Sometimes life has a way of breaking us down and making us feel really small. Maybe you finally decided that you were ready to make a significant change in your life but someone or something threw you off the horse before you really got going. Do you ever think about why some people are relentless with their biggest goals in life while others don't seem to ever really be able to put the wheels in motion?
The reality is your mindset is usually the difference maker. Raw talent adds fuel to the fire but learning how to control your thought patterns is what's going to keep you going when things don't go according to plan.
Now I don't claim to be an expert on training the mind. Last week I was all over the place and had a 3 day period where I got almost nothing important done. My scatter brain syndrome was starting to take control and I had to refocus.
Luckily I've come to the realization that the mind can be trained to think more positively, be more creative and get more done. I know that they'll be setbacks and bad days where nothing seems to go my way, but my goal is to minimize the effects of setbacks and keep training my mind to be more equipped to handle them when they arrive.
I'm sure you've heard the saying- "Treat your brain like a muscle." The more I've learned about mental performance, the more I've realized that we need to treat our brains similar to how we treat our muscles. Our brains need regular exercise, adequate rest and proper nutrition to perform optimally.. Over time you'll be more confident, energized and focused if you make this a priority. Realize that you determine your own reality and come to terms with the fact that setbacks, failure and self doubt are all a part of the process.
After lots of trial and error I've discovered some effective strategies to help me get back on the horse when I lose focus. When self-doubt starts to creep back in, I've found it's all about creating better habits and constantly challenging myself to be better everyday.
Start Your Day Off Strong
The effectiveness of my day is usually determined within the first few hours. If I start checking email and the facebook newsfeed when I get out of bed I start to drift down the rabbit hole. Front load your day with activities that give you positive mental focus. A quick workout or brainstorming session will help keep you on track.
Control The Media That Goes In Your Head
Are you reading tabloids or feeding your mind with the good stuff? I never really understood how much of an impact this had on my reality until I read The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. I don't mind making fun of myself to get across my point so let me show you exactly what I mean. Back in college I used to watch a reality show called the Jersey Shore.
To be completely honest I thought the first series was pretty funny, especially at age 21.Before I knew it, I wanted to be a Jersey Shore cast member. I started spiking up my hair like Pauly D and emulating what those guys did in my own life. Embarrassing, I know. Now hopefully this won't happen to you, but I wanted to illustrate my point. Be disciplined and proactive about what you let into your mind. We can't change our DNA but we can choose to be more vigilant about what type of information we decide to consume.
Practice Gratitude
Revisit what you're grateful for frequently. Focus on what is positive in your life as opposed to what is not. Now this isn't always easy but I encourage you to try. Keep a journal and think about how lucky you are for the chance to go after your dreams every single day. Remember this- You determine your reality. Be thankful for that opportunity.
Recharge Your Batteries And Use Focus Blocks
I can't tell you what a game changer this concept can be. Think about how much time you waste doing non-essential tasks on a daily basis. If I sit for an extended period of time my focus drifts and before I know it I'm back on the Facebook newsfeed looking at baby photos and browsing the web. Imagine how much you would get done if you broke up your day into a few hours of focused time and eliminated distractions?
Here is an example- If I wrote this post while FB was open and the TV was on it would probably take 4-5 hours to finish. I would get distracted, lose my train of thought and probably get frustrated half way through writing it. I've done this before so I'm speaking from personal experience. When you have something important that needs to get done do your best to eliminate all other distractions. Focus on your 1 thing for 1-2 hours and then take a 5-10 minute break. By practicing this strategy you'll gain more confidence in your ability to get more done and the quality of your work will sky rocket. Give this a shot and tell me what you think.
Revisit Your Goals And Vision Frequently
My mind pulls me in a million different directions way too often. If I don't constantly revisit my daily, weekly and monthly goals I'm all over the place. What is your biggest goal this month? Make sure your daily behaviors are in line with where you ultimately want to go. Yesterday was a perfect example for myself- I started to get overwhelmed with new ideas and knew that it was time to revisit my goals and put my focus back into my big 3.
So there you have it. These 5 strategies have helped build an incredible positive momentum in my life and I wanted to share them with you :). Train your mind like a muscle, come to terms with the fact that setbacks are inevitable and fall in love with the journey of discovering your best self.
What does your day look like? Leave a comment below and let me know the #1 energy giver in your life.
Original Source of Article Posted with Kind Permission of Ian Ryan
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