Key to Success: The Right Mindset

What do successful people have in common? What motivates them to keep going even when no one believes in them? Mindset is single-handedly the most important thing for success in all areas of life. When the outer world isn’t showing you the results you want, when the people around you doubt you, your mind and your thoughts are what keep your vision alive, and they are what motivate you to succeed. In the same way, mindset can also be detrimental to your mind and discourage you, limiting your success.

If you have read my article titled, “Key to Success: Open to Opportunity” I mentioned that having the right mindset is extremely important for approaching life, and especially for success. But what exactly is ‘the right mindset’ and how do you develop one?

There are many types of mindsets that fall under either ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ based on their effect on an individual. Whilst there isn’t just one ‘right mindset’ there are definitely ones that limit your ability to succeed. These of course, fall under the ‘negative’ umbrella.

Firstly, let’s look at a negative mindset and its effect on an individual.

Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is someone who believes they cannot change or improve. Individuals with this mindset typically believe that if they aren’t good at something, then they never will be. They tend to give up easily, avoid challenges, and ignore feedback. This mindset is extremely limiting. Individuals with this mindset will find it extremely difficult to succeed because they believe that if they aren’t already successful, then they can’t be.

Thoughts associated with this mindset include:

“I can’t do it.”

“I’ll never be able to do it.”

“This is too hard. I give up.”

“If I fail, there’s no use in trying again.”

As mentioned in “Open to Opportunity”, a statement is a definite expression of thought and by affirming it, you actualise it. If you believe these statements, then there is no room for change. If you think you can’t do it, then you can’t.

Now let’s look at some positive mindsets that will encourage you to succeed.

Growth Mindset

The growth mindset is the opposite of the fixed mindset. A growth mindset is someone who believes that they can change and improve. Individuals with this mindset believe that success comes from effort and that if they persevere, they will be able to improve their abilities. They don’t give up if they are set back, are willing to learn new things, embrace challenge, and appreciate constructive feedback. This mindset is liberating and allows you to see the positive side of things. Individuals with this mindset find it easy to succeed because they keep trying and improving upon their skills.

Thoughts associated with this mindset include:

“I can learn to do anything.”

“If I keep trying, I can do it.”

“Failure is an opportunity to grow.”

“Success is determined by my effort and attitude.”

If you believe you can, then you can. Don’t let limiting beliefs stop you from achieving your goals.

The Millionaire Mindset

The millionaire mindset is someone who lives in a state of abundance. Individuals with this mindset believe not just that they will achieve their goals but that they already have. They think, talk, act, and behave as someone who has achieved their goals. This allows their success to encourage more success. We’ll discuss how exactly this works later. The millionaire mindset encourages a person to have a vision, something that they want and the person they want to be. They are focused on their goal, step out of their comfort zone, learn from mistakes, and are growth oriented. If you want to be a successful person, start acting like one.

Thoughts associated with this mindset include:

“I am the creator of my life.”

“How can I reach full potential?”

“Success takes patience. I will achieve my goals.”

“If there’s a why, there’s a how.”

Optimistic Mindset

An optimistic mindset is someone who believes that positive outcomes will occur. They believe that everything will always work out well. Even if they are faced with challenge, they feel that they will get through it and succeed. This mindset is essential for success and overall life satisfaction. It prevents you from spiralling when something goes wrong in your life and gives you the ability to always see the positive side of things. Perspective and the ability to recognise potential is key to success.

Thoughts associated with this mindset include:

“I believe things will get better.”

“Everything always works out for me.”

“There is always opportunity waiting.”

“Negative situations aren’t permanent.”

How to Develop a Positive Mindset

In order to understand how to develop a positive mindset, you must understand how beliefs are formed. Here’s a simple model:

The cognitive triangle was created by Aaron Beck in 1967 as part of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).

Let’s explain this with an example. If you think you’re a failure, then you’ll feel like a failure, then you’ll start acting like a failure, and now you are a failure. Now that you’ve assigned truth to this thought, it has become a belief. These negative thinking patterns are what create a negative mindset. So, in order to develop a positive mindset, you must think positively. That’s really all mindsets are – thought patterns.

So how can you think more positively? The simplest way is through affirmations.

Here are some positive affirmations you can try:

“I am doing great.”

“I am successful.”

“I am confident in my abilities.”

“I am getting better every single day.”

Anything that makes you happy and motivated is a useful affirmation that allows you to have the right mindset for success. It may be hard to start out, especially if you don’t believe the affirmations right now, but like the example above, if you think it, you become it. It will get easier with time.