Whatever you do, either in your business life or personal life, your mental attitude is the key to your success. There are many habits that successful people follow, but the vast majority of them focus on their minds. One of the things that sets successful people apart is that they do the opposite of whatever their brain tells them. This might sound strange, but let’s examine that statement more carefully.
Standing outside a fast food restaurant, everyone knows that fast food is not the healthiest option. But that smell is so good, and it takes the strongest will not to go inside and order something. Your brain is trying to justify the decision, to convince you that an occasional treat won’t hurt. Perhaps you don’t enjoy fast food, so let’s use another example. The alarm goes off at 6am, and it is time to get up for work. The bed is nice and warm, and you are so tired; your brain tells you to hit the snooze button, and have ten more minutes. Deep down you know that’s the wrong choice, but many people will take the option presented by their brain.
Your brain is a muscle, and just like any other muscle in your body, you need to work it, train it, and ultimately take charge of it. By continuously feeding it positivity, over time you can train your brain to make certain positive decisions without any real conscious effort. Here are some things you can do to begin that process.
Focus On The Positive Things In Life
For those who have ever watched Winnie the Pooh, you will be familiar with Eeyore. Eeyore always sees the negative in every situation, and unfortunately, negativity breeds negativity. The good news is that positivity also breeds positivity. To drive yourself forward, and make yourself a better employee or leader, you need to train your brain to look for the positives in life on a daily basis. At the end of every day, find three positive outcomes that you achieved and focus on what you did that caused those things to happen. Life and business can be tough, so it is essential that you celebrate the good things.
Do Something Nice For Others
As you get older in life, you begin to realize and learn different things. One of those is that giving a gift can be a much more positive and fulfilling experience than receiving one. Not only do you get to see the person’s reaction, but you also get to feel good about yourself. This theory is the next habit that is worth forming. Go out of your way to make someone else’s day, perhaps by praising them, complimenting them, or by doing anything that they were not expecting. This is an excellent technique to improve the confidence and appreciation of the person you chose, but it also generates positive feelings deep inside you. The more you do this, the easier it becomes, and the more benefit you will gain from the process.
Be Conscious About Decisions And Don’t Let Your Mind Wander
The brain is a very powerful organ that has a built-in ability to take control and make impulsive decisions, sometimes even without your knowledge. Have you ever driven home from work and not even realized where you were, or how you got there until you pull up at your front door? If left unchecked, that autopilot scenario can cause a lot of problems in your business. Your brain can and will make snap decisions, which is why you need to remain focused and conscious of every decision made on a daily basis. You have to train your brain to step back and think, rather than just react on impulse. Like training for a marathon, or learning a language, this training needs to be consistently practiced until it becomes a habit.
The good news is that new habits are easy to form. Research has found that on average, it takes about 66 days for a new activity to become a habit. By following the three small steps above, all of which incidentally can be worked on at the same time, you will quickly form three positive habits that will benefit you in all walks of life.
At Level Office, we are always focusing on new ways to improve small businesses in the modern world, so visit our blog regularly to keep up to date with the latest strategies.