“All things are ready, if our minds be so.”
--William Shakespeare, Henry V.
People with NEGATIVE Mindsets:
- Focus on problems
- Struggle with setbacks
- Hide their mistakes
- See their abilities as limited to one area or skill
- Promote negative self-talk and often say things like, “I can’t do that”
People with POSITIVE Mindsets:
- Welcome challenges as opportunities
- Open their minds to learn from people around them
- Understand that success is the result of hard work
- View failure as an opportunity to learn
- Acknowledge their weaknesses, and seek ways to improve
Making this shift in thinking requires an action plan.
1. Never say “I can’t”…. instead say: “I can’t… yet”. The way we talk to ourselves impacts what we achieve. If you tell yourself that you can do something, you will figure out a way to do it, even if you don’t accomplish it immediately.
2. Accept the Challenge. The next time someone throws a difficult task your way, don’t accept defeat — embrace the challenge and own the opportunity.
3. Get to work. You’re unlikely to reach your goals if you don’t put in the required effort. Work hard, even if only a small bit at a time, and you’ll put yourself in position to enjoy the rewards.
4. Forget about Perfection. Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. Perfection is, at best, an illusion. The most important element to measure is your effort.
5. Be Open to New Approaches. Before assuming something will not work, ask yourself: "What is necessary to make this work?"
6. View ALL Setbacks as Forward Progress. Setbacks are not failures…they are examples of ways that will not produce the result you are looking for. Step back, make a few changes and re-launch. You will learn more from your mistakes than you will from your successes
Your mindset controls your outlook on life.
Take control.
