The Importance of a Positive Mindset on Personal Development
Have you heard the buzzword “mindset” talked about in the news or on social media? Of course, you have and there is a reason everyone is talking about mindset lately. Did you know you can use mindset hacks to help you achieve your goals faster?
Yes, having a positive mindset can help you live a happier life and achieve success. According to the study published in Science Direct, using positive thinking can help reduce anxiety and worry.
How a Positive Mindset Can Help You Achieve Your Goals.
A positive mindset is a must for personal development. It helps you achieve the goals that you want to achieve and it transforms your life in a way where you are constantly happy and grateful for what you have.
Nonetheless, happiness is not something that will come to us passively or by chance, but rather something we need to work for constantly. Hence working on your mindset can help you boost your overall happiness.
If you are striving to reach a goal, but it seems too difficult, changing your mindset can help. Think of it this way, if you want to run a marathon, you can’t just train for a week and expect to make it to the finish line. The same holds true for goals and working toward your goals and finding lasting perseverance will help you continue, even when you are ready to quit.
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My Race Mindset
As an avid runner, I like to use running as an analogy. I decided to run a 15k (9.3 miles). Yet, at the time, I was only running a 5k weekly. It was so hard to go from 5k to 10k and even harder to make it to the 15k mark. In fact, I only ran the 15k on the race day, but my goal was to run the entire race without walking. I’m happy to say I did it because I training and I had a winning mindset. I decided I was not going to give up, no matter what.
If you want to reach your goals, you must think about what you want to do and see yourself as already there. Think about it when you wake up in the morning and when you go to bed at night. Keep that goal in your subconscious mind. See yourself crossing the finish line in your mind.
How to Stay Positive and Focused on Your Goals Even When It’s Hard
Repeat after me, “I can do hard things.” Make this your mantra. I often recite this to my seven-year-old when he is frustrated about school or building legos, or just life in general. Yet, he always bounces back and this seems easier for kids.
Yet, as adults, we often have a fixed mindset that we have developed over time. Perhaps if you are in your 40’s like me (cough, cough), you didn’t grow up with the current psychological research and if you weren’t good at something, that was that.
With advances in brain research, scientists have learned that you can change your way of thinking and this is known as brain plasticity. Yes, think of your bain as a big piece of melted plastic that can be formed and shaped into what you want it to be (not the best scientific explanation, but you get the point). You have the ability to change your thought process and be happier.
Disclaimer: I am referring to ordinary, everyday people. I am not a doctor and if you have a chemical imbalance or severe depression and anxiety please seek professional guidance.
With that being said, I do have a teaching degree in Education with an emphasis on emotional impairment and I have seen what staying positive can do to boost students’ desire to learn and put forth the effort even when dealing with difficult emotions.
It can be hard to stay positive and focused on your goals when it seems unobtainable. That’s where mental toughness comes in.
Mental Toughness is the inner strength that helps you persevere and remain steadfast in the face of adversity, challenges, and setbacks.
Learning how to become mentally tough is one of the most important life skills you can learn. It will help you to not only stay positive but accomplish your goals too.
If you practice mental toughness, you will develop a habit. Start small. The next time you want to yell at someone in traffic, stop yourself. It will take discipline, but you can grow over time.
After you have mastered the traffic trick, try holding your tongue when you want to disagree with someone. Just let it be. Give yourself a pat on the back if you are able to do this because it will be hard. You are building discipline each time you are able to maintain your composure.
As you continue to achieve these small goals, you can start setting larger ones. You will see improvement and want to continue the race. Yet, if you have a negative mindset, this will most likely stop you in your tracks.
5 Ways to Get Out of a Negative Mindset Quickly
In a world that is increasingly competitive, it is easy to develop a negative mindset. That is why it is important to keep your thoughts positive and upbeat as much as possible.
In order to change your mindset, you should try some of the following:
1) Learn from the experience
Try to keep in mind that life happens for you, not to you. If you can remember this, you can begin to change your perspective. If you see everything as a blessing, you can learn to grow from your experiences.
We can learn something from everything that happens to us.
2) Develop a new skill
Learning a new skill requires mental discipline. As mentioned above, the more you use your mind and build your discipline, the easier it will become. Find something you can try such as a new language, art project, or game such as chess.
3) Take care of yourself
Taking care of yourself is a must when it comes to mental discipline and mental toughness. Use forms of self-care every day, even if it is just quiet time alone. You can also try reading, painting, walking, nature, calming baths, or cooking. Find something soothing that you enjoy and take care of yourself today, so you will have the energy to succeed.
4) Change your surroundings
If things seem impossible, get a new perspective. Try changing your surroundings including the people you circle yourself with. Often we limit ourselves by accepting toxic friendships and/or relationships. If you are in a circle of friends that are holding you back, slowly discipline yourself from them. If you are in a living environment that is bad for your mental health, take steps to start finding a new place to live.
By changing your surroundings you can change your attitude and everyday stress levels. Now use that energy toward something good.
5) Develop a new habit
Did you know, you are a culmination of the little things you do every day? These little things become big things over time and can have a great impact on your life.
Try changing some small habits such as getting up earlier to work on your goal, whether it be exercise, writing, or creating use the early quiet morning time to help you get things done. You can start by setting your alarm about 15 minutes earlier than normal and go from there.
Is there a habit you can change to get rid of clutter in your house? Perhaps you can clean just one area per day so the task isn’t so overwhelming.
Depending on your goal, use your extra time to keep moving forward.
The Power of Mental Rehearsal for Superhuman Performance
Mental rehearsal is the process of imagining the desired outcome.
Mental rehearsal involves picturing in your mind what you want to happen, and then acting as if it has already happened.
Mental rehearsal is used by many Olympic athletes to help push through and go the extra mile. Visual yourself completing the tasks you are working on. Mentally watch yourself crossing the finish line.
Use this trick to help push yourself forward toward your goals.
Best Mindset Hacks to Boost Confidence and is Happier Final Thoughts…
Using the tips above will help you persevere and build confidence. Furthermore, it is possible to be happier and feel good about yourself each and every day. An Olympic athlete did not just become great. They have to work and train to be the best. As do you if you want to succeed. Start with changing your mindset and visualizing your life as you want it to be. Change small habits that will help you grow over time. Moreover, you can be the best version of yourself with determination and persistence. You’ve got this!