There’s nothing quite like having the right mindset to set you up for success. But no matter how positive you are about your dreams and goals, fostering a winning mindset can be tough even in a society that now places so much importance on mental health.
But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. From surrounding yourself with the right people to playing poker, here are five ways to set yourself up for success and foster that winning mindset.
Surround yourself with the right people
It might be a hard pill to swallow, but there’s no denying the fact that we all have friends or family members that hinder our chances of success. They may not mean to do so, but when they question your goals they are putting obstacles in your way and stunting your progress. After all, it’s virtually impossible to foster a winning mindset if you have people making negative comments in your ear each and every day.
We’re not for a moment suggesting that you remove these people from your life, but perhaps limit their input. What you really need is to surround yourself with people who are winners. They don’t necessarily need to be Olympians or hugely successful business people, they just need to have the right attitude towards life. They take chances to achieve their dreams and will listen to yours and offer any support that they feel you might need.
This is without doubt the first step that you should take. Stop being around negative people and surround yourself with those with a positive outlook, and you’ll be surprised at the difference it will make to your own outlook.
Play competitive games
There are plenty of games that you can take up to help foster a winning mindset, but we have one particular game in mind. Yes, we’re talking about the game of poker. It’s easy enough to learn the basics of the game and now, thanks to modern technology, you can play at any time of the day. And that includes your lunch break or the commute to and from the office.
So what’s so great about poker? Well, the game teaches you to adapt to changing circumstances. Although it’s a strategic game, the unpredictability of some aspects of poker means that you must be ready to change your approach at the drop of a hat. You analyze your current position and make a snap judgment based on the logic that offers you the best chance of success.
But there’s even more to it than that. You see, poker actually teaches you not only to adapt but also to treat every loss as an opportunity to learn. It’s one of the most important aspects of the mental game of poker and one which the most successful players pay close attention to. And best of all, if you play the game regularly, this and the other benefits we mentioned earlier help to foster that winning mindset. In fact, to those who play the game regularly, a winning mindset comes as second nature.
Learn patience
Success never happens overnight. True success takes time and dedication and, most importantly, patience. It’s perhaps one of the most important facets of creating a winning mindset, and yet it’s one that is most often ignored. For some reason, people have changed their views on achieving success. If it doesn’t happen quickly, then it’s not going to happen at all.
People with a winning mindset though, understand all too well that success is often built on failure. Like we mentioned just now, learning from your losses is a great skill to have and it’s a skill that requires incredible patience. In fact, Steve Jobs saved Apple by embracing failure and working with it. Whether it’s by playing chess or poker, you need to learn patience if you are to develop that winning mindset.
Take small steps for small wins
Every win, no matter how small, is significant. So with this in mind, you want to start taking smaller steps in your journey to help build your self-confidence and create an air of positivity. If you’re studying a new skill, then break it down into bite-sized goals and celebrate each milestone you achieve.
The same can be said for sport, business, or even your career. Set yourself up for success and create a winning mindset by getting used to those small victories. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with failure (see above), but it’s good to get into the habit of succeeding some of the time by taking steps forward.
Doing this will also help you build momentum and encourage you to keep striving towards your goal. You will certainly hit some bumps along the road, but the small wins along the way will keep you on track and fill you with motivation.
Believe in your dream
We all have a dream. It could be to master golf or run a successful business; whatever it is, you must first believe that it is attainable. Without that belief, there is no way that you can foster a winning mindset. This is one of the reasons why setting small and achievable goals is so important for success, but you still need to believe in the ultimate dream.
A good way to do this is to read about people who have gone through similar situations, or who achieved their success when the odds were stacked against them. For example, if you dream of opening a restaurant selling your homemade pies, it’s extremely motivating to learn that Colonel Sanders achieved his success in his 60s.
There are quite literally hundreds of stories like that of Colonel Sanders and, no matter what your goal is, you’ll easily find a similar story to yours. Taking inspiration from the success of others might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people fail to do so. Learn from the success of others and take inspiration from it and, without even realizing it, you’ll start to believe in yourself and your dream.
Remember that creating a winning mindset and setting yourself up for success is all up to you. So take the time to surround yourself with the right people, build your self-confidence by playing games like poker, set small goals for small wins, but most importantly, take the time to believe in yourself.