“Mindset” is a buzzword that gets a lot of attention these days, especially in the millennial generation. As a young adult, you may have heard this so much that you’re starting to think “mindset” is about little more than cute quotes on Pinterest or inspirational sayings on Instagram. However, it’s a big mistake to underestimate the importance of this very powerful concept. Mindset is not about affirmations or turning that frown upside down. At its core, mindset is the result of your thought processes and, to put it in an even more powerful way, what your mindset is now will have a direct correlation to what your life looks like in six months. Makes it seem a little more important when I put it that way, huh? Without the proper mindset, you can’t be successful or have the fulfilling life you dream of. Plain and simple. Here’s more on how thoughts direct your future and how you can ensure yours are setting you up for success.
How Thoughts Affect Outcomes
Whether your goal is to have a healthy relationship or you want to become an entrepreneur and start your own business, you must understand that the correct thought processes are crucial to achieving your dreams. Thoughts lead to emotions and emotions, in turn, lead to actions. Many people think the emotions come before the thoughts, but that’s not true. An emotion cannot be evoked without a thought. And guess what? While you can’t choose situations or things that happen to you, you can choose the way you think about them.
One of the keys to becoming successful in what you choose to do is being emotionally agile and able to respond to different situations quickly and without taking things personally. Guess where that agility comes from? You guessed it, thinking the right thoughts. There is plenty of proof out there that negative thoughts have an impact on brain function and can cloud logic and slow down decision-making. When you think in a negative manner, you not only trigger negative emotions, you also impair your ability to come up with solutions to bring you out of that negative thought pattern. It’s one big downward spiral from there.
As you start creating a business and building a family, you need to be able to rely on yourself to engage in creative problem-solving and make solid decisions. If you aren’t in the right mindset, your family, colleagues and you personally will suffer. Here are the three types of thoughts that are most damaging to your life.
Types of Thoughts that Negatively Will Impact Your Success and Happiness
Fearful thoughts: Are you afraid that you won’t succeed? Worried that if you don’t find a way to make multiple streams of income, you’ll never achieve the lifestyle you want? Thoughts like these lead to fear and fear is one of the best ways to immobilize thinking. Yes, there is always the possibility that things won’t go your way. However, harboring fearful thoughts about it won’t help prevent these things from happening. In fact, it’s just the opposite. The more we concentrate on the fear, the more likely we are to take actions (or, more likely, to fall into inaction) that will make these negative outcomes a reality.
Uncertain thoughts: Are you about ready to ask the woman of your dreams to marry you but wonder if she’ll turn you down? Or worse yet, laugh at you? Uncertain thoughts like these don’t stay in your head – they show up on your face, in your voice, and in your body language. The more uncertain you are about yourself, the more others will be uncertain of you. When you talk confidently to yourself, on the other hand, others can’t help but view you in a positive light.
Self-sabotaging thoughts: “I’m not good enough.” “I’ll never be a success.” “My mom was right, I might as well move home now.” Thoughts like these can only lead to a dark place. If you’re sabotaging yourself with these types of thoughts, you’ll find yourself in a situation where you’re constantly trying to prove your worth. You might have trouble establishing boundaries, developing a positive self-image, and believing you’re truly worth of success.
So what’s the solution? It comes down to this: you need to train that inner voice that’s constantly yapping in your brain. You have to find ways to turn negative thoughts into positive ones and be kind and supportive to yourself. You can do this through meditation, reading the right books, or by going through some training on mental processes. If you start early in life, you can change that negative voice in your head and ensure you have the right mindset for future success and happiness.
Have questions about changing your mindset or comments on how your thoughts have led to actions either positive or negative? Please leave them below.
