Mindsets are our driving forces. They determine and frame the way in which we live our lives and even define if they will be successful or not. So, when it comes to acquiring success and being the best version of ourselves growing and developing our mindsets is a must.
But first, you need to understand your current mindset in order to reprogram it for success. Next, you need to believe that you are actually worthy of that mindset and that you can be that person you’ve always looked up to.
I’ve grown up looking up to women like Oprah, Michelle Obama, and J.K Rowling. They are all incredible women, who rose from nothing and showed the world unapologetically exactly who they were. These women have always been my role models. But my mindset at the time created a distance between them and me. I thought that I would never achieve that level of success because I believed it was a quality, a secret that only a select few were lucky to know. I was wrong, of course. These women have made themselves successful because of their mindset.
1. Emily Weiss
Mindset: ‘Nothing is impossible’
“You can make a million excuses for why something didn’t go well, but ultimately, just fix it and get on with it. Be a solutions person”
Do you think the founder and CEO of Glossier, Emily Weiss got to where she is by believing she’d never make it? No. Emily is a firm believer, like me that anything you set your mind to you can accomplish.
This mindset pulled her through her job as a babysitter, which helped her to launch her own career and create a brand we all know and love. But don’t get her wrong, Emily is human, which means there were some periods of doubt. But doubt is the killer of dreams. And Emily knows more than most of us that even when something doesn’t go exactly to plan that it’s not the end of the world. Rather, she puts her focus on solving the problem other than the problem itself. Be the person who believes with their whole heart and soul that nothing is impossible and always bounce back. Because it’s your dream – and you’re the only one with enough conviction to make it happen.
2. Oprah Winfrey
Mindset: ‘To always be yourself’
“I was once afraid of people saying ‘who does she think she is? Now I have the courage to stand and say… This is who I am.”
We all know and love Oprah, but we wouldn’t love her if she wasn’t 100% herself. She’s a self-made billionaire and one of the most influential women in the world. But if she didn’t challenge the status quos in her career and just follow the industry norms then she would have been just another talk show host.
And it’s her mindset that made her stand out from the rest. In a competitive industry, it can be easy to feel pressured into doing what is expected of you. But if we did this then nothing would ever change or evolve. But her readiness to challenge and break industry standards by showing no personality has made her a household name.
Being yourself takes courage and being comfortable in your own skin takes time. But take some inspiration from Oprah who was brave enough to be herself and try to make changes even to an industry that had been around a long time before her and favored women completely opposite to her.
Beyonce Knowles
Mindset: ‘Growth’
“If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow”
A growth mindset is when you work hard and dedicate your time to improve your skills and even acquire new ones. It’s all about being bigger and better, reinventing yourself and being at the top of your game. And this is exactly what Beyonce does.
But being the music mogul isn’t easy. It’s not all giggles and costumes, it’s executive decisions and the creativity to stay relevant that makes this queen one of the most admired women in the world.
Take Destiny’s Child, for example, they were very successful and I bet you can even sing but that wasn’t it for B. Next was her solo career in 2002, which was also very successful. And after the famous break with her dad, Beyonce has now grown into an unstoppable sensation. She has the incredible ability to keep moving forward despite what has been thrown her way, she still gets up, she still performs and empowers millions.
See every downfall as a test and use it as an opportunity to grow. As an entrepreneur this is crucial, start seeing failure not as the opposite of success, but something that is detrimental to its fruition. And only then will you understand that it’s essential for you to grow and evolve into a stronger, better you.
Arianna Huffington
Mindset: ‘Healthy body, healthy mind’
“Discover the great ideas that lie inside of you by discovering the power of sleep”
We know Arianna Huffington to be the non-stop career woman who knows what’s what. And she’s no stranger to pulling all-nighters or surviving on four hours of sleep. But that was to start her career, in order to maintain it, Arianna now knows the crucial mindset that keeps it all afloat.
Working in media is no joke – everything is go-go-go 24/7, but Arianna knows the importance of shutting off, even if it’s just for an hour. In fact, she even campaigns for it now revealing to entrepreneurs that they key to success lies in looking after yourself first.
If you know me, you’ll know that I could work 24 hours straight no problem. But I’ve learned that overworking makes my work sloppy and below standard. It does me no favors, and it usually means I have to work extra to do because I have to redo it. By incorporating this mindset you’ll know that it’s important to switch off and that you’ll work better because of it.
J.K Rowling
Mindset: ‘To never give up’
“Anything is possible if you have a bit of nerve”
Harry Potter is a name almost everyone around the world recognizes. But let me tell you that no one would know his name if it wasn’t for the perseverance and persistence of the world’s richest author, J.K Rowling. The now famous book was rejected twelves times – can you imagine if she gave up on that twelfth go?
And it’s inspiring tale within itself, look how long it took Abraham Lincoln to become president, or how many pitches it took for Starbucks to become Starbucks! And it’s these stories that have always inspired me to never give up. If you believe in your concept then it’s something you should never, ever give up on.
The other half of this principle will show you the ugly side of the business. There will be many people who reject your proposal, your idea, your manuscript etc and even let you know it will never be anything. I have never lived my life by the restrictions that other people put on me or my dreams. And you shouldn’t either, it’s an opinion – it doesn’t mean to say it’s the correct one. So, take a leaf from J.K. and break every standard.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Mindset: ‘Wellness is the key to success’
Paltrow took it upon herself to personally research and manage the products’ evolution, starting with choosing and approaching experts and facilitating their vision. The vitamin line includes Paltrow’s own personal touches. For example, Why Am I So Effing Tired was created because Paltrow found herself feeling far too sleepy all the time.
Gwyneth Paltrow is the ultimate wellness guru. Her company even creates products and vitamins that help you take to feel good from the inside out and her advocacy really enables us to do better.
Even before she founded her own company, Gwyneth has always been an advocate for wellness as the key to success. You can tell by looking at her that she’s passionate about looking after her body. Because she knows that in turn, when you look after your body, it will begin to look after you.
Give yourself the best chance for success by eating clean, clearing your mind and anxieties with meditation and taking the correct vitamins to support your needs. Your body is your car so you need to give it the correct fuel it needs to go-go-go. Think, you wouldn’t put diesel in a petrol car!
Sheryl Sandberg
Mindset: ‘Just do it’
“If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat”
Believe it or not, but like a lot of us, Sheryl can often experience periods of self-doubt and low self-confidence. And you’d never think the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook would ever feel like she’s not good enough to even occupy that position. And that’s human – we all have these moments, but she doesn’t listen to these voices for very long and you shouldn’t either. If you want to know how to deal with negative voices, you can read my article on silencing them here.
The ‘just do it’ mindset is one of the most effective and it’s one that I’m trying to program for myself now. It’s this mindset that will stop you from being held back from lack of confidence, or even if you’re waiting for the right time. Because in all honesty, there is no right time and there never will be. So, just fight the fear and just do it. The sooner you do the faster you’ll learn from your mistakes and work towards success.
Scared to apply for that job? Just do it. Think a publication or publisher will never post your work? Just do it. Too tired to run that extra mile? Just do it. What do you have to lose?
Photo: Gwyneth Paltrow
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