50 Signs That You’re a Train Wreck

Some people are a train wreck about to happen. They’re greedy and self-absorbed, and they routinely make unforced errors. To make matters worse, they lack proper scruples and have a lousy attitude to boot. (Ugh.) It’s like they can’t seem to get out of their own way. Do you know anyone who’s a train wreck about to happen? Are you a train wreck?

People who are train wrecks:

Bring out the worst in people.
Wallow in self-pity.
Think the world revolves around them.
Expect others to bail them out.
Lie so much that they don’t even know the truth anymore.
Worship money like it’s the only thing in life.
Dodge work even though others must shoulder the burden.
Demand rewards without earning them.
Blame others for their problems, mistakes, and circumstances.
Spend their way into oblivion — and then complain that they don’t have money.
Lay around expecting others to do things for them.
Talk relentlessly, but rarely listen.
Criticize others, but rarely take a good hard look at themselves.
Refuse to make the commitment, but then complain about the outcome.
Look down their nose at people.
Make promises, but never keep them — even promises to themselves.
Run away from problems.
Do just enough to get by.
Surround themselves with toxic people.
Think complaining is productive.
Go to extremes to get what they want.
Pressure people to conform to their values — and then preach the importance of tolerance.
Sell out their friends to further their goals.
Bully people to feed their ego.
Request help to avoid doing the work.
Resent others for achieving success — even though it was earned.
Overlook the good in their life because they’re so obsessed with more, more, more.
Do anything to win acceptance, even if it’s at the expense of others.
Mistrust everyone because they don’t trust themselves.
Become so obsessed with revenge that they lose sight of everything else.
Worry so much about tomorrow that they’re miserable today.
Think they know it all, so there’s nothing more they can learn.
Spend more time complaining than doing something about it.
Believe everything they hear without a healthy dose of skepticism.
Treat others kinder than they treat themselves.
Convince themselves the cards are stacked against them — so they stop trying.
Look the other way to cover up unethical behavior.
Defame their reputation due to reckless behavior.
Give in to temptation — and lose everything they care about as a result.
Set the bar so low they can trip on it.
Secure short-term wins at the expense of long-term relationships.
Let their ego talk them into complacency.
Blame others for their mistakes in lieu of accepting personal responsibility.
Shoot from the hip until they shoot themselves in the foot.
Follow the crowd without looking where they’re going.
Brag about accomplishments — achieved decades ago.
Make risky bets until they lose it all.
Obey rules blindly.
Compromise their values and lose their self-respect.
Think this list doesn’t apply to them.

Do any of the above behaviors apply to you? Here’s a little tidbit for you: There are two things that these fifty items have in common — they involve your mindset or attitude. That said, these behaviors aren’t imposed on you; you have complete control over them. You don’t have to be a train wreck unless that’s what you want to be. It’s your choice. Give that some thought.