Your mindset is the general way that you think about things. People are often described as “optimists” or “pessimists,” for example. So, someone could have an optimistic mindset.
There are other types of mindsets as well. In addition to positive or negative, you can have a growth or fixed mindset too. A growth mindset is one where the person strives to learn, even from mistakes and failures. A fixed mindset is the opposite. The person likely avoids learning new approaches or information because they’re more comfortable with what they know and how they “do things.”
So, a success mindset is actually a combination of a few mindset qualities. It’s a mindset that is embraced by the most successful business owners. A success mindset is:
- Positive
- Growth-oriented
- Risk-oriented
- Grateful
- Energetic/action-oriented
Successful people have this mindset, and it’s global. Successful people all around the world demonstrate these characteristics. Does that mean that if you don’t have this mindset you can’t be successful?
Absolutely not!
In fact, you can change your mindset right now. You can start shifting the way you think. It’s both simple and challenging at the same time. You see, how you think is a habit, and habits can be changed, right? It just takes determination and time.
If you’re someone, for example, who always feels victimized by circumstances, then you can shift how you think and become someone who sees opportunity in every challenge or obstacle. It’s possible, and when you do make this kind of mindset shift – when you begin to embrace a success mindset – you’ll begin to see a whole new set of possibilities for your business.
Let’s look at the benefits of a success mindset.
Benefits of a Success Mindset
As a business owner, there are many potential obstacles in your path. You can get sidetracked by things that seem to be opportunities. You can get derailed by failures and mistakes. You can get discouraged when you feel like you’re not making progress.
All of these obstacles can delay your success and, in many cases, if you let them, they can cause you to give up.
Conversely, when you’re able to embrace a success mindset you….
- Are able to stay focused on what opportunities benefit you and help you achieve your long-term goals.
- Are able to say no to situations that don’t support you.
- Are able to stay focused on your true mission and vision without outside influences.
- Learn from situations, mistakes, and failures and you apply those lessons to your next steps.
- Should be Are able to continue moving forward toward your goals with confidence, regardless of where you are right now.
- Are able to feel true gratitude for the ability to provide value and pursue your passion.
You feel less stressed, more in control, and more confident of your business and your goals. This doesn’t mean you don’t experience setbacks, but when you do, they don’t have the same debilitating impact on you. You learn, grow, shake it off and continue moving forward. A success mindset means that you’re resilient, and it helps you experience more joy and passion from your business. You’re able to focus on the right things.
With that in mind, the remainder of this guide is dedicated to tips, steps, and practices to embrace a success mindset so that you can grow your business and enjoy the process.
Tips to Embrace and Cultivate a Growth Mindset and Why It Matters
A growth mindset is one where you strive to learn from others, as well as from experiences. You’re not satisfied with the status quo, you’re always seeking ways to improve and in the case of business, you want to add more value and improve the customer experience. Sounds good, right?
Well many people don’t have this mindset, and it’s really easy to slip out of it. Imagine a customer encounter where they are wrong and behaving, in your mind, irrationally. It happens. Customers can be weird sometimes and we don’t always see eye to eye. Imagine that rather than getting really triggered and angry or frustrated, you look at the experience through their eyes.
Imagine that you approach the situation as an opportunity to improve your processes. Now maybe that still means that the customer is wrong, but you can probably learn something and apply it so that this situation doesn’t happen again. A growth mindset means that you’re looking to other experts and resources for information. That you never stop learning and that you pursue growth opportunities.
So how do you do that? How do you shift your mindset in this direction?
1) Start Asking, “What Can I Learn?”
In every situation you encounter and every person you speak with, ask yourself what you can learn. Set the intention before conversations to learn something. This will shift your conversation so that you’re asking questions rather than focusing on what you can say and how you’re perceived.
After the conversation or the situation, ask yourself what you learned.
Embracing this simple habit will change your life and your business. It’s an eye-opening experience to look at the world as an opportunity to learn.
2) Check out Carol Dweck’s TED Talk
The Power of Believing that You Can Improve is a little over 10 minutes and it can change your life. If you don’t enjoy watching videos, read the transcript. Carol Dweck is the author of Mindset, The Psychology of Success, and in this Ted Talk she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve.
3) What Can You Do Differently Next Time?
When you “fail” or make a mistake ask yourself what you can do differently next time. This shifts your mindset in two ways. First, it sets you up to learn from failure. Secondly, it immediately puts you in the position of trying again. You’re not giving up, you’re changing your approach and trying it again.
4) Embrace Learning
Take a class, follow an industry leader, commit to learning. Rather than sticking to what and how you know, broaden your horizons by actively seeking out opportunities to learn. Attend webinars and online events. Take classes, read industry publications. Read business books from people who are doing things differently. You might even create or join a mastermind group or find a mentor.
5) Choose the Best People
Surround yourself with people who have a growth mindset. This is huge. Mindset is contagious.
6) Ask for Feedback
Do this. Ask your customers for feedback. What do they like? What do they dislike? Be brave and ask. What do they want from you? You can ask your peers and associates for feedback too; you can learn a lot from others.
Tips to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Why It Matters
What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail? You’ve probably heard that question before, right? What’s your answer?
If you asked yourself that question as it relates to your business, what would your answer be? Your answer can be life changing. Think about it. The power of stepping outside of your comfort zone in business may mean doing things like:
- Pitching to that influencer you would love to partner with
- Being more honest and authentic with your customers and subscribers
- Creating different types of content
- Publishing a book
- Teaching a course
- Public speaking
The list could go on and on because there are literally thousands of ways you can step outside of your comfort zone and grow your business. Of course, most people aren’t going to go from zero to a hundred and completely change their mindset overnight. Fear still gets in the way.
So, let’s take a look at how you can begin to step outside of your comfort zone and learn to embrace, adapt, and face your fears.
1) Perform Routine Tasks Differently
Try a new restaurant or a different type of food. Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand or exercise at a different time during the day. Each small step teaches you that you can handle change and discomfort.
2) Take Small Steps
Take a look at a large goal that you might want to achieve. For example, maybe you want to submit a topic to TED Talks, but you are terrified to speak in public. Now look at some small steps you can take to get more comfortable taking that larger step. For example, perhaps you can give the talk to a small local group of people and get feedback.
3) Find a Role Model
Look to someone who is proficient at taking risks and pushing their own boundaries. You might read a biography or find a mentor. There’s a lot that we can learn from others about what’s possible.
4) Do Something that Frightens You, But Not Too Much
Start pushing your boundaries by doing something that frightens you but doesn’t terrify you. For example, maybe you’re talking with a customer and you hate negotiation and the money conversation. This time push your boundaries and step boldly into that conversation. Embrace it.
5) Try your Hand at a Task that You Normally Outsource
Do something that you aren’t sure you can do. For example, maybe you always outsource your graphic design. Next time you have a small design project to do, give it a try yourself.
Learning to push your own boundaries and to step outside of your comfort zone takes time and patience with yourself. It takes a bit of faith and trust in yourself as well. If you’re the type of person that likes to jump right in, then go for it and try something that frightens you.
If you’re more of a dip your toe in and see how the water is, then baby steps are fine. The most important thing is to do something to get outside of your comfort zone. That way, when opportunities arise, you don’t dismiss them from fear. Instead, you assess if it’s the right opportunity for you and if it is, you seize it, even if it terrifies you. Sometimes in business, the most terrifying steps lead to the best opportunities.
Next, we’re going to talk about gratitude and how it fits into the success mindset. There’s a fine balance between being grateful for what you have and what you’ve accomplished and wanting more.
Tips to Embrace Gratitude and Why It Matters
How many times do you find yourself wrapped in gratitude for your business? How many times do you think, “I’ll be grateful for it when I have achieved the lifestyle that I want”?
You might be surprised to learn that if you experience and express gratitude now, it will help you achieve that lifestyle that you want so badly. Now, there are many different ways to embrace and express gratitude and many different things to be grateful for. In this section we’re exploring tips and ideas for embracing gratitude as it relates to your business.
1) Find Gratitude for Your Qualified Leads
Think about the subscribers that you have right now. How amazing are they? Isn’t it wonderful that you have those people who have requested your information and expressed an interest in what you have to offer? Embracing that, what can you do for them?
What can you offer them that will demonstrate your gratitude? Always approaching your email and blog subscribers with this attitude will mean that you’re always providing genuine value and putting them first. This is a proven way to grow a business. When people feel appreciated, they connect, they share, and they reciprocate.
2) Be Grateful for Your Customers
Now think about your customers. How amazing are they? They paid for your products or services. They are awesome! What can you do for them? How can you show appreciation and gratitude?
3) Appreciate the Technology and Systems
Now think about the things that you use to manage, run, and grow your business. We’re talking about everything from your smartphone or computer to your invoicing or shopping cart software. What are you grateful for and why? This may seem silly, but how often do you find that you’re frustrated with your technology?
Shifting your mindset to gratitude shifts how you feel about your technology and when it comes to online business, let’s face it; you probably spend a lot of time dealing with technology. It can make you feel better about your business.
4) Your Failures, Mistakes, and Challenges
What have you learned from your failures, mistakes, and challenges? Can you find a way to feel grateful for them? It’s not a great idea to spend too much time looking back at the past, except when it helps you improve your present and your future. Explore the things you’ve worked through or gotten past, and how that has helped you improve your business. Take pride in those accomplishments and in what you’ve learned. Embrace gratitude for those lessons.
5) Express It
Many people recommend creating a gratitude habit. You probably have a task list a mile long and the last thing you want to do is add another task to it, like creating a gratitude list at the end of every day.
So, here’s a challenge for you. Instead, when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, or even sad about your business or blog, consider what you have to be grateful for. Shift your mindset from one of overwhelm or anger to one of gratitude. It will help your problem solve in a whole new way and it will help you refocus your energy in a positive way.
Gratitude shifts your mindset from one where you’re a victim to one where you’re a problem solver. Think about it; when you have an unhappy customer, you can get angry with them and frustrated, and feel like you’re being attacked, or you can feel gratitude that they purchased your product and they merely have an issue that they’re trying to resolve.
You can feel gratitude at the opportunity to learn something and hopefully improve your business. Same situation, two different mindsets. One shifts you in a more positive and ultimately a more successful direction.
And when you’re grateful for your customers, prospects, subscribers, and the people connected to your business, you’re focused on providing them with better products or services, better content, and a better experience. Nothing grows a business faster than an owner who is dedicated to serving and providing value.
Next, we’re going to talk about taking risks. Now, we’ve talked about pushing your boundaries, but this is different. When you take a risk, you’re doing something that you never really thought about doing. You’re not stepping out of your comfort zone; you’re stepping into a zone you were previously unaware of.
How to Take More Risks and Why It Matters
Pushing your boundaries helps you pursue goals and dreams that frighten you. Taking risks opens you up to new opportunities. For example, you meet someone, and they say, “We should do a book together.” You probably have a gut reaction, and in many cases that gut reaction is all about self-preservation.
It’s easier to say “no” than it is to say “yes.” But what are you missing out on if you say “no”? Probably a lot. When you learn to take risks or to say “YES” to opportunities, your business changes and grows in ways that you can’t begin to imagine.
So how do you take more risks?
1) Say “Yes”
When someone asks you to do something or invites you to something, say yes. Don’t overthink it, just say yes and see what happens.
2) Ask Yourself an Important Question
“Will I regret not seizing this opportunity?” This is a huge question to ask yourself and the answer is usually pretty simple. It’s either a yes or a no. If the answer is yes, then take that risk.
3) Jump on Your “Unusual” Ideas
What do you do when you have those ideas that seem beyond the norm? You probably laugh them off and tuck them away. Instead, the next time you have an off-the-wall idea, why not take action on it? What do you have to lose?
4) Consider Hiring a Business Coach
A good business coach will help you learn to seize new opportunities and to assess them without emotions like fear or doubt getting in the way.
5) Look Back, Just for a Minute
Think about the times that you said “no” to an opportunity that maybe now you regret not taking action on. What got in the way? Why didn’t you take a risk? Was it fear? Did you doubt your abilities? Did you lack confidence? Now think about how you can shift those emotions to curiosity, confidence, and courage.
Sometimes the best way to become a risk taker and embrace that part of a success mindset is to just start saying yes to opportunities that come your way. Jump in with confidence, learn as you go, and embrace the process. Nothing good ever comes from inaction.
Next, we’re going to talk about your energy level and why that matters for your success mindset. Let’s face it; it’s pretty easy to not take action, to feel overwhelmed, and to focus on the negative when you’re exhausted. But when you have more energy, you’re able to stay positive, focused on your goals, and confident in your decisions and actions.
Tips to Boost Your Energy and Why It Matters for Your Mindset
Quick question: do you feel energetic most days or do you feel tired? Would you be more productive if you had more energy? Do you think you’d be more confident if you had more energy? Those with a success mindset spend time on their health and vitality. Why? Because it pays off in the long run. Yes, taking 20-30 minutes out of your day for exercise may sound like a lot, but if it gives you more energy and increases your productivity, then it’s worth it, right?
So, there are many different ways to improve your energy levels. Let’s take a look at a few.
1) Eat Fewer Processed Foods
This may sound like health advice, and it is certainly better for your health to avoid processed foods. But if we’re talking only about your energy levels, you’re better off eating protein and fat instead of processed carbohydrates and sugar.
The latter causes blood sugar spikes and dips. When it dips, so too does your energy. Inflammation increases with processed foods and that is an energy drain too. Eat better foods, improve your energy levels and productivity.
2) Get Better Sleep
Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep. If you’re active or you live a particularly stressful life (ahem…you ARE a business owner) then you will need more sleep. Getting more sleep may not sound like a great plan. After all, you have things to do. Yet if you get enough sleep, then you’re able to stay focused and productive when you are awake. You’ll get more done.
3) Know if You’re an Introvert or an Extravert
Why does this matter? Well, people who are introverted gain energy from being by themselves. Those who are extraverted gain energy from being with others. Now, business owners tend to spend a good amount of time working independently and that’s great if you’re an introvert.
However, if you need the energy of others, then it can be isolating and draining. Extraverts can benefit from taking group exercise classes, attending networking meetings and conferences, and from co-working situations. At the very least, an extravert can get more energy by simply heading to the coffee shop to get some work done. They’ll be around others.
4) Set Time Aside to Plan
You might not think about it, but when you set time aside to plan, you gain energy and productivity. Without proper planning much of your day and time may be spent “figuring things out,” and that’s bit of a waste of energy not to mention time. If you plan your goals, your day, your projects then all you have to do is wake up and do. There’s no “figuring it out” because you already have.
5) Move Your Body
Stand up at least once an hour. Get up and move your body. Did you know that a sedentary lifestyle slows down your metabolism? It slows everything down from your hormones to the energy produced at a cellular level. Your body was designed to move, and it improves function when you move. So, get a standing desk. Walk when you’re talking on the phone. Move your body and your energy level will increase.
When you take time to take better care of your health, it’s so much easier to embrace a success mindset. You have the energy to stay focused and productive. You have the energy to learn and grow. You have the energy to take risks and push your own boundaries. How you take care of yourself matters.
Now there are countless other healthy lifestyle improvements that you can make to increase your energy levels and improve your mindset. Choose one and make it part of your life, then choose another, and another. Consistently taking steps to boost your own energy will support you to consistently take steps to boost your business.
In the introduction to this guide we mentioned examples of different components of a success mindset. For example, we talked about a growth mindset and a positive mindset.
Because a positive mindset is so important, we’ve saved it for last. Without a positive mindset, success will always be a struggle. If there’s one facet of a success mindset that you work to embrace, make it a focus on learning to be positive.
Tips to Stay More Positive and Why It Matters
It can be difficult to stay focused on your customers and prospects, on offering value, and on taking the steps you need to take to continue growing your business if you’re feeling negative. Think about those days when you’re down or grumpy or just feeling frustrated. You don’t get much done, do you? And certainly, you don’t perform at your best. Yet conversely, when you’re feeling optimistic and things are going well you’re more productive, you feel more confident, and you are able to work through challenges that come your way without getting frustrated. A positive mindset is critical to your success mindset.
Now a positive mindset doesn’t mean that you’re naïve or that you don’t notice problems or challenges. What it does mean is that you’re able to focus on what’s working, on what is good, and to stay optimistic and confident that you’ll work things out.
1) Surround Yourself with Positive People
Moods and emotions are contagious. If you’re surrounded by complainers and unhappy people, it’s going to rub off on you. If you’re surrounded by generally positive people who are problem solvers, then you’ll feel more positive and confident.
2) Ask Yourself If It’s True
When you notice negative thoughts or emotions rolling through your mind, stop and pay attention to your thoughts. What are you saying? Is it true? For example, you might say “I’m always losing subscribers.” You have to stop and see if that’s true. You may be gaining more than you’re losing.
3) Find that Silver Lining
In every situation, even those that seem most dire, find something that’s positive. For example, maybe you are losing subscribers. What’s positive about that? Well there could be many positive things about losing subscribers. Maybe it means that you’re fine tuning your niche and perhaps you’ll be in a better position to increase your conversion rate.
4) Limit Your Exposure to Media
Yes, you do have to spend time on social media to grow your business, and you probably want to occasionally see what’s going on in the world and turn on the news. However, make sure that you limit your time engaging with the media. Schedule it. Set goals and a time limit. Do what you need to do and then disengage. The media, social and otherwise, can feel quite negative and it can impact your mindset.
5) Offer Value
When you make your life one of service and you focus your business content, products, and services, on providing value to others, it’s pretty difficult to be negative. You are having such a powerful impact on the lives of others, you’re engaging and providing benefit, that’s the best way to embrace a positive mindset – one that will absolutely lead to your success.
Finally, one of the best ways to cultivate a positive mindset is to become more aware of your thoughts. You can change your thoughts and shift them from “I can’t do this” to “I can do this. I am doing this.” It’s powerful and it changes how you look at and approach your business.
Moving Forward One Step at a Time
We’ve offered a number of different tips to begin to cultivate the facets of a success mindset. They overlap, which means that if you start working on gratitude, for example, it will also impact your ability to think positively, to take risks, and to work outside your comfort zone. And if you start taking better care of yourself and working to have more energy, it’ll also make it easier to be grateful and to stay focused on the positive.
The point is that it doesn’t matter which tip you embrace; just choose one and start working on it. Integrate it into your life then add another tip or step to your day and your routine. It takes time to change your thoughts, your mindset, and your habits. Create a daily practice. Integrate it into your schedule and make it a priority.
A success mindset means that when you have challenges, you’ll be able to work through them. It means that when you are presented with an opportunity you’ll be able to set fears aside, find confidence and courage, and take advantage of that opportunity. It means you’ll be more willing to knock on doors and make phone calls to strangers. It means you’ll write your book and be more authentic in your blog posts and business communications.
It means you’ll be able to focus on providing value and being of service rather than looking to get something from your business; you’ll shift your mindset and look to give to others.
Start taking steps today to embrace a success mindset and watch how your business, and your life, change.
