Do you talk to yourself?

Of course, you do. We all have an inner dialogue that we hopefully use to make us better, stronger, and more resilient individuals.

The martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee used to say, "Don't speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn't know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that's why it's called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself and you can change your life."  

​In addition to having a helpful benefit on your mind, positive self-talk can also: reduce pain, improve your cardiovascular health, decrease stress, enhance your immune system, and generally increase your life span. 

Here are 5 Simple Questions Successful People Ask Themselves Every Day from Abby Perkins:

1. Am I in the right niche? - This question allows you to gauge your motivation and passion for what you are doing. If you are losing your drive, some form of change may be in order.

2. Am I learning from my mistakes? - The road to success is paved with failure. We all make mistakes, but the message here is are we learning from those mistakes so we don't repeat them? It's important to debrief after your errors so you can determine what went wrong and make the necessary changes to prevent the same missteps in the future.

3. Am I consistently pushing my own boundaries? - Constantly creating new and bolder goals will keep your passion high and fix your sights on something that should be a stretch for you.

4. What is my game plan? - While you are constantly striving to reach your goals, you should also take time to improve your efficiencies. Spend time developing your map of how you will get from where you are, to where you want to be.

5. Do I believe I can do this? - The most important ingredient to success is the belief you can accomplish the goal. This belief is played out in your brain every day and often depends on how you talk to yourself. Having the knowledge and physical skills to be successful is one thing. However, having the belief and passion for your dream are vastly more important than anything else you possess!

​Please leave me a comment about your inner dialogue and the questions you ask yourself every day.

When is it appropriate to make a decision?

Should you make a decision only when you have to? Is it appropriate to make a decision when it isn't necessary to make one, but you have received information that would allow you to make a decision? Should you make a decision immediately or should you take some time to consider your options? 

The prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain behind your forehead) is responsible for all complex behaviors, including formulating decisions. Research suggests that the morning is the best time of the day to make important decisions, especially ethical ones.

Leaders are constantly faced with situations that require them to make decisions. As a matter of fact, many leaders are in their particular roles for the decisions they might be required to make. 

However, making complex decisions (where there may not be a right or wrong answer) can lead even the best leaders to feel stressed, confused, or even overwhelmed.  

Here are six guidelines to follow when in a situation where you need to make a critical decision:

1. Don't let anxiety overwhelm you.

2. If possible, give yourself time to consider all your options.

3. Weigh each option by looking at the pluses and minuses of each choice.

4. Be true to yourself by considering each possibility based on your goals and values.

5. Talk the options over with a trusted advisor so you can hear the possibilities out loud.

6. Before you implement your decision, determine how best to communicate your choice to different groups. 

Leaders aren't leaders only in good times. As a matter of fact, the best leaders, show their mettle in the worst of times, under extremely stressful situations. It is during those difficult and uncomfortable times, that leaders find the courage to make good decisions.

Please watch the video below about a time during the American Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln was faced with making a difficult decision.

Also, please leave me a comment about your strategy when you are faced with making critical decisions. 

What does it mean to have a positive mindset?

A mindset is a set of beliefs and attitudes that shape the way you view the world and live your life. Your mindset, more than anything else, determines if you will be successful at something or if you will fail. 

Mindset is the single most important thing that will determine if you live a life of significance or a life of ruin.

According to Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck, there are primarily two types of mindsets, fixed and growth.

A fixed mindset is one where you believe your principles and attitudes are static and unchanging. A growth mindset is one where you believe your abilities and values can be developed and improved through effort, learning, and hard work.

Through her research, Dweck found that a mindset is developed through two primary means, Praising and Labeling.

Process Praise puts the emphasis on the effort the person puts into accomplishing a particular task and is much more beneficial to developing a growth mindset than Personal Praise, where a person receives recognition for mastering a task.   

Labeling, which involves assigning associations with certain groups based on abilities or stereotypes, can lead to either a fixed or growth mindset.

Here are 5 Learnable Mindsets of Highly Successful People from psychologist, Christopher Friesen:

1. They know and accept themselves - They understand their strengths and weaknesses.

2. They set goals that are congruent with their personalities, values, interests, strengths, skills, mission, and purpose - Their goals are not based on immediate urges or gratification.

3. They know they have much more control over their life trajectory than others realize - They grasp they can only control their actions and not what the world throws at them.

4. They accept that they will repeatedly go through tough times - They value that without difficult obstacles, there is no learning and growing.

5. They realize that once they get to their goal, they will find another one - They appreciate the struggle and recognize the journey is the destination.  

Please leave me a comment about how you go about developing a positive mindset in your life.