Sometimes nothing else is getting on your way but yourself. When your mind is not on your side it can be difficult to reach your fullest potential. Instead you may feel overwhelmed, confused, distracted, and overall having a negative outlook on life. These things will need to change if you are hoping to succeed in everything you do. All it takes is some mental shifts for you to unlock your potential. Some are easier than others, but changing the way you think will take some practice and time. You have to be very dedicated if you want to make sustainable changes that will improve your quality of life. Below are 10 mental shifts you can use to unlock your greatest potential.
Planning
Flying by the seed of your pants can be helpful sometimes, for example winging it in an interview. But, if you make a habit of this you can become chronically stressed and prevent yourself from maximizing your time and potential. Planning is the key to solving this problem. Planning with goals and checklists can increase your success and make life much more easy going. A common way to do this is by purchasing a paper planner or even using the calendar app in your phone. Instead of thinking about planning as a burden, imagine it as a way to get all of your priorities settled and even leave some time for yourself. With less decisions to be made each day your mind will be at ease and ready to tackle whatever comes next.
Get Help When You Need It
A huge mistake is thinking that in order to be successful you have to handle everything by yourself. Carrying too many responsibilities can actually increase your stress and result in decreased productivity and mental health. Getting help when you need it may be a huge mental shift for you, especially if you like to be in control of everything. But, to create the best quality life and work you must learn to accept help. This can start small by simply asking one of your family members to complete a chore for you. Eventually the tasks you delegate will get larger and your stress and anxiety levels will ultimately decrease. With this keep in mind that not everything will be exactly how you want it done, but you will be able to focus on the things that truly matter.
Be Confident
You most likely already have the skills and ability to do what is most important to you and reach your highest potential. But sometimes your confidence can be what is holding you back. It can be frustrating when you are the one that is preventing yourself from succeeding. But luckily the one thing you can control in your life is yourself. This means that you will be able to work on your confidence and then apply it to your endeavors. The first step in developing confidence is believing in yourself and just acting like you are confident. After a while of you pretending to be confident, the confidence will come naturally. This will allow you to go after the things you want and help those around you to be more confident in your abilities.
Practicing Gratitude
Nobody likes a negative attitude. If you are always focusing on the negatives in your life the only thing that will come to you is negativity. If you want to draw in positive energy you can work on practicing gratitude. Gratitude is the ability to be thankful for the things that are in your life. These can be small things such as the ability to take a deep breath, or large things such as the important people in your life. Begin by noticing something you are grateful for once an hour for 5 days. After this exercise you may notice that you naturally practice gratitude without even being prompted. Eventually this practice can lead to a mental shift and draw in the vibes that you want to attract.
Have a Go Getter Attitude
Being shy and reserved is a character trait of many, but it can actually hold you back in unlocking your potential. If you are always waiting in the background the chances of opportunities coming to you is slim. Missing out on these opportunities is all your fault if you do nothing to change this habit of yours. Instead practice doing things that you are uncomfortable with. For example, you can start by complimenting someone out in public. Small actions like this can translate into more important things when the opportunity presents itself for you to go out and get what you want. Having a go getter attitude is something that will take time, but ultimately this mental shift is important if you want the best things to happen to you.
Practice Grace
Being too hard on yourself may seem like you are setting yourself up for success, but actually it could be setting you up for failure. Instead of always requiring perfection from yourself, focus on practicing grace. Grace is the process of self-forgiveness and understanding. Give yourself the same slack and understanding that you would offer to yourself. If you continue to set unrealistic expectations you could experience burnout and a decrease in self esteem. Understand that things won’t always go according to plan and that it is okay if you make a mistake. Instead of beating yourself up about it, take the approach of being compassionate to yourself and learning from the experience.
Learning How to Say No
If you are spending too much time doing things that others wanted from you, you could be missing out on the important moments that are focused on meeting your needs. Saying no does not make you a bad person, but instead will set you up for success. Learn to say no to the things that really distract from your main life’s purpose. For example, it is okay to say yes to helping with your niece’s birthday party because your priority is your family. However, it is also okay to say no to helping with her birthday party because you have to focus on studying for your professional licensure test. The key is even though it may be disappointing to others you have to be okay with saying no in times that you need your priority to be yourself to guarantee your success.
Declutter Your Life
A cluttered environment is a cluttered mind. Especially if you are busy it can feel overwhelming to constantly be cleaning or picking up your mess. To prevent your space from interfering with your mental health you should take the time to declutter. In this case the mind shift is from that having more is more to that having less is more. More opportunity for mental clarity and more opportunity to stay focused and succeed. Declutter your life from unnecessary items in your home, people in your life, and emotions that serve you no purpose. Intentionally choose the things that enter and stay in your life so that you are cultivating the life you want to live.
Stop Comparing
Watching your older brother become a doctor, start a family, and buy a new home may be tempting for you to start doubting yourself. This may make you feel that you are less than, which really is not true. Bottom line is you need to stop comparing yourself to others. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself. This way you can measure your growth or setbacks and be proud of where you have come. Comparing yourself to others is a negative habit that should be nipped in the bud as soon as possible. This will only hold you back and prevent you from unlocking your true potential.
Commit to Growth
Wandering through life just trying to get through the day is no way to live. This frame of mind tends to cause stagnation and decrease your ability to flourish. If you want to maximize your potential you will have to fully commit to growth. This means making achievable goals, seeking out truth from sources such as Kabbalah One, and changing your negative frames of mind. There are many ways to commit yourself to growth. As long as you are doing what is best for you you will be setting yourself up for success. You can actively see where you are headed and may even be pleasantly surprised along the way.
Shifting the way your mind works is a process but in the end it is almost always worth it. Acknowledge where you have room for improvement and acknowledge what is holding you back. This is often the hardest part, but once you can pinpoint it you can take actionable steps to positive mental shifts. Changing your thinking patterns is nice, but the true reason for doing this is to unlock your true potential. This potential could be in various areas of your life including occupational, personal, or relational. Whatever this is for you, appreciate each step of the process and mindfully notice the way your world shifts when your mind shifts as well.
Sources
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/an-easier-way-to-set-and-achieve-health-goals
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15355583/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/forgiveness-your-health-depends-on-it