This is a topic I feel super strong about. People failing their training. That, by the way, does not mean they are missing lifts. This is people not following their program.
When I am coaching a lifter who is struggling I'll usually find one of two problems. First, he or she is not really following any program at all. Yes, in this day and age where information is so readily available, people do actually go to the gym and have no real plan. I don't even need to go into this one any further, it's just stupid.
The second problem I often find is the lifter is following a program but is doing so incorrectly or haphazardly. For example, the 5/3/1 program is based off of a training max. I think people see that and automatically start plugging their max lifts into the percentages to get their sets and reps. This is a recipe for disaster because Jim has made it abundantly clear in everything he has ever written that your training max is 90% of your actual max. So if you are using your actual max you will not be training in the correct percentages and burn out pretty quickly.
Whether it's 5/3/1, Westside, 5th Set, etc, someone put a lot of time and effort into the program. They are intelligent people and know it far better than you ever will so why are you changing it. Wendler was just telling me yesterday how he's been working on a new 5/3/1 program that he's now put through its paces for three years. That's three years of hard work that some newb will dismantle in a couple of minutes because he or she will know better.
From my first meet to my last, I have been very successful in my career. My programs weren't special. They have been one or another program that has been available to all, the difference is, I never questioned them and busted my ass hard. So stop trying to outsmart your program, just work it harder.