Developing a Mindset of Success
I wasn't always focused on being successful.
Until I started my own business I was focused on survival.
Working in jobs that didn't suit my temperament, didn't provide me with anything except a paycheck, and many times literally made me sick from anxiety and stress…well, it was great for my coping skills but not for getting my mind in the mode of being successful.
To be honest, I must admit that some of those coping skills are a part of my daily living, today, and have helped me change my mindset from one of Survival to one of Success.
A few of those skills include:
Be Grateful
Many years ago I learned that Gratitude is a verb. Feelings just are and are subject to change without notice, are affected by my thinking and definitely are affected by my actions. Because all three of these are intertwined, I begin with my heart and then my mind…then it translates into actions.
I begin each day with a meditation. I will spend 15 minutes in a quiet place, usually the front room of the house. I sit comfortably in my chair (a well padded recliner), close my eyes and think about the people in my life. One by one I picture them as I know them – meaning they're doing something that I associate as ‘them' – and I think about the impact they have had on my life, then I wonder about the impact I've had on theirs. With most of them there will be a bit of a story that unfolds. It might be an evening we spent watching a movie, or a day out in the park, or a shared cup of coffee, or a moment when I received or gave a check to help them get through the week/month. After about 15 minutes I'm refreshed and feeling loved.
For those who are thinking “yeah, well, that's all good until terrible things happen”, I agree. It's very, very difficult to focus on this type of meditation when I'm highly stressed. I'll be happy to share that another time.
While I can say I'm grateful all day long, if my behavior reflects anger or fear, anxiety or annoyance, then at that moment I'm not grateful. Thank goodness I can change that with a deep breath and mental reminder of my morning gratitude efforts.
Be Clear On What I Want to Accomplish
Clarity is vital to a success mindset. And it's more than just setting a goal and “seeing it clearly”. It's committing to accomplishing something and being able to because I'm very clear on
- Why I'm doing it
- Who I'm doing it for
- When I want it done
- How it will be done
For instance:
I will soon be launching an ebook – Social Media Authority. It's about 64 pages and covers a LOT of ground with types of platforms, how to use them, why to use them, how to get and engage followers, etc. Included is a checklist to help keep the marketer on track, and a list of resources that show websites that may be helpful and tools the marketer can use.
- Why? Because there are many, many direct sales, home business and very small business owners trying to use social media to sell their products and they're doing it wrong. How do I know this? They're complaining about lack of engagement, lack of sales, wasted time, and more.
- Who? Those professionals who want to grow a business (service, product, retail or online) by understanding and using Social Media successfully
- When? Target launch date is April 12.
- How? Through the use of a sales page, a capture page, a shopping cart, email marketing, paid advertising on social media platforms, banner ads and word of mouth.
That, my friends, is clarity. I know what I want to accomplish, I know why and who it's for and I know how it's going to be done.
Remove Self-Doubt
Even with the clarity I am subject to doubting the success of a product launch. So, often I will reflect on my morning meditation and find a spot inside of me that is filled with strength and confidence. And I'll tap into that spot and draw on it to remove the self-doubt. And when that doesn't work – I turn to my circle of friends and colleagues … all willing to help me see that what I have to offer is quality and good and needed in the market place.
Be Willing to Fail
For me, this is the most difficult part of a successful mindset. I still struggle with being willing to fail. Not in every case. Not every time I begin something new. But there are times when the struggle occurs. In most cases it's because there is money involved. If I fail then that means the money I spent didn't return a profit and is now ‘lost in the wind'.
Being a business owner means that I must be willing to spend money to make money – and sometimes the process includes losing a bit of money along the way. Being a successful business owner means I must know how to mitigate the risks of failure.
Which means – I learn as much as possible about the workings of what I'm about to do.
I research the marketplace so I know my message matches the needs of my target audience.
I make use of tools that I know how to use and my assistant for those things I don't know (or don't want) to do myself.
I bring in an expert for areas I'm not good in (graphic design comes to mind here).
I layout the plan, discuss it with my assistant, make changes because of the research and prepare to launch.
Then, because social media is a big part of most projects, I consult with someone who is up-to-date and current with the platforms I intend to use, to be certain that I'm going to use them correctly.
Show Up
And, finally, the simple act of showing up. Even when others don't want to see me succeed. The naysayers were a big part of my life until I started my business. I can't tell you how many times I was told that I couldn't/shouldn't do something, that my idea was too big, that my way of getting things done wouldn't work, that my views were weird and odd, and more. Too many times.
Then my husband came into my life. He understood my thinking. He loved my weirdness and oddness. He encouraged me, instead of holding me back. It took 18 years, but I finally was able to do what he said I should be doing all along – I started my own business. (I'm slow…give me a break, it's who I am).
Throughout most of my adult life, I knew the importance of showing up. And most of the time I would have to think to myself
“Suit Up, Show Up, Smile…it doesn't matter what I think, feel or believe. It just matters that I'm here”.
See? Coping skill.
How I put it to use today, thanks to my husband and friends and colleagues, is
“Suit Up, Show Up, Smile… there's someone that needs to hear what you have to say and today just might be the day they hear it”.
Big difference.
And the biggest difference is that I'm able to see my crappy excuses, the self-imposed limitations. Today I can let the naysayers (my excuses or limitations) win or I can take control and move forward in spite of them. Not easy, not always done with grace or success, but by golly – I'm willing. And that's the key to it all…Having a willingness to change, to do it differently, to learn a new way.
I'd love to know what you think. If any of this makes sense to you. Please comment below and share with me.
