Everyone has it in them to fulfill their potential and make their wildest dreams a reality.

But not everyone seizes the opportunity to do so.

From procrastination to little self-belief or constant self-sabotage, some men are their worst enemies, and no matter how much they want to succeed, they always end up right where they started.

But why? What’s the difference between a man whose dreams have become reality and a man who’s always stumbling and falling, unable to get to where he wants to be?

Let’s find out.

Here is a list of 6 brutally honest signs a man probably won’t amount to much in life (unless he changes his mindset and behavior, that is).

1) He has a victim mentality

Victim mentality is a trap that can be pretty damn difficult to escape.

When you believe the whole world is against you and nothing is your fault, you’re automatically giving up all responsibility for your life, thereby submitting to external circumstances and losing control.

It’s a bit like driving a car, letting go of the steering wheel, and blaming the car for crashing into a tree.

Psychiatrist Samantha Boardman M.D. says, “The stories we tell about ourselves shape the people we become. If we fixate on how we have been wronged, we become wound collectors—stuck in the past and awash in grievances.”

Perhaps more importantly, “Focusing on fragility overshadows our capability to overcome adversity. Making an identity out of the bad things that happen to us can result in a preoccupation with victimhood, leaving an individual stuck in a vortex of finger-pointing, self-focus, and rumination.”

I’m sure you can see the issue here.

A man who’s stuck in a victim mentality finds it incredibly difficult to face new challenges and overcome all the various obstacles in life, which prevents him from pursuing his dreams.

As a result, he remains rooted in place, unwilling to move even an inch.

2) He’s all words, no action

The fact that a man has a victim mindset doesn’t mean he automatically stops dreaming of achieving big goals in life, of course. It’s just that he expects them to fall in his lap without having to do any work.

And one such sign this is exactly the case is that while he often talks about big dreams and projects, he rarely puts in the effort to actually pursue them.

This is even more evident when it comes to men who talk about their dreams all the damn time. It almost seems that the more they talk about it, the less they do in order to make those goals a reality.

Why, though?

Well, psychologists might have an answer.

According to Marwa Azab PhD, an adjunct professor of psychology and human development at California State University, pursuing our goals releases a feel-good hormone called dopamine, which is in charge of making us feel rewarded for our behavior.

Azab writes, “When we publicize our goal intentions, and others acknowledge the awesomeness of such ‘potential’ changes, we get our dopamine reward all at once.”

“The more others admire our goals,” she says, “the more dopamine rush we get, and the less likely we are to execute the future necessary actions to implement them.”

This means that men who constantly talk about their dreams but never do anything about it may already be getting all their dopamine from the simple act of daydreaming and having those dreams validated by others.

3) He strives to meet societal expectations instead of following his heart

Look, I get it. It can be tough to be a man sometimes, especially if you feel like you have something to live up to.

Plenty of men are raised to believe they need to have high-paying jobs, become providers, and exhibit as many traditionally masculine traits as possible.

But the issue is that if your number one goal is to meet these societal expectations rather than to listen to your intuition and do what feels right, you might end up feeling dissatisfied, burned out, and stuck in life.

If you choose to pursue your authentic goals, though…

You may go against what your parents expect of you, but the upside is that you’ll actually be happy, not to mention you’ll do something you’re really good at, thereby increasing your chances of success by a thousandfold.

The key to success is to do what you truly and genuinely enjoy. It’s to live your life on your own terms.

4) He’s trapped inside his self-limiting beliefs

“Everyone has self-limiting beliefs,” says clinical psychologist Melanie McNally, Psy.D.

“They’re the perceptions and thoughts you have about yourself, others, and the world. And they’re self-limiting because these perceptions and thoughts are preventing you from doing something that you’re actually quite capable of doing (even though you don’t think you are!).”

She gives us a very good example: “You might believe you’re introverted and, therefore, unable to go for a promotion you really want because the new job requires some networking and talking in front of large groups.”

What you believe about yourself affects your behavior to a large degree.

And the reason many men don’t go after their goals is that they let their self-limiting beliefs impact their behavior so much that they don’t try hard enough to break through the ceiling and reach new heights.

If you believe that all you can get in life is a 9-5 job you kind of hate, that’s the life you’ll create for yourself.

If you believe you’re not skilled or knowledgeable enough to apply for the job of your dreams, you’re robbing yourself of an excellent opportunity that would have turned your life around.

It all begins on a level of thought.

Challenge your beliefs and watch your life change.

5) He’s still stuck in the past

Given the fact that the past is a place made purely of thought and memory, you’d expect it to have less of an impact on us.

And yet far too many people are so stuck in the past – that abstract place that only exists in our heads – that they struggle to move on and truly enjoy the present moment for what it is.

The main problem here is that a man simply can’t follow his dreams with all his heart if he’s constantly ruminating about his past mistakes or grievances.

He can’t give his all to the people and challenges facing him in the here and now if his mind is still preoccupied with past lovers, events, accomplishments, and failures.

Don’t get me wrong, it can be fun to reminisce about good old times. And it can also be incredibly healing to delve into the pain you suppressed a long time ago and finally process it in order to let it go.

But there’s a balance to be struck.

And there’s a difference between processing the past with the intention to move on and being stuck in it just because you find yourself unable to let go of it.

6) He lacks a sense of purpose

“One of the best predictors of happiness is having a purpose in life,” reports Elaine Shpungin Ph.D. in Psychology Today. “Sense of purpose may improve resiliency, life satisfaction, health, academic and work success, and even longevity.”

Furthermore, she highlights that a sense of purpose might:

• Increase our income
• Make us more likeable
• Help us stay in better shape on a physical and cognitive level
• Improve academic success
• Increase work satisfaction
• Help us experience more hope and optimism
• Protect us from some of the negative effects of stressful events

The fact of the matter is that every man needs to feel useful. He needs to feel like he has some sort of meaning in life.

If he’s just walking around with no one to help and nothing to achieve, sooner or later, he’ll begin to feel pretty rubbish.

Therefore, the most important step you’ve got to take if you want to improve the quality of your life and increase your chances of success is to find yourself.

Find something you genuinely enjoy, something that fulfills you on a deep level, and something that gives your life meaning.

And watch yourself blossom into the man you are meant to be.