How to Change Your Mindset

If you truly want to be successful, actualize your dreams, and live the life you’ve always wanted, it starts with your own mindset. Look at some of the world’s greatest athletes, entrepreneurs, scientists and other influential people— the one thing they all have in common is that they have a strong belief or sense of purpose, and everything else naturally follows.

In this post, you’ll learn the importance of a positive mindset, how to change your mindset for the better, and the various resources you can use to help you in your journey.

When to Change Your Mindset

The first question for many is, “when do I need to change my mindset?” Or perhaps some feel they are stubborn in their ways and do not feel the need to update their mindset to begin with. Nevertheless, there are a few telltale signs that may indicate the need to change.

When you experience constant negativity. Do you tend to feel anger when your expectations aren’t met? Tend to fixate on failures or disappointments, even when there are moments worth celebrating? It’s normal to feel saddened by a particular situation or event, but when it pervades every aspect of your life, it may be time to revisit your outlook.

When you’re unhappy/unsatisfied with life. Maybe it’s the expectation of a more glamorous lifestyle, or the wish things could just be different. Even when we’re on top of the world and have everything we need, we can still feel wholly unsatisfied with life. Worse yet, sometimes we may not even know what makes us truly happy.

When you’re feeling without purpose. Purpose can dramatically change one’s life, and can be the difference between simply existing and truly living. But what happens when the purpose or meaning isn’t exactly clear? For some, it can bring desperation and heartbreak.

Take the time to breathe, accept shortcomings or impossible scenarios, and move forward. Focusing solely on the negative can blind us to all the other blessings and good fortune in life, whether it’s family, friends, or simply having work at all. Here’s what you can do to make both small and large changes within your life.

Small Changes to Your Mindset

You don’t need to make drastic changes in your life to begin reaping the benefits of a positive mindset. All it takes is a few alterations within your daily routine and a new outlook or reaction to the events you experience. Here are just a few examples.

Meditate. We’ve preached the virtues and benefits of meditation in the past, but it simply cannot be overstated. Meditation isn’t restricted to any particular belief, personality, age, race or any other trait. You don’t need any experience, and you certainly don’t need any tools or technology to get started. All it requires is a moment or two, a place of solitude, and the awareness of one’s breath. Over time, you’ll begin to notice the profound impact it has on your health, both mentally and physically.

Daily affirmations. It may sound silly at first, but simply uttering certain words can give you the energy you need to chase after your goals, whether big or small. It may be about money (“I am worthy of making money”), love (“I deserve love and get it in abundance”), or something else entirely. Read this Medium article for inspiration on a few affirmations you can read to yourself in the mirror each morning.

Creating to-do lists. Tasks and projects can pile up, and it can be difficult to prioritize when there’s so much worth doing. To-do lists can come in handy, giving you a visual outline of your tasks that need to be completed. Besides the improved organization, it can also be a mental boost seeing each item get crossed off, one by one.

Celebrate success. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant, take the time to enjoy your wins. Soon enough it will become a habit, and you’ll find a greater appreciation for the incremental progress you make each day. Treat yourself every now and then, and you’ll look forward to the next victory to come.

Big Changes to Your Mindset

In combination with the smaller changes, you must also plan for changes that take the course of several months, even years. These are a few suggestions.

Outline your long-term goals. Get serious about what you want to do or accomplish in life, even if it will take a lot of energy and time. Seeing your long term goals written down or hung up on a wall can inspire you to channel all your actions towards that ultimate dream.

Build strong listening skills. If you want to be heard, you must first seek to listen to others. It’s human nature to become so wrapped up in ourselves that we forget about the amazing individuals we work with and pass every day. Ask serious questions about their lives, become involved in their own dreams, and you’ll soon find inspiration for your own life.

Develop a growth mindset. In Carol S. Dweck’s landmark book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, she outlines two types of mindset: a fixed mindset, in which people believe their abilities cannot be changed, and a growth mindset, in which people are responsible for their own development. Those that tend to build on the latter enjoy greater success than their peers. Focus on what you can control and change, instead of the things that are already fixed.

Use positive language. Here’s an experiment you can try out: count all the times you use negative words throughout the day, such as “can’t,” “won’t,” and “no.” Of course, there are times these words are absolutely necessary, but other times they can be limiters to what can be done. For example, if someone asks whether a project can be completed earlier than expected, instead of saying “no” or “it can’t be done”, try using more positive language like “we will try our best” or “we will take a look.” You’ll be surprised at how your behavior and actions follow the words you say.

Find your why. Above all, ask yourself “why?” whenever you do anything. Eventually you’ll find the ultimate “why”, the reason you get up in the morning and take flak from clients or exit your comfort zone.