There are many documented reasons why people fail to achieve their full potential. Harvard Business School has taken a vital interest in what makes the difference in success or failure for people of similar backgrounds and educational standards.

Their studies find that 3% become successful, 30% are moderately successful and 67% just exist. The significant difference of the 3% who are successful is that they have written down specific goals. The 30% who are moderately successful have a general idea where they are going but don't have any goals formalised. The rest are happy to watch the world go by.

What is interesting is the people in the 30% category only need to put a small amount of effort to jump into the next group. The secret behind the effort is "the development of habits and strategies which support the achievement of clear goals."