Becoming more successful isn’t all about doing – more often than not, it’s all about your attitude. No matter how much you put your nose to the grindstone, your mentality and thinking can make all the difference.
Without further ado, here are some mental habits you should sprinkle into your daily routine to accomplish even more:
Be open to plenty of change
Change often involves leaving our comfort zones, so it can very tempting to dodge it.
If you encounter that temptation, take a page from Ginni Rometty, President and CEO of IBM, who said, “I learned to always take on things I’d never done before. Growth and comfort do not coexist.”
Even though it might seem daunting, the truth is that change is a driving force for your next achievements. You can adopt this mental habit by re-framing change as a step towards success, and taking baby steps to implement it – whether it’s a new project or even applying to that job you’ve always wanted.
Appreciate and give
There’s a gigantic amount of studies showing how gratitude will make you wildly successful. A Harvard study, for instance, found that gratitude improves your health and strengthens your relationships.
That’s why the more successful people achieve, the more they’re grateful for what they have and those around them. It all starts by by giving back and appreciating what you have – whether it’s through mentorship, or just sending a quick “thank you” note to your co-workers in the morning.
Love being wrong
Successful people are confident, but they aren’t so confident that they refuse to see someone else’s point of view. In fact, ultra-successful people welcome new perspectives as an opportunity to learn.
As Ellen DeGeneres wisely said, “Be open to learning new lessons, even if they contradict the lessons you learned yesterday.”
Rather than relying on your own knowledge, you should get in the habit of embracing the knowledge and feedback of everyone around you, even if it’s a little bit painful. By being open to others’ ideas, you’ll see your success skyrocket.
Cut down on decision-making
Have you even noticed how Mark Zuckerberg wears the same grey T-shirt everyday, or how Obama only wears grey suits? It’s not because grey is the new black, or because they have poor fashion sense – they’re using the smart mental habit of cutting down on their decisions everyday.
Successful people do this because they’re trying to save their mental willpower for really important decisions during the day – and you can too, even without sacrificing your looks. Try automating an email process, or saving an unimportant decision for the weekend; the results will surprise you.
Only compete with yourself
In today’s hyper competitive business world, there’s a huge misconception that you need to step on others’ toes (or heels) to get ahead. The truth is that this mentality can become a breeding ground for one-upmanship and gossip that sucks away at your happiness.
Instead of constantly looking behind your back and keeping up with the Joneses, “Do your job brilliantly and the cream will rise to the top,” as Irene Rosenfeld brilliantly suggests. By rising above this competitive mentality, you can focus on doing what you do best, and you’ll still come up on top.
What mental habits do you use to get ahead? Share them with the Tribe, and pick up some more great habits along the way!
