Now, does this mean that you can neatly manifest whatever you want if you can only adopt the right perspective? No, of course not. There are plenty of things that are ultimately beyond your control. For example, you can get sick, be the victim of professional sabotage, or simply find that unlucky timing persistently robs you of chances to get ahead. But that’s even more reason to focus on cultivating a positive mindset. Only then can you make the most of what you can control.
In other words, you need to think like a boss. That’s much easier said than done, though, and most people struggle to get to that point. So let’s go through four tips that can help you make it:
View yourself as your loved ones do
Assuming you’re not a narcissist, your perspective of yourself is always going to be strongly critical. Why? Because you naturally compare yourself to others, but you don’t see all the flaws and failures behind their successes. Meanwhile, you’re keenly aware of how much you struggle to excel, and it makes you feel like an imposter. This is completely normal — but damaging.
It’s difficult, but you need to try to view yourself as your loved ones do. Think about the people who support you no matter what they do. Think about how they view you. Ask them if you want to. They’ll paint a picture of you that you barely recognize. The person they genuinely see, someone smart and dedicated and funny and almost unstoppable, someone who’s overcome so many challenges already? That’s the person you truly are. You just need to escape your perspective sometimes to be reminded of it.
Load up on inspirational podcasts
The more positive talk you hear, the more you’ll internalize a positive attitude, and there’s no better way to ensure that you hear the right things than to overhaul your podcast playlist. Cut out anything overtly downbeat: you’ll have time to revisit those shows down the line, but right now, you need to cater to your goals through nothing but positivity. Look for shows about self-improvement, success, gratitude, and overall health (more on that next).
Try to vary things based on what you want to work on. For example, if you feel a block in your personal life, a show like the Stellar Life podcast on Orion’s Method can help you work on broad empowerment. If you want to work on your entrepreneurial mindset, it’s worth checking out Dana Wilde’s Positive Mindset for Entrepreneurs for some great advice. And if you want a morning shot of positivity (like coffee in podcast form), the Positive Vibe Tribe podcast is just what you need.
Optimize your health however you can
Everything you are — mind, body, and soul — factors into your mindset, so health is something you need to prioritize. Your goal should be to minimize stress, eat nutritionally beneficial foods, get plenty of sleep, exercise when you can, and generally take care of yourself. That also means avoiding situations likely to make you feel worse instead of just going along with what you feel you’re expected to do.
If you’ve been invited to a party, for instance, but you’re exhausted and really need the rest, it’s a mistake to think that going is the positive thing to do. Being positive isn’t about saying yes to every suggestion that comes your way. It’s about knowing what you can accomplish if you’re firing on all cylinders and refusing to let things get in the way of that. You’re worth the effort, and nothing you can do is worthwhile if you don’t care for yourself first.
Set small goals and power through them
If you have lofty goals, that’s great: you need to reach for the stars, right? But if all your goals are Big Picture Things, you’ll quickly get frustrated at your perceived lack of progress. A month goes by, and you’re apparently no closer to getting there. So how can you still be positive? This is why you need small goals that you can achieve in a timely fashion.
Each time you achieve a small goal, it’ll give you a positive feeling that inspires you to keep going, and the goals will start to accrue until you’re on a roll and start powering through your list. Before you know it, one of those lofty goals will be within your reach, but you won’t even notice until you get there because you’re mentally occupied. One step at a time: that’s how you win.
