How to get a success mindset: 4 steps to reaching your most exciting goals

How to get a success mindset? If you're wondering this, chances are you've got a big idea or goal in mind. I have a hunch that you've got something special in mind...and you're on the track by looking for ways to step into a success mindset!

Maybe you have an idea for starting a new business, or you felt a glimmer of inspiration for a new creative project. Or you’re finally ready to do that thing you’ve been saying you’re going to do for, I don’t know, ever.

Let me guess. At first, there was a lot of excitement. I’m gonna DO this! This time, it’s gonna work!

But maybe the excitement has worn off, and now  you don't know where to start. You're standing at your desk or your whiteboard or your kitchen table, suddenly faced with all the million overwhelming tasks you need to do to make that goal a reality. 

Now what?

I've been there. (Who hasn't?) Especially for creative types who like to think big, that transition from "big idea" to "let's go!" can leave us feeling stranded. 

That's natural. The problem is, if we're not careful, we might fall into the trap of losing that empowered, positive, gung-ho mindset. We might fall into "This is gonna be hard." "Uh-oh, this didn't work last time..." Or the ever-present goal-killer: "I don't know if I can do this."

Stop right there. 

Your mindset is far and away the most important part of any goal you work toward. As a coach, I have found that the biggest showstopper in the world is that big, bad, no-good, absolutely-not-true set of negative, limiting beliefs. The good news is, you’ve got what it takes to work around them. You can turn around your mindset right now, and get started manifesting that beautiful dream of yours.

Here are four tried-and-true, science-backed ways to keep that success mindset alive (or get it back if you've lost it), so you can hit the ground running – and keep running! – toward that life that’s calling to you.

1. Explore your vision – in detail.

When you visualize what you want, you actually program your brain to look for ways to get there. Seriously. According to the Harvard neurologist Srini Pillay, tapping into your imagination activates the action center in the brain in the same way that putting your destination into a GPS pulls up a map to get there.

Your brain has a built-in GPS called your posterior parietal cortex. When you "program" your destination into it, it instantly starts mapping out ways you can get there.

How can you program your brain’s GPS? By focusing on your destination. Call it to mind and step inside it. (The absolute best way to use this trick is to do it while moving – walking, jogging, elliptical-ing, whatever. Movement taps your body intelligence and gives you a whole world of answers that you wouldn't get if you're sitting still. If you don't believe me, try it! Prove me wrong. You'll be amazed at what you discover.)

Even if it's the middle of the workday and you can't exactly hit the gym, take a stroll, or do some squats at your desk. While you do, ask yourself: What do I want? What does my bigger vision look like? Go into detail. Really see each one. What am I doing? Where am I? Who's around me, and what are they saying?

Let the answers come – and then let your brain get to work. Pay attention to any new ideas that come up, later today, tomorrow, next week. When you envision your end goal, you harness the amazing power of your brain, putting it to work for you.

2. Be honest.

Nowadays, in this culture of perfect-looking Instagram posts and "Look at me!" LinkedIn updates, it can so tempting to want to put forward an image of ourselves that's flawless. We want the world to believe we're doing great.

The problem, though, is that makes it hard for us to admit that sometimes, well, we're not doing so great.

Why is that a problem? Because it can keep us from asking for help when we need it. It can prevent us from being honest with ourselves and those around us. It can cause us to bury our problems deep down, hoping they'll go away.

I'm here to tell you, nobody's perfect. We all need help sometimes.

Be willing to be vulnerable. 

Be honest about what's not working. 

I promise, you will feel better once you do this. 

Being really super scarily clear about where you're at is a huge release.

Find someone who can help you, a mentor, a coach, an expert in your field. Be completely honest with them. Don't try to make yourself look good. Ask for help. Chances are, you'll get some good advice – and simply by taking the risk of being honest with yourself about what's happening, you're setting yourself up for a big breakthrough.

3. Take action.

Here's a success secret: action breeds more action. Even taking one small action will change your perspective and inspire you to take more. Let it be small – doesn't matter, as long as it gets you closer toward your goal. Actions will break you out of that "stuck" feeling, and help you move into the next phase of your project. Plus, it feels damn good to accomplish something! That little rush of adrenalin you get when you finish a task (especially one that's been hanging over your head) will motivate you to move on to the next thing.

Don't overthink this. What's one thing that you can do right now that will bring you one step closer to your goal?

What's another one?

Then go do them!  

4. Monitor what's working (and not working) – and then adjust.

As you work toward your goal, your mindset will fluctuate. Sometimes you'll be super motivated. Other times, you'll face an onslaught of doubts. Life gets hard. And many people take that as a reason to give up.

But obstacles don't have to stop you. By keeping your mindset flexible, you can work around them, no matter how big and scary they are.

I like to keep two questions in mind as I work toward a goal (and as I work out): What's working? What's not working? 

By answering those two questions, I can see how and where I need to make adjustments. Maybe I'm wasting time in the morning, so I need to wake up earlier (or later). Maybe my website has been getting a lot of traffic, so I'll take a closer look and see what I've been doing right to make that happen. This way, I can capitalize on my strengths, and work on my weaknesses. I can recalibrate.

This is a helpful tool because it keeps our mindset positive, in that we're not looking to blame anyone. We're simply looking for information. There's no room for "Oh my god, I'm failing at this" or "Why is this so HARD?" None of that. We're coolly, confidently looking at a set of data, and using it to decide next steps. If something's not working, we can work on changing it. If it is working, we can do more of it – and find out why, then apply that to other areas that need work.

To learn how I can help you tap into that success mindset, create your bigger vision, and take your business to new heights (and then even higher), contact me here. I can't wait to see where your ideas will take you.