“Work hard to achieve success.”
We’ve all heard it from our parents, teachers, and the so-called online self-help gurus. It is what we believe to be true. If you do not work hard, you cannot achieve success in life.
But what we are missing out on is that “hard work” is only a part of success. There is more to achieving success than that.
Success is more about the mindset.
I am currently reading a book called Psycho-Cybernetics. The book is about the power of self-image to achieve success in life. It says how positive thinking, creative imagination, and the subconscious mind can transform your life.
How you view yourself will determine what you become. If you see yourself as a happy, joyful, and successful person, that is what you will become.
Creative Imagination
Creative imagination is the most important factor in changing your self-image. You need to see yourself successful to become successful.
If you want to succeed at a job interview, you need to practice the interview in your head first. Think about the questions the interviewer is going to ask you. See yourself giving great answers. Live the moment in your head before it happens.
The most important thing in creative imagination is using your senses. If you are practicing the interview in your head, observe what is around you—table, chair, computer, books, pen, the interviewer, etc. Use all the five senses. Listen to the sound of the interviewer’s voice. How does the room smell? What can you touch?
In his book, Think Like A Monk, Jay Shetty shares the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method for visualizing. Here’s how to use the technique:
Look around you and find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Doubt vs. Hope
Suppose you want to achieve success financially. Let’s say you want $1 million in your bank account.
Are you worthy of that money? Do you believe, deep down, that you are capable of making that money?
You have two ways to look at this situation. One is with hope. “Yes, I am capable of making a million dollars. Whatever I want, I can get.”
The second one is doubt. When you have doubt, you do not believe that you can achieve that money. You are afraid to admit it to the outside world. But you do not have that self-confidence in you. You think, “One million dollars is a huge sum of money. I don’t think I can make that much.”
Remember this: You achieve success when hope overcomes doubt.
Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. —Henry Ford
Change Your Mindset To Achieve Success
Your thoughts and your beliefs change your circumstances. You can never succeed if you do not believe in yourself. When you start believing that you can achieve success, you are already ahead in the game.
Muhammad Ali, Conor McGregor, and Cristiano Ronald are a few athletes who have achieved success because of their mindset. Muhammad Ali said, “I am the greatest” before he had achieved success. Later, he became the greatest boxer of all time.
Conor McGregor often talks about the power of visualization and self-talk. He knew that he would be a champion. There was no doubt about it.
Cristiano Ronaldo said, “In my mind, I am the best.” It did not matter to him what others thought about him. For him, he was the best. Now, he is one of the top football players of this generation, and he has set many records in the history of football.
It all starts in mind.
But that does not mean you can sit down, thinking about success, and not work for it. All these athletes worked very hard in their respective sports. There is no doubt about that.
A positive mindset and a lot of hard work need to go hand-in-hand.
Take Action
Be clear about what you want. That is the first step. Do you believe you can achieve it? If the answer is no, you will not achieve it. You can’t. If the answer is yes, you need to imagine yourself achieving it every day. The final step is to take action.
Taking action shows that you are willing to work for whatever it is that you want. It shows that you truly believe in it.
The action you take does not have to be big. Take small actions, but do it every day. Be consistent. Doubts and fears will arise. But remember, you need to overcome the doubt with hope. Have faith. Keep working. Don’t look back. Take action.
Summary
Success is not just hard work. It is more about the mindset. What you think, you become. Hard work is only a part of success.
Everything that happens outside is because of how you feel on the inside. Creative imagination will help you see yourself succeed. Use senses along with your imagination.
Learn to overcome doubt and fear with hope and faith.
Change your mindset to change your life. If you want to be happy, change your mindset. If you want to succeed in life, change your mindset. Your life will be the same if your mindset is the same.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Take action. Work for it. If you believe in it, you will achieve it. But you have to show that you are willing to get what you want in life. That is why taking action is very important.
Remember the two things you need to succeed—a positive mindset and action. Focus on them in the same order.
