by Courtney Martin
No one sets out to fail. No one takes a job with the anticipation of complacency and burnout. No, these things develop over time, robbing even the most driven, intelligent, talented individuals from a sustainable, successful career. The fact is: we all want long-term success and personal fulfillment without sacrificing our mental state and wellbeing, and the good news is we can have it all…with a few steps and a tweak of the mindset.
The Success Algorithm
To be successful requires you to follow a process, or algorithm, and your first step is establishing your ‘why’, the underlying reason you do what you do. It goes beyond the financial aspects, the salary, bonuses, and benefits. The driving force behind the passion to do what you do. Think of this as the framework, this is the foundation in which all the other steps build upon. It must be solid, formidable, beyond just earning a living. You must have another reason than making money to succeed on a consistent basis.
The science behind this relates to survival ensuring we aren’t easily distracted, keeping us focused and moving toward our goals. It’s our primal brains keeping us on track, protecting us from danger and being led astray. If we have a strong sense of why, our obstacles and challenges will minimize, and our resilience and perseverance will strengthen. When we apply a purpose to what we’re doing, innately our brains will support our efforts and help us along the way.
The second step takes goal setting to the next level with the help of visualization. When we visualize something, it burns the mental picture, feelings, and emotions into our subconscious mind – which is a very powerful tool-it’s like the control center in our brains. Once your subconscious mind latches onto an idea, it begins to work without you and effortlessly lead you to your goals, if it has the right impression.
When we have a powerful visualization, we are growing on a cellular level. Our brains actually grow new neurons and create new pathways, which propel us toward a more innovative, success-driven, and focused way of thinking and problem solving. As a result of this growth, we become more aware of opportunities we haven’t noticed before, we subconsciously change behaviors, and we become open to new experiences. Scientists estimate it takes approximately three months to grow new pathways, so being disciplined in these practices is important. Remember, these are the building blocks of your journey to conquer your goal.
The third step is disposing of your limiting beliefs. How many times have you set a hefty goal, but something held you back? You heard, “You’re not smart enough,” or, “that will never happen.” That was fear and doubt. So, because our primal brains seek comfort and stability, when we step out of our comfort zones, try new things, take risks, they will create fear and doubt in our minds as mental blocks to stop us and prevent us from failing, but by doing so they inevitably hold us back from reaching our greatest potential. This is where most people stop in their goal-setting process because they aren’t aware of these limiting beliefs and are falsely led back to the life to which they’re accustomed out of discomfort. Unfortunately, success does not happen by staying comfortable. Success happens when we learn and grow and get uncomfortable, but our brain will fight us every step of the way.
To combat our primal brains, we must learn to control our thoughts, and awareness is the first step of transformation – to block fear and doubt we must become aware of them. Try this: write down what it is you’re trying to achieve, and then write down all the limiting beliefs that are preventing you from obtaining it. Ask yourself, “What’s holding me back? What’s stopping me?” Seeing this on paper will help you to be fully aware of these thoughts, so that the next time you hear them, you know exactly what they sound like,
and eventually you will be able to control them and put them away. Write down everything that is holding you back and then take a minute to reflect. These subconscious limiting beliefs are what’s keeping you from reaching your goals, from having what you want.
Your fourth step is adopting the mindset that will help you improve, evolve, and grow. A growth mindset separates good from great when talent is equal. Your beliefs about yourself and your abilities have a direct effect on your efforts, and your efforts drive progress.
In the field of sports psychology, it was found that mental strategies create champions as much as physical skills do. Take two baseball players for example. Both have the exact same skill level, same talent. Player A sees his strikeouts as struggles, as setbacks. He feels he’s just not a great batter. This is a fixed mindset, and people with this view talents and abilities as predetermined and struggles as dead ends. Player B tells himself, “I need more practice.” He spends time working on his swing, studying pitches, and sharpening his focus. By putting in the effort, time, and practice, he enhanced his skills, and a month goes by- he’s passed Player A in ability and skill. Why? Because Player B saw his hitting ability as expandable. By viewing abilities as expandable through challenging times leads to winning long-term. A fixed mindset, Player A, thinks in limited terms. He thinks of himself as a victim, he’s never going to be good enough because he just wasn’t given the talent.
If you focus on strengthening your abilities, honing your skills, then you have forward momentum, you’re improving which is moving you closer to your goals.
Your final step is aligning your behavior with success. Do before you are. You know the saying “dress for the job you want, not the job you have”? It’s the same logic – if you want a promotion, you don’t show up to work in pajamas, right? You look the part, because that may help get you the job or title you want, not the other way around. Don’t wait for life to happen to you – you are the artist and creator, and it’s your story to write.
So, show up for yourself, put in the work, break free from your limits… and the career success you’ve always wanted will show up too.
Beliefs build habits. Habits build behaviors. Behaviors build winners. What are you waiting for??
– Courtney Martin
