You’ve worked hard to achieve success. You’ve struggled through demanding times, you’ve met challenges head on, and you’ve fought the hard battles. But you’re about to face your toughest challenge yet –– complacency. Achieving success is hard but staying successful is even harder.

Running a business is difficult because almost every industry is competitive. That’s just the nature of business. And it’s exactly why feeling complacent during a time of consistency is so dangerous. If your company has found a way to meet its goals and find growth in a competitive market, then you can bet that your competitors have taken notice. They’re actively trying to figure out what you’re doing so they can try to do it better. Don’t fall asleep at the wheel! You’re at the top of your game. It appears nothing is going to stop you –– except you. Here are 8 tips to fighting complacency:

Don’t let your guard down. Give yourself a kick in the butt. If you’re not up to the job, find someone who is.

Stay grounded. Remember what made you successful and what you’ve learned along the way.

Create stretch goals. Push your limits. Set ambitious yet realistic goals. Challenge everyone to do better and to be better. The fact is, if you spend your life coasting, it’ll all be downhill.

Don’t be a know-it-all. Know what you know and what you don’t know. It’s strength, not weakness, to seek advice from others.

Compete with yourself. View success as a journey rather than as a destination. Focus on beating your best rather than your competition. That way you’ll always be growing and learning from the best in the field — yourself.

Look for areas of vulnerability. Ask “what-if” questions to uncover blind spots. Be your own customer. Find the cracks in your system.

Maintain momentum. Don’t let up. As soon as you achieve one goal, set another. It’s easier to maintain momentum than to rebuild it once it’s lost.

Look to the future (not the past). Take the time to smell the roses, but don’t spend too much time basking in the glory of success. As Andrew Grove, former CEO of Intel, said, “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.”

Wherever you find success you’ll find complacency. But you have the ability to control your situation –– if you have the will and desire. It takes so much to become successful, why bring yourself down? Don’t look over your shoulder to see who’s coming; the real opposition lies with yourself. Complacency is the enemy of success.

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Written By: Paige Stuart, Planet Beach Brand Manager & Franchisee