How to change your mindset for success
Hey, friend! I absolutely love diving into the topic of mindset, specifically how to change your mindset for success. Something that I’ve learned over my years of entrepreneurship is that often mindset is the biggest roadblock. It’s not having too little time in a day, or not knowing what do to next, but a mindset block of some sort. Most commonly, I see these mindset challenges in the form of fear and lack of self-confidence, both in myself and my clients.
Of course, I’m a copywriter and brand strategist first, but when consulting people and helping them grow their businesses, so much of it comes down to coaching around how to change their mindset to succeed. But how does mindset affect success and how can you embrace the right mindset to succeed?
How mindset affects success
As an entrepreneur, or heck—even in a typical career, have you ever thought negative commentary around what you’re doing? Do you let negative self-talk take over and dissuade yourself from going after what you really want? Here’s a few examples of this in common statements I hear both from clients and in my online entrepreneurial communities.
I’m worried about what my competition is doing—there’s not enough room for me.
I won’t make any money if I try to freelance because most businesses fail.
I’m scared to bother people by trying to sell my services online.
I’m worried I’m annoying when I’m talking on Instagram Stories.
I’m not sure I’m giving off the vibe I want with my website copy and it’s embarassing.
Shame, fear, and scarcity are all real challenges you need to deal with head on if you want to succeed in business. Have you ever heard the phrase, “You are what you think”? I believe this is one hundred percent true. If you surround yourself with negativity, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs, they will consume you and leave little space for positive opportunities. If you associate with people who share this negativity with you, it becomes even more difficult to break out of bad patterns.
The right mindset for success
If you want to succeed in business, you need to begin a handful of mindset shifts, but most of them come back to an understanding of abundance. Scarcity mindsets will get you nowhere good. Instead, scarcity will eat away at your mind and cause feelings of hopelessness. How do you expect to be motivated to achieve your goals if you actually feel hopeless before even starting?
When I flipped the switch from worrying about why anyone would want to listen to what I have to say to showing up confidently and taking imperfect action, my business grew. Even though I don’t always feel the most confident, I look like I am. This perception is now a memorable part of my brand, which in turn boosts my confidence. It’s a cycle that you just need to kick start.
Practice positive affirmations
One way to end negative habits and begin new ones is to replace your negative self-talk with positive affirmations. People prefer different types of affirmations. I purchased a deck of affirmation cards that I often take photos of and share on Instagram Stories with my followers because I know many of my audience also likes the reminder. You could also write your own that’s focused on the areas you need the most help with. Or you can look to others for examples.
Here’s a few affirmations to remember on this journey to change your mindset to succeed. Repeat these often or come up with your own.
Selling is helping people. Sales are mutually beneficial transactions.
Confidence requires practice. I am learning and gaining confidence every day.
Entrepreneurship is abundant. There are plenty of opportunities for everyone.
I have tunnel vision. I am my only competition.
I am unique and that uniqueness is good because it helps me stand out.
Associate with like-minded, driven peers
Another important aspect of the shift from scarcity to abundance—to adopt the right mindset for success—is to surround yourself with people on similar levels as you (or higher!). If you hang out with people who are excited for opportunities and who see the possibility to succeed in amazing ways, it will become easier for you to shift your mindset as well. Also, if you associate with people who are on a higher level than you, even if you start out as the dumbest person in the room, it will accelerate your growth.
This is why masterminds are so influential in business growth! You don’t need to pay thousands of dollars to find a great mastermind though. Look at the conversations you already participate in. Who among those can you connect with and propose a mutually beneficial relationship that helps everyone learn together?
Focus on long and short-term goals
When you decide to pursue self-employment, you need to start thinking about the long game. Long-term goals will get you much farther than short-term goals. When I started taking my business seriously, I sat down and mapped out an entire year in one sitting. I started with where I wanted to be in 5 years, then broke that down into the first year of steps I needed to take. Within this first year, I created smaller milestones to hit and tasks to complete within each month. Then I scheduled those specific tasks in my calendar so I knew I would stay on track to achieve my goals by the end of the year. I still use this exact goal setting process and it has done wonders for my growth.
Within goal setting, in order to succeed we need to stay focused. Focused, consistent effort over time is how people make big moves in their business. Those who jump from lane to lane or veer off the road along the way take longer to reach the finish line. You want to create sustainable growth, not be a flash in the pan.
Practice a growth mindset
Carol Dweck introduced the idea of fixed mindset versus growth mindset. With a fixed mindset, people believe they are stuck with their current skill and intelligence levels and that these are fixed traits. Those who have a growth mindset understand that they can always improve. Their intelligence is fluid and capable of extreme growth. It’s a difference of thinking “I can’t do this,” which is a manifestation of a fixed mindset, versus saying “I don’t know how yet, but I can learn,” which is an example of a growth mindset.
I didn’t know this difference for a long time because I’ve always had a growth mindset. I know I’m lucky though as many feel stuck when they can’t immediately do something. For myself, I look at roadblocks as challenges I want to overcome. If anyone tells me I can’t do something, I work extra hard to show the world that I can. Maybe that comes from stubbornness as well? Either way, I know that I can do anything I set my mind to. You can too.
Believe in abundant opportunities
I always say that I am my only competition. All I want to do is be better than I was yesterday. There are so many opportunities available to entrepreneurs if you just open your eyes to them. There are more than enough clients to go around and even your closest competitors are slightly different than you. Lean into the differences and stop comparing yourself to others along the way. Those differences are what make you special. Comparison is a trap that we should all avoid.
A word of advice for creative entrepreneurs…
If you doubt yourself every step of the way, people can tell. We can see through each other’s smoke and mirrors because at the end of the day, we’re all human. Business is just humans interacting with humans. Humans listening to humans. Humans solving problems for other humans.
Now you have the choice to give into the doubt, imposter syndrome, and fear. Or you can choose confidence. You can choose to think positively. You can choose a growth mindset. And I promise that positive energy will follow where you focus. If you want to chat about this, I’m here to help! Leave your comments below.
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