Positive Mindset

Success leaves clues and those clues are frequently related to the mindset of the achiever.

“But I want it!” declares the persistent child. The best salesman in the world can not persist longer than an adamant child. Every persuasion tactic in the books and several new ones developed out of necessity on the spur of the moment will be deployed by a determined child. Small children will develop more creativity and more adaptability to any situation. When one approach seems blocked, they employ the ant theory and go around, over, under or through the obstacle.

When Fido wants to play “throw the ball or throw the stick” he will drop the wet gooey object at your feet and stand there eagerly wagging his tail and jumping around until you give in and throw the object. Fido, or at least my son’s Labrador puppy, will persist until his tongue is hanging out and he just can’t run another step without falling over in a heap of exhaustion.

Why can’t people be more like small children, puppies and ants? You say it is their youth and high energy? Perhaps that is a factor but my belief rests more with the persistence and determination. Before society conditions the innocent child to expect rejection and failure, a child believes they are indestructible and that everything is possible. Maybe the time has arrived to rediscover your inner child.

Everything remains possible for the person who is laser focused on exactly what they want. Truly believe you not only can achieve that goal but you absolutely WILL achieve the goal. Employ the determined child attitude of “I will not be denied.” Employ the persistent puppy philosophy of “This is Fun. I want to Play.” Apply the ant demeanor of hurrying forward and going over, under or around every obstacle. Put yourself in the mindset of being excited about your goal and absolutely knowing with every fiber of you being that the goal is already yours. It is already accomplished. See it happily finished in your mind. Smile and enjoy the feeling. Celebrate. Hold that joyous feeling.

Apply that laser focus on learning everything possible about your target goal. Read books, go to live seminars, ask others who have succeeded and network with positive minded and goal oriented people. Study personal development as well as every aspect of your potential business. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, says to “work harder on yourself than you do on your business.” Focus your mind on believing you have achieved and will continue to achieve. Persist in developing a plan to go from exactly where you are to exactly where you choose to go. Set time frames for every milestone in the success path. Record everything in your journal. Do not use your head for a filing cabinet. Read, study and persist on that plan.

Once you learn everything you possibly can learn, TAKE ACTION. Nothing changes until you take action. All of the thoughts in the world are non-productive until you put them into action.

Everything starts with your thoughts, your beliefs and your feelings. Passion is the key. The small child passionately demands. The puppy persists unendingly. The ant either finds a way or dies trying. Revive the passion and persistence. Bring back your inner child. Everything is possible for the laser focused and determined individual. It all starts in your head. Unless your head and heart are in the game, YOU are not in the game.

Always Be Growing - Learning Curve

Life is a learning curve. From the beginning we have a series of firsts: first crawling, first steps, first time to ride a bicycle, and first day of school. Life is a series of firsts. The problem is that once we become adults, we seem to stop experiencing those new accomplishments. As adults, too many of us resist learning new things. We balk at having a learning curve.

I started skiing, tennis, running and even weight training as an adult. Ok, so it took me longer to learn to ski than it does a small child. I knew how hard and cold that landing would be when I fell down. A child does not have as far to fall and they have an inborn feeling of being indestructible. I know the feeling of sore muscles. The biggest issue is not the sore muscles, but the mental block of getting in our own way. Consciously or unconsciously, we get in our own way. We resist learning new things and stepping so far out of our comfort zone.

Why? Are we afraid that we can’t do it? Are we afraid of failing? Are we afraid of succeeding? Maybe sometimes we don’t even know what is holding us back. We see other people succeeding and know that if they can do it, we can do it. Yet we are not seeing the results ourselves. What is the road block?

Jim Rohn says, “If you neighbor’s pasture is greener than yours, perhaps it is getting better care.”

It is both an issue of mindset and of action. Mindset. Do you truly know what you want? Do you want it badly enough that you will do whatever it takes to succeed? Does it tap in to your passion? Unless you have a passionate desire to succeed, you will always be spinning your wheels. It takes that clear vision and clear laser focused desire to achieve your goals. Every time you let doubt creep in to your thoughts, beliefs and feelings, you have erected a roadblock between yourself and your goals.

You must have a “why” so powerful that you will push through any and all barriers to reach your goal. Something that will keep you positive and motivated no matter what happens. Life happens. Life has disappointments, it just does. The question is how do you handle those tough spots in the learning curve and keep moving forward.

Once your mindset is laser focused, you will keep taking the actions which move you closer to your goals. No learning curve is too difficult if your mindset is crystal clear and your actions are in perfect harmony with your stated goals.

Consistent and Persistent

In order to be successful, it requires being consistent and persistent. Whether you are pursuing a career in sports, music, business or any other endeavor, you must be consistent and persistent.

There is the story of the violin maestro who performed an absolutely majestic concert. A lady went back stage to speak to the master. She told him, “I would give my life to play like that.” The master replied, “Madam, I did.”

You do not become outstanding in your chosen field overnight. Get rich quick schemes are not real. It will take consistent focused action every day. If you are determined to achieve your goals then give yourself at least a year. Do not be unrealistic by expecting to make a six figure income per month in your first 90 days. Can you achieve that level over time? Absolutely. The key words are “over time.” You must be consistent in your activities every day.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to establish a daily schedule and absolutely commit to accomplishing that schedule every day. The secret is performing specific actions which move your business forward every day.

As I stated earlier Zig Zigler reminds us that success can not be paid for. It is something you purchase on the installment plan and pay for every day,

Personally I have a rule of 5. I take 5 actions steps every day to move my business forward. I write out the list at night and commit to accomplishing every one of the 5 tasks the next day.

1. Write something in my blog every day.
2. Follow up with my business calls and business emails – calls and emails from new clients and support calls to existing clients who have questions.
3. Read at least 10 pages in a good book and listen to an educational or inspirational cd for at least 30 minutes every day
4. Could be working on a new marketing idea or a new web site – this will vary from day to day
5. This could be working on a new video or audio or writing new autoresponders


You will select your own 5. The key is to be consistent and persistent. Take solid focused action to move yourself forward every day toward your goals.