A lot has been written over the years about the power of your mind to change the trajectory of your life.
Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, famously said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve — regardless of how many times you may have failed in the past.”
Frank Outlaw, the late president of Bi-Lo Stores, explained how a tiny thought can influence your destiny in this way:
Watch your thoughts, they become words;
Watch your words, they become actions;
Watch your actions, they become habits;
Watch your habits, they become character;
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
Even the Bible describes how powerful a thought can be when we dwell on the negative. James 1:14-15 notes, “But each person is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
The good news is that changing the direction of your life, your job, your marriage — whatever you desire to alter or obstacle you want to overcome — often starts with changing your mindset.
Thrive Global asked its readers what they did to change limiting beliefs into positive ones to create change and achieve their ultimate goals.
“In order to create better habits, it’s key to identify if we’re holding onto any limiting beliefs that might be holding us back from positive change,” wrote Marina Khidekel, chief content officer at Thrive. “For instance, thinking we don’t have the willpower to live a healthier lifestyle, or that it’s too late in our careers to make a change.”
The article identified 10 mindset changes people have made to alter their situations or destinies. They include:
Siobhan Kukolic, an author, speaker and life coach from Toronto, encouraged people to start now with what you have. “If I had waited until the timing was perfect, until I had the answers and the connections, the days would still have passed and none of those dreams would have been accomplished.”
“The biggest mindset shift that has occurred for me is to focus on things that I can do, and then get on with my life. This helps me avoid other kinds of negative thought tracks,” added Dave Galloway, a principal strategist from North Vancouver, British Columbia.
“The most impactful mindset shift I made was choosing to believe that change was possible with effort. I decided to hold onto the belief that if I read the right books, listened to superior wisdom, and implemented the right actions, I could turn my life around,” said Marcia Hylton, a business consultant from El Paso, Texas. “None of these changes happened overnight. For me, mindset work is a daily necessity because I believe I have a responsibility to myself to always choose intentional growth.”
The other suggestions are available at www.thriveglobal.com.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.