No matter how disciplined you may be, no matter how lucky or motivated you may be, your mindset is going to be the main focusing lens on the road to your journey.
So come along for the ride, and let’s observe a few common situations which may necessitate a change in your views.
#1 You’re Procrastinating
It’s as common as it is hard to defeat.
Procrastination can be the single biggest killer of ideas and projects anyone can ever know.
This is why it is important to have the right mindset, specific to you, which can help you to deal with distractions.
One way you can improve your perspective, for example, is by allowing yourself small breaks in between working.
These not only stop your curious brain from thinking “ooh, but I wonder if anyone commented and liked my posts,” but it is also generally very healthy to rest your eyes from a computer screen.
Another critical point is that the last thing you should do is to beat yourself up about succumbing to procrastination once in a while.
It’s a perfectly normal thing to do, especially if you’re working on a personal project and aren’t on a strict schedule.
The goal is to have a healthy outlook on it and recognize it’s going to creep in here and there, that that’s a-ok, and keep it to a minimum rather than getting angry because it’s even there in the first place.
#2 You’re Always Negative
Stories and famous Hollywood production would have us believe in the tales of misunderstood geniuses, authors, and songwriters sour at the feebleminded people they have to work with.
This is a flat-out lie.
The truth of the matter is, no matter how talented you may be, no one can father a big project on their own, much less be appreciated when they’re smug and dismissive to their team members or their audience.
In order to truly realize how many great people of the industry have to utilize the help of others, think of the rockstar as a good example.
Yes, we all know Bon Jovi, hair flailing on the stage, powerful booming voice echoing through our speakers.
But he has a band, a bassist, a drummer, a producer, tour managers, and makeup artists. He’s definitely no one-man show.
A positive mindset might seem like just a plus, but one which isn’t totally necessary, but that just isn’t the case.
#3 You Neglect Self-Care
As previously stated, breaks aren’t just a luxury for those who have help with their work.
Self-care is the number one defense against burnout and should therefore naturally be a priority right after that main job itself.
No, it is not a sign of weakness or laziness as some might think, when different from procrastination, it’s simply a sign of a well-planned schedule.
#4 You Have No Clear Goals
A great indicator of inner fear and an unclear plan for the future are non-specific goals or milestones.
What causes these is the subconscious fear of failure and our need to cope with it.
If, for example, you have a goal of “workout more this year,” you can be 2 kilos lighter by the end of the year and still “technically” have achieved it, even if that doesn’t really satisfy you on a deeper level.
We do this so that if we fail to meet our expectations, we can shift the goalpost, so to say.
Take “I will lose 5kg by the end of the month” for a modified example, however, and you can see a much more structured, attainable, clear, and yes, scary goal.
But vague tasks aren’t really a saving grace, a solution to that fear, because it will only become apparent that you have failed them when it’s too late.
Final Thoughts
As you read this article, ask yourself if there are any areas of your life in which you need to change your mindset.
Are you holding yourself back from achieving success? Are you got stuck in a negative spiral that’s preventing you from growing? If so, it might be time for a mindset overhaul.
The good news is that once you become aware of the signs that it’s time for a change, the process of making those changes becomes much easier.
Do you have any questions on the matter? Comment below!
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