Nothing stops anyone from succeeding. The strongest mindset is the mindset that we will succeed if only we make the effort. There’s only one belief I have whenever I start anything, and that’s the belief that I will succeed. You need to develop self-confidence because everything starts with your core beliefs. Once you develop a trust in yourself, everything you do will start falling into place. Success doesn’t come easy; that’s a known fact. It is about hard work and dedication. But it also requires strong determination. With that determination is the belief in succeeding. Successful entrepreneurs knew from day one that they would succeed, no matter how tough and rough things go. They believed in their success even before they made it happen, and that belief helped them through it.
7. Analyze What Went Wrong.
No man becomes noble, good, and great until he lays down the law that he is so. — Frank Crane
In his book called The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science, Norman Doidge said that analysis helps patients put their unconscious procedural memories and actions into words and into context so they can better understand them. Salman Rushdie said that “the only people who see the whole picture are the ones who step outside the frame,” in his book, The Ground Beneath Her Feet. The importance of analysis cannot be overemphasized; in business, if you want to boost your project profits, you must analyze past failures, and with the help of that knowledge you will craft winning estimates. This applies to our individual lives as well.
A great deal of value can be gained by analyzing past project failures to understand what went wrong, and designing safeguards, processes, and approvals to minimize the chances they happen again. Thinking positively doesn’t mean denying that there is anything wrong. Instead, give yourself some time to think about the things that led up to your current situation, so you can avoid future mistakes and look toward a more positive tomorrow.
People are more comfortable attending to evidence that enables them to believe what they want to believe in a way that fosters denying responsibility for failures and attributing the problem to others or to "the system." We would prefer to move on to something more pleasant. Rigorous analysis of failure requires that people, at least temporarily, put aside these tendencies to explore unpleasant truths and take personal responsibility.
8. Give Yourself Credit.
The genius of a composer is found in the notes of his music; but analyzing the notes will not reveal his genius. The poet's greatness is contained in his words; yet the study of his words will not disclose his inspiration. God reveals himself in creation; but scrutinize creation as minutely as you wish, you will not find God, any more than you will find the soul through careful examination of your body. — Anthony De Mello
In case no one has told you today, you’re awesome. It is not uncommon for people to focus on what they have not done, instead of what they have achieved. Many of us drown in the pool of our skewed perception, so much so that we are blinded to our accomplishments and unable to ruminate on our own shortcomings. We concentrate our thoughts and ruminations on the long journey ahead instead of taking cognizance of how far we’ve come in our efforts. This flaw-digging mindset forms the building slabs of our imminent endeavors—if, that is, we eschew seeing the bad in every good and we learn to trust in ourselves and take some credit. Do you know the days where, at the end of that day, you say to yourself that you have achieved nothing, although you’ve worked hard all day? How do you feel when you keep saying this to yourself? Are you motivated to keep going? You probably feel unproductive and make yourself feel down, not having the drive to move on. Why do you have an unproductive feeling even though you’ve worked all day? We’re taught that modesty is a noble trait and is something we need to nurture in ourselves, and that vanity, egotism, arrogance, and self-importance are undesirable. We polarize these sets of behavior, thinking of modesty as good and all that other stuff as bad. In the pursuit of modesty, you can easily segue into hiding your light under a bushel, a behavior that sees you hiding your gifts, strengths, and talents from the world in case other people think you’re full of yourself, vain, ego-driven, self-important, or arrogant. In other words, you keep yourself hidden in case people think you’re “bad.” Then, who’d have given it thought, when you make something happen that was a result of what you hid under that bushel, you don’t want to give yourself credit for it because doing so might mean you’re “bad.”
Undigested good turns to crap. — Regena Thomashauer
You may not realize it, but some of your natural behaviors could be making a world of difference, to others and to yourself. It’s easy to dismiss certain actions — like providing a listening ear or making someone laugh — because we don’t really think of them as a big deal in the first place. But the truth is, these small acts can have a huge impact. In case you are still doubting at this point, let me illustrate it to you with some examples. Remember that time when you offered a shoulder for your best friend to cry on? How about that time you tipped a waiter? How about that time when you also bought your mom a present? Try this approach! Take an area of your life and list all the achievements you’ve already accomplished. Try it and realize how you start smiling. It’s a powerful method to change your state of mind. You strengthen your mindset and get ready for more. Unfortunately, we give ourselves too little credit for everything we do. Thus, we miss out on pride, joy, happiness, and fulfillment; we limit our potential drastically. Can you see how this approach does not just make you happier but also more successful? Can you feel the momentum? Anthony Robbins said, “People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed.” By acknowledging what you have done, you feel successful, get the momentum, and succeed.
9. Forgive Yourself.
Stephen Richards said in his book Releasing You from the Past: “When you initially forgive, it is like letting go of a hot iron.” Beverly Engel, author of The Nice Girl Syndrome, said, “There is initial pain and the scars will show, but you can start living again.” Turn down the volume of your negative inner voice and create a nurturing inner voice to take its place. When you make a mistake, forgive yourself, learn from it, and move on instead of obsessing about it. As shown in a study conducted by Stanford University, mental and cardiac health may depend on your ability to reduce hurt and anger, even at yourself. It’s a project aimed at learning how forgiveness can enhance health and relationships, and even prevent diseases. It therefore means that the effectiveness of forgiveness cannot be overemphasized. Forgiving oneself should not be that hard, as it inhibits forgiving others. Did you cheat on your spouse? Hit a child in anger? Steal something? Go off the wagon? The list of potential human misdeeds is long. Equally important, don’t allow anyone else to dwell on your mistakes or shortcomings or to expect perfection from you”.
A lot of people struggle with self-condemnation or self-blame because