or do everything without any help but that doesn't mean that you can't do it any at all.

If you tell yourself this it's time to reevaluate and consider that nothing can stop you from reaching your goals except yourself.

3. "That will come in time."

Talk about being passive! Things can't come "in time" if you're not taking any steps to make those things happen. You can't wait for anything or anybody to fall into your lap.

To be successful means that you've gotta be proactive. You've gotta work hard but most of all you've got to work smart.

These are just a few ways that our thoughts can hold us back from success. Every day it's a struggle to tell these thoughts "no, you're wrong" but it's worth it!

You have too much potential and too much within you to allow fear or passivity to get in the way.