Mindset. I talk about it - a lot. I write about it - even more! Why? Because a great overall mindset is essential to achieving your goals.
How you think and feel about yourself and your business is extremely important. It impacts everything you do. Even setting your goals. Here's an example:
"I'd like to earn $500 extra a month, so I can have a little money left over after I pay my bills."
What kind of goal is that?! It's weak. It's definitely not SMART. There is no motivation to really go for it.
Actually, this goal was one of MY first goals - before I understood the power of mindset and worked to change mine.
And see how my goal has changed! This was the first goal I wrote with my mindset coach shortly after beginning to work with him:
"By the end of the year, I will develop a strategy to earn an extra $3000 per month."
Do you see the difference? Instead of "I'd like to...maybe...if I could", now "I will"! Instead of $500 I was going to earn $3000. I wasn't in this business so I could have a few dollars left over at the end of the month. I wanted to earn a living. And I set a deadline. You can't have a goal without a deadline. Otherwise you can just keep plodding along forever, hoping that SOMEDAY you will reach it.
Of course, it's not enough just to set a good goal. You also have to work to achieve it. Self-esteem factors in there too.
Poor mindset and low self-esteem can cause you to self-sabotage your business, even if you aren't consciously aware that you are doing it. If you went out partying last night when you knew you had a presentation to do this morning, you might know what I'm talking about! The proper mindset and high-self esteem may have kept you from making that decision. So instead of being groggy and possibly hung-over today, you would be bright, alert, and ready to grow your business. If that doesn't sound like you, then it is time to work on your self-esteem.
Building self esteem is possible. I should know. I've done it. You can too. Let's get started.
Take five minutes a day and ask yourself what you appreciate about what you bring to the world. This will give you a burst of happiness, which is like laying the first brick of a new solid foundation. From there, move on to banishing that inner critic. When self help coaches work with people, they will often ask, “does your inner critic have a name and people tend to respond in the affirmative. It is usually the name of someone in their past, who always spoke down to them. Now they have taken that negative talk from that person and transferred it internally. When your inner critic says, “oh you can’t do that Jane,” tell it to hush and go away because you aren’t going to listen anymore. Keep working on dulling that inner critic's voice until it can no longer be heard.
In the case of not having a name for your inner critic, then just internally shout, “STOP,” whenever you catch yourself speaking negatively about you or what you are doing.
Keeping a journal is great and so is a little bedside diary. Keep that diary and pencil right beside the alarm clock and just before you go to sleep, jot down three things that you found to appreciate about yourself that day. As your diary grows, then go back and reread the comments you put in and see if they truly are positive. If you find any that may now give you a bit of a negative feeling, cross it out and rewrite it in a positive frame.
Finally consider doing positive things for you and others.
1. Treat yourself to an extra long hot bath.
2. Walk the dog for your elderly neighbour.
3. Go out of your way to find a kind thing you can do for a stranger. Open doors, or assist with putting groceries in someone’s car for them.
4. Ask before being asked if you can do something for your child’s school, like reading to kids or lending your expertise for a day to the school.
5. Go out of your way to find someone during your daily interactions that you feel needs a kind word. There is always someone who is having a tough day because of a home or work situation. You don’t have to get involved necessarily but compliment them somehow.
6. Treat yourself to something special whenever you do something outside your comfort zone. I had a problem doing videos for a long time. In fact, they still aren't my favorite thing to do. But I know they are important for my business and so I do them. And after I'm finished recording one, I treat myself to a glass of wine and time with my husband (if it's evening) or a cup of a special tea I like and some time to read (during the day).
Making yourself feel good and making others feel better about themselves is a wonderful way to build that self esteem.
And for more tips on healthy-self esteem, read my earlier post: Healthy Self-Esteem = Healthy Business!
Listening to podcasts regularly is a great way to begin your journey of self development. But if all you do is listen and you don't do anything with the content, you’re not likely to experience any significant change. You have to take action if you want to become the best version of you!
How exactly do you turn a podcast into actionable advice? You can start by doing one of these activities…
Review Show Notes
When you’re done with a podcast episode, don’t let it just float from your mind. Take a few minutes to look up the show notes. Seeing the text can help you remember what you’ve just listened to.
To make this fun, you can treat it like a pop quiz. Challenge yourself to really absorb the content during a podcast, then look over the show notes. Give yourself a point for every tip you remember. Then calculate your score and consistently try to beat it.
Hit Pause when Needed
Sometimes, a host or guest on a podcast will make a statement that resonates with you. When that happens, don’t try to keep listening. Pause the episode and ponder what was shared. Ask yourself, “Why is this resonating with me? What does this statement make me want to do?”
Keep Your Own Notes
Another way to make sure you’re fully consuming the content of a podcast is to take your own notes. The best way to do this is by hand because you most people find it easier to remember what they’ve written.
But if you want your notes to be easier to search and would like them available later, you can use a smart device to take notes. Two good apps for this are Evernote and OneNote.
Take Action
When you’re listening to a podcast, consider how you can implement what you’re hearing. For example, the host of a business podcast says one way to find new opportunities is to explore your past sales and look for trends.
So, make it a note to check your sales for the past week or so and see if anything stands out. And if you do see something, set aside time to dig deeper to discover if this is a trend you could capitalize on in the future.
Keep in mind that depending on the episode and what you’re doing, you may have a lot of notes or you may have only a few. Don’t worry if that’s the case. You’re just looking to capture the best gems from a show.
Learn how to find time to listen to your favorite podcasts when you download your free workbook!
Mindset is how you view the world, yourself, and the circumstances around you. Often, your mindset spills over into every area of your life. If your mindset is mainly negative, that can mean you experience a host of negative effects in your life. If your mindset is mostly positive, you’re more likely to experience positive effects in your life.
But the good news is that even if your mindset is negative, you can shake it up. There are many different ways you can do this but the most helpful is to fill your mind with good, positive content. You can start by listening to these six podcasts to help challenge the way you think…
The Brendon Show with Brendon Burchard
Brendon Burchard is a motivational speaker and coach. He founded both the High Performance Academy and Experts Academy. He’s also the author of several best-selling books including High Performance Habits and The Motivation Manifesto.
In 2014, he launched a podcast called The Charged Life but later changed the name to The Brendon Show. His episodes focus on what he’s learning and doing in his own life as well as tips on motivation, personal development, and more.
The Daily Boost with Scott Smith
Scott Smith had spent years working on a radio station, encouraging others. Then he discovered podcasting and decided to start motivating people online. His podcast quickly became a full-time business that he feels blessed to run.
Scott has an engaging style and a soothing voice. Every Monday, he delivers a new edition of Daily Boost. Each episode is under 15 minutes, so they’re easy to listen to even if you’re super busy.
Tiny Leaps, Big Changes with Gregg Clunis
Gregg Clunis is an entrepreneur and coach living in New York City. He became interested in personal development when he was a teenager and began reading books on the topic.
In 2015, he launched his podcast Tiny Leaps, Big Changes where he talks about wellness, motivation, and personal growth strategies. Many of his episodes are short, ranging from just a few minutes to forty minutes. So you can listen and quickly be inspired by Gregg.
Bulletproof Radio with Dave Asprey
Dave Asprey is an entrepreneur and author. He started and several successful companies. Then he created Bulletproof Coffee, a type of coffee drink that’s flavored with butter or coconut oil.
Then Dave went on to launch Bulletproof Radio. His podcast focuses on “biohacking” or improving your own health through smart nutrition, mindset, and biochemistry.
The Lively Show with Jess Lively
Jess Lively is an entrepreneur who launched her first business as a teenager. She created and sold her own jewelry for years before becoming a business coach and helping other entrepreneurs.
In 2014, she launched The Lively Show, a weekly podcast. On the show, she covers many topics like parenting, blogging, business, and more. But the overall theme of the episodes is living with intention and being mindful.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin is an author living in New York City. She’s written several best-selling books including: The Happiness Project, The Four Tendencies, and Better than Before.
When she’s not busy writing, Gretchen is podcasting. Her show is called Happier with Gretchen Rubin and it features her sister as her co-host. Together, the two inspiring women have fascinating conversations about habits, happiness, and human nature.
Change your mindset and experience true personal growth by filling your mind with positive content every day!
Find more fascinating podcast recommendations when you sign up for your free workbook.
Mindset. I talk about it - a lot. I write about it - even more! Why? Because a great overall mindset is essential to achieving your goals.
