Upgrading Your Mindset for Success

Upgrading Your Mindset for Success

As a professional advisor who would potentially like to be more successful, when’s the last time you had an ‘MOT’ on your mindset?  We invariably change and upgrade our homes, cars and mobile phones, yet find it quite a challenge to consider taking the same approach with our mindset.  Sixty years ago, personal development and self-improvement were considered a bit weird and whacky.  Today, however, more people are open to the concepts and ideas, yet very few seem to know how to do a mindset check that may lead to a mindset ‘upgrade’.

Facing the Challenge of Change

Going through a long life, where you never contemplate changing your mindset is not uncommon for us humans.  However, when you’re aware that your current mindset is not bringing you the success you desire, then something needs to change. This probably starts with The Negativity Test.

The Negativity Test

Score each question out of 10. Ten is a definitive AGREEMENT and 0 is DISAGREEMENT.  Be honest with yourself and answer spontaneously. At the end, add up your score.

1. When I get bad news I tend to dwell on it rather than work around it

2. I am often interested in major disaster related news stories

3. I like to tune into conversations about other people's misfortunes

4. I rarely feel happy in my life

5. I dislike hearing negative feedback about myself

6. People in general don't seem to understand me

7. I tend to spend a lot of time worrying about stuff

8. I struggle with those who struggle with me

9. I am rarely ever fully in a relaxed state

10. I normally can't wait for my working day to end

Okay, let's look at your score which, is now a percentage:

0-20% indicates an extremely negative mindset and you need some urgent ‘first aid’ treatment.  If you do nothing to upgrade and acquire a more positive outlook, it would be like a boxer wanting to win the match with both hands tied behind his back.

21-40% indicates a negative and unhealthy way of thinking about things.  Could it be that you were influenced by parents and/or school to think ‘what’s wrong with this?’ rather than ‘what’s really good about this?’ Just changing that thought alone when checking something out or thinking about a new situation you are in would go a long way to upgrading your mindset.

41-60% indicates negativity which is potentially quite dangerous because people in this category probably mistakenly think that they’re already quite positive minded.  Time to wake up, because since your belief is: ‘no major mindset upgrade is required’, you will continue falsely to assume it’s all about life preventing you from greater success.  In other words, things that you believe cannot be altered or changed.

61-80% indicates a more positive mindset than most, but people in this category can also be convinced that though they need a bit more positivity, the amount required is quite negligible and therefore: ‘ Is it even worth doing anything about?’ The answer is of course, it is. The difference in an upgrade can be huge and have a big impact on your success.

81-100% indicates a healthy and very positive outlook to work and life as a whole. The chances are that, whether you do it consciously or subconsciously, you are always re-evaluating where you are and probably upgrading and sometimes ‘re-setting ' your mindset automatically.  Continue to do so, as complacency would be your worst enemy.  You are probably quite successful already but, as you know, there's plenty of opportunity out there to enjoy even more success.

7 Mindset 'Upgrade' Tools

    •       Paradigm Check

A paradigm is a set belief that's often difficult to spot.  For example, you could be in a career or a business where you are at cruising altitude, rather than aiming for the stars, because you think that where you are is as good as it gets.  The best way of seeing through the mists of paradigms is by having a few sessions with a coach or a friend who can challenge your current thinking in a positive way.

    •       The Goal Card Habit

This is an easy technique that can be a lot of fun.  Quite simply, you write down things you want to change about yourself as a short positive statement written on an index card.  Have a minimum of 20 and maximum of 30. Then, read the cards every day.  The statements should be in the present and not future tense - 'I have so much more self-confidence' as opposed to 'I need to have more self-confidence'.  Within 30 days these 'self-programming commands' will become your new paradigms.  Beliefs that are self-chosen to serve you better.

    •       The Power of Comparison

If ever you feel down about something, snap out of it by comparing your 'problem' with worse problem news stories going on that day.  This isn't being negative, but using negatives to achieve a rapidly improved feeling about your perceived poor situation.

    •       Future Imaging

Sports people do this a lot. They imagine scoring a goal, serving an ace or putting a golf ball into the hole many times over before actually making their imagined shot a reality.  The good news is that you can apply this technique to anything.  It’s the best way to sharpen your focus.

    •       The Bedside Reminder

On an index card, write down a question that would prompt you to think about success more often.  For example: “Why am I not seeing the obvious next step to being more successful?”  Read this as often as possible, particularly when you wake and before you go to sleep.

    •       Shunning Negativity

The next time you find yourself in a water cooler conversation that's negative, extricate yourself from it politely, but firmly.  A good strategy is to suddenly change the conversation and move to a totally different subject.

Upgrading to a more positive mindset should be considered every few weeks, as it’s quite easy to slide backwards into negativity without realising.  The good news is that the process has no downside to it.

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