How To Train Your Mind To Get What You Want
Why I need to train my mindset?
Practicing a new and challenging activity is a good bet for building and maintaining cognitive skills.
08428bb7-cf48-4ef5-86a1-be87fa3e4219Your brain has the ability to learn and grow as you age — a process called brain plasticity — but for it to do so, you have to train it on a regular basis.
"Eventually, your cognitive skills will wane and thinking and memory will be more challenging, so you need to build up your reserve," says Dr. John N. Morris, director of social and health policy research at the Harvard-affiliated Institute for Aging Research. "Embracing a new activity that also forces you to think and learn and requires ongoing practice can be one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy."
Physical and mental game
Research has shown that regular physical exercise is one way to improve cognitive functions like memory recall, problem solving, concentration, and attention to detail. However, it is not clear if the physical aspect alone boosts your brain or if a combination of other factors — like the mental challenge of the activity, the frequency you do it, and the desire to improve — also contribute.
Take swimming, for example. It has obvious cardiovascular and muscle-building benefits, but also involves constant thinking, processing, and learning. You have to be mindful of your breathing rhythm and how to properly execute strokes and kicks. You also can measure your expertise in terms of endurance and speed, which motivates you to practice your skills to be a better swimmer.
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A brain training activity doesn't always have to be exercise-related. Much research has found that creative outlets like painting and other art forms, learning an instrument, doing expressive or autobiographical writing, and learning a language also can improve cognitive function. A 2014 study in Gerontologist reviewed 31 studies that focused on how these specific endeavors affected older adults' mental skills and found that all of them improved several aspects of memory like recalling instructions and processing speed.
Prep your brain
These tips can support your new brain training endeavor:
Pick one new activity. Devote your time and attention to only one additional activity, so you won't be tempted by other interests.
Sign up for a class. Classes are a good way to learn the basics of any new activity, especially one that requires specific skills, like painting or music.
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Schedule practice time. Don't focus on the amount of time you practice at first, but rather aim for consistency. Devote what time you can, but be firm with your commitment. Schedule it and do it.
Do the right activity
No matter which new activity you choose, make sure it follows three guidelines in order to maximize brain training, according to Dr. Morris.
Challenging. You have to always challenge your brain in order for it to grow. This is why choosing a new activity is so beneficial. It engages your brain to learn something new and offers the chance to improve.
Not up for a new endeavor? Raise the bar for an existing activity. For instance, if you are a casual golfer, commit to increasing your ability and aim to lower your handicap or shoot a specific score. "You don't have the challenge of learning something new, but rather the challenge of increasing your skill set and knowledge," says Dr. Morris.
Complexity. A complex activity not only strikes a match of excitement, but forces your brain to work on specific thought processes like problem solving and creative thinking. A 2013 study in Psychological Science found that older adults ages 60 to 90 who did new and complex activities, such as digital photography or quilting, for an average of 16 hours per week for three months scored better on working and long-term memory tests than those who did more familiar activities like reading and doing crossword puzzles.
Practice. Practice makes permanent, and that goes for brain function, too. "You can't improve memory if you don't work at it," says Dr. Morris. "The more time you devote to engaging your brain, the more it benefits."
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Your activity should require some level of constant practice, but the goal is not to strive for vast improvements. "It is the constant repetition of working to improve, and not the quest for mastery, that can have the greatest impact," says Dr. Morris.
How do I train my mindset?
Change is inevitable. Accepting it--and learning to anticipate it--is not, and understanding that is a major mental hurdle for entrepreneurs as their businesses, customers and market shift over time.
But you can actually train your brain to get better at handling change through some simple mental exercises, from imagining your company's demise to learning how to meditate. It's not always pleasant, but it is possible. Here, 12 entrepreneurs from YEC share their favorite ways to force a mindset shift.
1. Learn to meditate.
Your mindset is a muscle that can be strengthen and improved upon. One way to improve your mindset and embrace change in your life is to learn the exercise of meditation. Materials to help you 'work out' this muscle include books like Dan Harris' 10% Happier, or apps like Headspace, which walks you through a great beginner meditation commitment of just 10 minutes a day for 10 days.--Kim Kaupe, ZinePak
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2. Make personal development a priority for yourself.
Taking the time to work on your own development can be incredibly challenging as an entrepreneur. But, it is the only way to embrace change and manage the inevitable stress and ups and downs that come with growing a company. Whether it is mediating, yoga, a spiritual practice or just self-inquiry, intention about your own growth and path will let you learn to embrace change.--Jennifer Benz, Benz Communications
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3. Retrain your brain by noticing 3 positive changes per day.
Create a practice of noticing three changes a day that have had a positive effect on people's ability to do business: email vs. mailing correspondence, rotary phones vs. Skype calls with your remote employee in another country, etc. By making the effort to recognize the positive effects of change for business, you'll retrain your brain to see change as an opportunity for growth.--Jared Brown, Hubstaff
4. Write your post-mortem.
There's nothing more effective to generating change than thinking about your company's eventual demise. Take a look at your business and think about what would happen in six months or one year if you were stagnant. Put on your competitors' hat and think about what they would do to beat you. Once your realize your own company's mortality, you'll quickly embrace change!--Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches
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5. Focus on your long-term vision.
Change is often uncomfortable, but it's necessary if you want your business to grow. You must embrace this fact and look beyond the present conditions to your long-term goals and vision.--Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME
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6. Imagine the inevitable.
Keep in mind that almost every product in history is eventually obsolete, at least in its original form. As a thought experiment, try to imagine how and why your own business will become outdated. Who or what is likely to make it obsolete? By coming up with answers to this question, you can position yourself to make these innovations rather than having your competitors do it at your expense.--Shawn Porat, Fortune Cookie Advertising
7. Do the dirty work yourself.
Work other positions at your business. Specifically, take on the job everyone in the company hates doing. That's going to get your mind ready to approach the business from a different point of view. Then you will be set to start changing your company for the better.--Kumar Arora, Aroridex, Ltd.
8. Listen to trusted outside perspectives.
Build your high-level team. Hire a CEO so you can step back into a presidential role. This forces you to be more open about changes because the CEO has their own ideas to grow the company. And they'll have ultimate decision-making power to make changes and lead you out of the "mental quicksand." If you're unwilling to do this, then form an advisory board you will allow to override you by vote.--Joshua Lee, StandOut Authority
9. Accept that change will happen with or without you.
Accept three things: life is short, time is precious, and your ego is always in need of a shot of humility. Every idea has a life and an evolution. Change is a natural and a necessary part of that evolutionary cycle. The change will happen with or without you, so don't get in your own way. --Souny West, CHiC Capital
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10. Hire more women.
Hire more women. A recent study found that groups with more women than men outperformed groups with more men. In fact, the mere presence of a woman increased the output of a group even if that woman was not in a leadership position. Women think about problems more holistically and are more collaborative problem solvers. These are the kind of qualities you need on your team when embracing change.--Jeff Denby, PACT Apparel
11. Make yourself vulnerable to others.
As our business evolve, it is the path of least resistance, but not always the best path, to form anything new based only on our current understandings and skill sets. Being in a position of power, others get dragged into our processes. But if we make ourselves vulnerable to accepting the thoughts of others, we may not only positively shift our mindset but also become better leaders.--Ken Cauley, Advanced Media
12. Eliminate your 'sunk costs' mindset.
The more time and effort you've invested in something, the more likely you are to stay attached to it--even if pivoting or walking away is the sounder choice. Don't let the fear of losing what you've invested guide your decision making. Think rationally about the rewards of continuing down a path or forging a new one.--Heather Schwarz-Lopes, EarlyShares
Want to train your brain for success? Good idea.
Your thoughts determine what you do and how you react to life’s situations. As a result, how you think has a massive impact on your level of success and happiness. And thankfully, it’s possible to train your mind to be stronger in almost any way you like.
However, changing the way we think isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Neuroscientist explains the best exercise to improve brain function
In fact, years of bad habits and unconscious automatic thought patterns can make training your brain very challenging. So, how can you get started?
In this article, you’ll learn how to train your brain, seven mind sharpening exercises, and three essential brain training tips.
Let’s jump in.
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How to Train Your Mind to Be Stronger
Before we dive into specific brain training techniques, let’s take a quick look at how to train your mind to be stronger.
Dr. John N. Morris is the director of social and health policy research at the Harvard-affiliated Institute for Aging Research. He believes there are three main guidelines you should follow when training your mind:
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Do Something Challenging: Whatever you do to train your brain, it should be challenging and take you beyond your comfort zone.
Choose Complex Activities: Good brain training exercises should require you to practice complex thought processes, such as creative thinking and problem-solving.
Practice Consistently: You know the saying: practice makes perfect! Dr. Morris says, “You can’t improve memory if you don’t work at it. The more time you devote to engaging your brain, the more it benefits.”
Another important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t try to do several brain training exercises at once – it will make it far more difficult to practice consistently. Instead, pick one mind training activity and do it consistently every day for a month or so. Once it becomes a habit, add something new.
So, what should you practice?
How to Train Your Brain for Success: 7 Mind Training Techniques
Cal Newport, a professor of computer science and best-selling author, believes there are “two core abilities for thriving in the new economy:
The ability to quickly master hard things.
The ability to produce at an elite level, in terms of both quality and speed.”
How to Train Your Brain to Be Smarter: Cal Newport Quote
In other words, you need to learn how to: stop procrastinating, learn fast, focus intently, and be more productive.
So, how can you do this? Here are seven brain training exercises to practice:
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1. Single-Task
These days many people rarely do just one thing at a time: Have you ever watched TV while browsing social media, emailed someone while getting your morning coffee, or read a book while listening to music?
Here’s the thing: Multi-tasking, skim-reading, and hopping from task to task may seem effective, but in reality, it’s the opposite.
“We keep loading ourselves down so we’re mentally exhausted all the time. Our battery is too worn down to really engage in deeper-level thinking and be more efficient,” said Sandra Bond Chapman, the founder and chief director of the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas.
Producing at an elite level requires focus.
So, if you want to train your brain so you can produce more work at a higher standard, you need to condition your mind to do one thing at a time. Slow down and practice focusing 100% on the task at hand.
2. Meditate
The businessman and professor John Thornton said, “Meditation is to the mind what exercise is to the body – it warms and invigorates.”
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How to Train Your Brain to Think Faster: John Thornton Quote
Science has shown that mindfulness meditation helps engage new neural pathways in the brain. These pathways can improve self-observational skills and mental flexibility – two attributes that are crucial for success.
What’s more, another study found that “brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.” That said, the study also found that eight weeks of consistent, brief daily meditation were needed to reap the benefits.
So, stick with it – it works.
You can learn how to train your brain with meditation from teachers like Joseph Goldstein and Tara Brach or by using apps like Headspace and Calm.
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3. Reframe Negative Thoughts
Most people think negative thoughts from time to time, but these thoughts can prevent us from achieving our goals. The Roman philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius knew the power of our minds and wrote in Meditations, “Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
Thankfully, you can train your brain to be positive by reframing negative thoughts whenever you notice them.
How? Practice self-awareness.
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Whenever you feel low, check-in with yourself and try to identify the negative thought-loop at play. Perhaps you’re thinking something like, “who cares,” “I’ll never get this right,” “this won’t work,” or “what’s the point?”
When you catch these intrusive thoughts, practice replacing them with new ones, such as: “practice makes perfect,” “I’m okay,” “failure is just feedback,” “if I keep working hard, I’ll get there in the end.”
If this feels a little fake when you start, it’s okay! Look for evidence to support your new perspective. For example, if you think, “this will never work,” list at least one reason why it could work.
How to Train Your Mind to Think Positive: Marcus Aurelius Quote
4. Use Your Memory More
It might sound obvious, but one of the best ways to train your brain is to rely on your memory more often.
For example, if you have a to-do list or shopping list, try to remember the next item before checking the list. You could also memorize your debit card numbers, friends’ phone numbers, license plates, and addresses.
Get into the habit of committing things to memory.
These simple mind sharpening exercises are likely to increase your comprehension when learning other things.
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5. Read
Another way to train your brain is to read often, preferably every day.
Science has proven that reading can enhance your cognitive function, develop your language skills, and increase your attention span.
Plus, not only does the act of reading train your brain for success, but you’ll also learn new things!
The founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, said, “Reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.”
If you’re looking for reading material, check out our guides covering 40 must-read books and the best books for entrepreneurs.
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6. Learn Something New
What better way is there to practice learning than simply learning something new?
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If you want to train your brain for success, here’s what to do: Determine what you want to achieve, then reverse engineer the steps you need to take to achieve it – and learn about each step as you go.
For example, say that you want to start a business. Let’s reverse-engineer how to do it:
Learn about ways to make money so you can choose a type of business to start (i.e., learn about dropshipping, affiliate marketing, consulting, etc.)
Learn all about your chosen business model (i.e., Learn how to dropship)
Identify the first step you need to take to get started and learn about it (i.e., How to find products to sell)
Work out the second step and learn all about it (i.e., How to build an online store)
Etc.
Whether you learn to bake, do origami, or build a business, consider taking a free online course to learn something new.
7. Use Brain Training Apps
If you like to play games, why not play ones that also train your brain?
There are many different brain training apps on the market, many of which are free. Here are some free brain training apps that have been proven to strengthen neural pathways and enhance your cognitive abilities:
Lumosity: iOS / Android
Peak: iOS / Android
Elevate: iOS / Android
Train your Brain Apps: Peak
3 Essential Tips to Help You Train Your Brain
Now that you know some different ways to train your brain for success let’s explore some ways to maximize your results.
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1. Consume Less Media
Consuming a lot of media can have a negative effect on your cognitive abilities.
“The more information we download or take in, the more shallow our thinking is, and the more fragmented our brain systems are,” said Sandra Bond Chapman, the founder of the Center for Brain Health.
“It’s counterintuitive because we think that if ‘I could just take in 20 things and quickly absorb them, I would be smarter,’ and the science has shown that the smartest leaders are those who know from the get-go to literally block out some information.”
In other words, less is more.
If that’s not enough, another study found that heavy social media users weren’t able to switch from one task to another as effectively as moderate to light social media users. “These results suggest that heavy media multitaskers are distracted by the multiple streams of media they are consuming,” the study authors wrote.
So, think quality, not quantity.
Watch one TV episode, not three. Read one news story, not seven. And check out five Instagram posts, not 30 minutes’ worth.
Professor Cal Newport summed it up nicely when he wrote, “Efforts to deepen your focus will struggle if you don’t simultaneously wean your mind from a dependence on distraction.”
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How to Train Your Brain to Think Faster: Cal Newport Quote
2. Develop Your Social Life
Our brains are receiving signals and new information constantly. So, if you want to train your brain effectively, you need to improve the things that influence your mind all day, every day.
And one of the strongest influences on our minds is the people we spend time with.
You may be familiar with the entrepreneur Jim Rohn’s famous quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This may be why friendship groups tend to share similar interests, attitudes, and ideas.
So, evaluate how your social life affects the way you think and operate.
Ideally, you want to surround yourself with an intelligent and diverse group of people who inspire you to improve yourself and work on your goals.
Now, although the COVID-19 pandemic has made it tricky to meet new people, we still have the internet. So, whilst being mindful of tip (consumer less media), get involved in Facebook groups and network on Twitter to engage with inspiring people.
How to Train Your Mind for Success: Jim Rohn Quote
3. Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
The state of your physical health has a dramatic effect on your mind.
Top 10 Ways to Train Your Brain
One study shows that habitual exercise can improve memory and brain function over time. Another study found that exercising for 20-30 minutes three times per week will improve your long-term memory.
If that’s not enough evidence, according to a Harvard study titled “Nutritional Psychiatry: Your Brain on Food,” a nutritious diet can help to improve brain function.
When writing about the study, Dr. Eva Selhub suggests that you “start paying attention to how eating different foods makes you feel — not just in the moment, but the next day. Try eating a ‘clean’ diet for two to three weeks — that means cutting out all processed foods and sugar. See how you feel. Then slowly introduce foods back into your diet, one by one, and see how you feel.”
All in all, you can improve your brain training efforts with a healthy diet and some exercise.
Summary: How to Train Your Mind for Success
The state of your mind has a massive effect on your success and happiness.
When learning how to train your brain, the activities you choose should be challenging and complex. They should also train your brain to learn new things quickly, focus intently, and be productive.
Here are seven ways to train your mind for success:
Single-task
Meditate daily
Reframe negative thoughts
Rely on your memory more
Read often
Learn new things
Use brain training apps
Finally, here are three tips to help you get more from your brain training exercises:
How To "Train Your Brain" For Success | Tim Shurr | TEDxValparaisoUniversity
Consume less media
Spend more time with people that inspire you
Exercise regularly and eat a nutritious diet
Remember, training your mind to be stronger takes time. So, whatever you do, be consistent and your efforts will pay off in the long run.
Can I train my brain to be kind?
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our daily lives, including remote working, information overload and social isolation. As we all try to adapt to the "new normal," there is no better time to talk about mental strength. While working out and keeping our bodies healthy is important, it’s just as critical to exercise our minds. Fortunately, it’s possible to get your brain in shape just like a muscle in your body. All it takes is identifying specific strategies and practicing them daily. Once you train your mind for success, you will be able to conquer anything.
Practice self-compassion
Our internal dialogue is often very different from how we would speak to someone we care about. This is especially true of people who are perfectionists. Be mindful of being overly self-critical. Rather than beat yourself up over a failure or misstep, try to give yourself the same advice you'd give to a trusted friend. In fact, being too tough on yourself may actually hinder your performance. Multiple studies show that treating yourself with more kindness could be the best way to train your mind for success. Research has linked self-compassion to everything from improved psychological well-being and better body image to enhanced self-worth and increased motivation. So, make it a habit of speaking to yourself in a way that is understanding and compassionate.
Center yourself
As Arnold Bennett wrote in his book, The Human Machine, “Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission.” Learning how to center yourself is one of the most important ways to train your mind for success.
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When we aren’t centered there are clear warning signs like:
Being consumed by negative thoughts
Feeling nervous, stuck and overwhelmed
Being easily distracted and unable to focus
Checking your phone compulsively throughout the day
With a little practice, you can turn this nervous energy into positive concentration.
Some ways to center yourself include:
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Conscious breathing: when you’re out of center, you’re not breathing properly. So, try to become more aware of your breathing and take deep, slow breaths from your belly. Just doing this a few times a day can work wonders.
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Practicing awareness: This exercise aims to generate awareness of your sensory experience so that you can feel more grounded in your body. Take ten minutes out of your day and name the things you are experiencing for each of the senses. Identify five things you can see, five things you can hear, five things you can touch, and five things you can smell. For taste, a sip of water or tea is often enough to bring awareness to the body.
Meditation: According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation is a fast and straightforward way to reduce stress. In fact, it's an art form that has been around for thousands of years. The good news is that anyone can meditate. It's easy, inexpensive, and you can practice it anywhere. With so many wonderful apps out there like Calm, Insight Timer and Headspace, there’s no excuse to avoid the practice. Don’t have enough time in your hectic schedule? There are even mini guided meditations that last anywhere from one to five minutes.
Visualize success
The daily practice of visualizing your dreams as reality can rapidly accelerate your achievement of those goals. This technique has been used by elite athletes and peak performers for centuries. According to Jack Canfield, using visualization techniques yields four significant benefits:
1. It activates your creative subconscious which will start generating creative ideas to attain your goal
2. It programs your brain to more readily perceive and recognize the resources you will need to achieve your dreams
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3. It activates the law of attraction, thereby drawing into your life the people, support, and circumstances you will need to realize your goals
4. It builds your internal motivation to take the necessary actions to reach your dreams
The more detailed your visualization, the more real it will seem, and the more it will increase performance. Close your eyes and think about how reaching your goal will look, feel and sound. Once you start putting this mental exercise into practice, it becomes easier to train your mind for success.
Learn something new
On a physiological level, learning new things is healthy for your brain. According to science, practicing a new skill increases the density of your myelin or the white matter in your brain that helps improve performance. Learning new skills also helps flex your memory muscles and improve your overall recall. It stimulates neurons in the brain, forming more neural pathways and allowing electrical impulses to travel faster across them. Combining these two things helps you learn things quickly and adapt to new situations with confidence.
Look for the silver lining
Negative thoughts weigh you down and can take a toll on your professional and personal life. Shifting a negative mindset to a positive outlook requires practice. As they say, “The only way to fail at failing is to learn nothing from the experience.” Focus your energy on turning failures into learning experiences. When you run up against a challenging situation, look for the hidden lesson. Ask yourself, “what good might come out of this?” Think of it this way; failure is the only way to grow and evolve. It isn't the end. It's the beginning.
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As author Napoleon Hill wrote in his famous book, Think and Grow Rich, “If you fail to control your own mind, you may be sure that you will control nothing else.” Train your mind for success, and you’ll have the ability to overcome any obstacles that come your way.
What are the 7 Mindsets of success?
Change your mindset, change your life. It sounds so easy, yet many of us tell ourselves it’s too late to change careers or that we don’t have enough time to learn something new. Living with these limiting beliefs creates a self-fulfilling prophecy: we believe we can’t, so we don’t. If we instead lived in terms of “I can” and “I will”, imagine what we could achieve!
I believe our thoughts have incredible power over our everyday lives, and that our moods and behaviors are a reflection of how we think. Over the years, I’ve developed 7 hacks to ensure I’m always in the right frame of mind to be successful and happy — and it starts with imagining possibilities instead of focusing on roadblocks.
Ask people to imagine the impossible and you'll be surprised what you can achieve.
Ask people to imagine the impossible and you'll be surprised what you can achieve. O2E BRANDS
Anyone can transform their mindset and learn to ask “Can You Imagine?” too. Here are the 7 mindsets of highly successful (and happy) people.
1. Ditch the Fixed Mindset and Go For Growth
PROMOTED
Let’s say you feel like you’re not getting ahead at work. A fixed mindset says the situation is the way it is, and it will never change no matter what you do. A growth mindset says you can create change if you work hard, adapt to feedback and implement strategies for personal development. It goes without saying which type of people go further in their careers.
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It comes down to the difference between limiting and empowering beliefs. If you believe your growth is confined to its current state indefinitely, you’re unlikely to develop. But if you start to believe in your capacity to achieve greatness, you’ll find that everything in your life will follow suit.
2. Adopt An Abundance Mentality, Not Scarcity Mentality
About 6 years into 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, my top employee resigned. This wouldn’t have been the end of the world … except he was leaving to start a competing junk removal business. At first, I was gutted — then, I wanted revenge. I became obsessed with shutting his business down, to the detriment of my own company.
Now I know that I was stuck in a scarcity mentality: I thought there was only enough success for one of us. I’ve since learned that this kind of thinking breeds a culture of paranoia where everyone lives in fear. Now, our company thrives on an abundance mentality: we believe that everyone benefits when we share ideas, even with the competition. By recognizing that there’s more than enough success to go around, we’ve freed ourselves from limitations.
3. Stop Fearing Failure. Instead, Be Willing to Fail
The number one reason entrepreneurs don’t succeed is because they’re afraid to fail — that fear can even keep them from starting something in the first place.
The fact is, no one ever fell to the top of the mountain; you can’t reach the peak unless you take the first step. We believe in the philosophy WTF (Willing to Fail) because the only way to grow is to make mistakes. Risk is scary, but stagnation is worse — and the more you believe you’ll fail, the more likely it is that you will. Remember: if you’re not progressing then you’re failing anyway, so you’re better off taking the chance.
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4. Create a Long-Term Vision Instead of Only Short-Term Goals
You can’t reach a destination if you don’t know where you’re going. Same goes if you’re climbing the corporate ladder, switching jobs, or starting a new business. Before you can create a strategy and set your short-term goals, you first need to write a long-term vision of success.
I’ve always been more concerned with where our company is going than how we’ll get there. I’m a visionary entrepreneur, so for me, it’s not a matter of blindly putting one foot in front of the other — it’s about shooting for the moon and working backwards to bring our vision safely back to earth. We call our vision our Painted Picture: a crystal-clear snapshot of how our business will look, feel and act every five years. It’s a way of keeping everyone aligned and motivated to succeed as a team.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Break the Rules
Growing up, I was a bit of a rebel. But despite what my parents and teachers told me, this didn’t hold me back. If anything, my affinity for troublemaking made me a better entrepreneur.
Risk-averse people who stay in their comfort zones rarely lead the pack. It’s the people who move fast, break things and defy convention who change the world. Success is all about grit, guts and gumption — so if you want to progress your career, you better get comfortable colouring outside the lines.
6. Listen to Your Gut
We all overthink things every once in awhile and that’s okay — but if you second guess every decision you make, you’ll never get anything done. Over thinking also leads to rumination, the destructive and potentially career-ruining process of dwelling on the past.
After twenty-eight years in business, I’ve learned how important it is to make quick (and tough) decisions, and that to get ahead you need to avoid unproductive indecisiveness. Stop letting your lizard brain control your thoughts and actions — instead, take charge and start acting on instinct. In most cases, your intuition will steer you in the right direction.
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7. Let Positivity Flow Into Everything You Do
If you’re only going to change one thing about the way you think, this should be it. It’s scientifically proven that optimists are happier and more successful than pessimists (provided they’re realistic about goals and outcomes). As an eternal optimist, I always try to see the good in every situation. If we’re falling short on some aspect of the business, I don’t see it as impending doom — I know it’s only a temporary obstacle we need to overcome.
The best part is that positivity breeds positivity; when you adopt a glass-half-full attitude, it will start to guide everything you do. The truth is success doesn’t automatically bring happiness — but a positive frame of mind will invite success into your life. All it takes is a few simple tweaks to your thinking to become your happiest, most fulfilled self.
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