In our Full Mogul and She-llionaire pursuits, we often encounter two formidable adversaries: doubt and worry. These two emotions are often living rent free in our heads. Not only are they living there rent free, they are often eating away at valuable brainpower and energy that could be used in the pursuit of your big goals.
In addition, left unchecked, they can cloud our judgment, diminish our motivation, and can ultimately lead us to abandon our goals altogether. However, with the right strategies, it's possible to overcome these challenges and maintain a path towards success. In this blog, we'll explore how fueling your brain and environment with the right tools and reminders, tackling the hard thing first, staying motivated, and surrounding yourself with supportive people can make all the difference. Now let’s “get moti!”
Fuel Your Brain and Environment
Our environment and the inputs we feed our brain significantly influence our mental state and resilience against doubt. To combat this, it's essential to cultivate an environment and mindset that foster positivity and confidence. Start by:
- Educating Yourself: Knowledge is power. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills necessary for your journey. This not only reduces the fear of the unknown but also builds your confidence in handling challenges.
- Positive Affirmations: Regularly remind yourself of your capabilities and past successes. Positive affirmations can reinforce your self-belief and counteract negative thoughts.
- Visual Reminders: Keep visual reminders of your goals and why they're important to you. Vision boards, goal lists, or even symbolic objects can serve as constant motivators and reminders of why you started.
- Schedule a Habit: Habits are not automatic, they are established. Establish a positive habit like reading, listening to podcasts, or journaling your affirmations by scheduling that daily. This will help you build up the ammunition for the ongoing mental work necessary for success.
Do the Hard Thing First
Tackling the hardest tasks first can significantly amplify your ability to combat doubt and worry. This approach, often referred to as "eating the frog," based on Mark Twain's famous advice, is about doing your most challenging task at the beginning of your day or project. This strategy is not just about time management; it's a powerful psychological tool. Completing the most daunting task first frees up immense mental space and eliminates the underlying anxiety that often fuels doubt. Furthermore, it sets a positive tone for the day or the next phase of your project, building momentum. When you start with a significant victory, it creates a ripple effect, making subsequent tasks feel more manageable and less intimidating. This initial push can transform your attitude towards your goals, turning apprehension into a sense of accomplishment and possibility. By adopting this habit, you're not just making progress; you're also cultivating resilience and a proactive mindset that can shield you against the creeping shadows of doubt and worry.
- Frees Mental Space: Completing the most challenging task first eliminates a major source of stress and worry, clearing your mind and enhancing your focus for the rest of the day. This mental clarity allows for more creative and productive thinking, as you're not preoccupied with the dread of an impending difficult task.
- Builds Momentum: Starting your day or project phase with a significant accomplishment creates a sense of achievement and positive momentum. This "win" early on can boost your confidence and make other tasks seem less daunting, encouraging a more productive and optimistic approach to your work.
- Cultivates Resilience: Regularly facing and overcoming your biggest challenges first reinforces a habit of tackling difficulties head-on. This practice not only builds your problem-solving skills but also strengthens your mental resilience, making you more capable of handling uncertainty and setbacks in the pursuit of your goals.
Stay Motivated
Maintaining motivation in the face of adversity is crucial. Doubt and worry thrive in stagnation, so it's important to keep moving forward, even in small steps. Consider the following strategies:
- Set Small, Achievable Goals: Breaking down your larger goal into smaller, manageable tasks can make it less overwhelming and provide a sense of accomplishment. Focus on the small steps that lead to the big goals.
- Celebrate Milestones: Recognize and celebrate your progress. Little wins are also earned, so you deserve to acknowledge them. This reinforces positive behavior and keeps you motivated.
- Learn from Setbacks: Instead of seeing setbacks as failures, view them as learning opportunities. This mindset shift can reduce fear and doubt, as every challenge becomes a chance to grow. Remember our FAIL acronym: Find All Important Lessons.
Surround Yourself with the Right People
The company we keep can significantly impact our mental and emotional resilience. Surrounding yourself with supportive, like-minded individuals can provide:
- Encouragement: Having people who believe in you and your goals can be a tremendous source of strength. Their encouragement can help you push through moments of doubt. Keep company with like-minded, positive people.
- Accountability: Accountability partners or groups can help keep you on track. They can provide a gentle push when your motivation wanes and celebrate your successes with you. Maintain a regular cadence of accountability with your partners.
- Perspective: Sometimes, we get too close to our problems to see the solution. Friends, mentors, or peers can offer valuable perspectives and advice that can help us overcome obstacles. You can also ask yourself, “How would I advise a friend in this situation?” Looking at your life from a third-party perspective can give you more objective insights.
Dealing with doubt and worry is an inevitable part of pursuing goals, but they don't have to dictate your journey. By actively shaping your environment, mindset, and social circle to support your aspirations, you can build a solid foundation to withstand these challenges. Remember, the journey towards your goals is not a sprint but a marathon. Patience, resilience, and the right strategies can lead you to success, regardless of the doubts that may arise along the way. Keep pushing forward, and trust in your ability to overcome, and as always, Focus and Finish!