We all want to be outrageously successful in life; whatever it is that the word ‘success’ means to each of us.
It might be to settle down and start the perfect family, produce academic children and watch as they grow up to become the president; it might be to write an award-winning novel, own a billion-dollar company; or simply to create a life that you never need a holiday from.
As varied as people’s ideas about success may be, one thing is always certain when trying to achieve our goals: success rarely comes without hard-work, dedication, tenacity and no small amount of luck.
Though the drive to achieve our goals doesn’t come as naturally to some as it does to others; a principle which has had me wracking my brain for an answer to the question, what is it about people like Sir Richard Branson and Elon Musk that makes achieving their goals seem like a trivial affair?
Well, after much research and testing, I have stumbled upon a few scientifically tested ways to gear your mind towards success with a few daily rituals which will train your mind to go for the things that you want.
But before we begin, let’s talk a little bit about how our brain works in relation to drive and success:
A Matter of the Mind
The human mind is a wholly remarkable object, complicated and un-listening though it may seem. It is the origin of every good idea that eventually grows into a successful endeavor; it is also the means by which you’ll need to navigate a sea of problems to get to the point you want to be at; and perhaps more importantly, it is also your biggest obstacle to realizing your dreams.
However, learning to work with and not against your lumpy loaf of grey matter will make it your most powerful tool when reaching your goals.
As you learn to master new abilities, you are essentially fortifying pathways in your brain. The more you do something, or indeed, think in a certain way; the more you your brain forms to keep that skill or thought process as a permanent part of your life.
You have neuroplasticity to thank for that, a phenomenon once thought to slow down as humans age, but has recently been found to continue long into adulthood. This is, of course, a double-edged sword. It is. After all, the same brain that is pushing you towards success that is throwing out a million reasons why your plan might fail.
So, the idea behind training your brain for success is learning to control what types of thought processes you allow it to conjure up, to stand a better chance of achieving what you want.
Here are a few simple ways that you can do that:
Visualize Your Goals in Detail
Success requires no small amount of imagination, a concept which might have those who are not artistically inclined squirming in their chairs; but being imaginative is not a characteristic purely reserved for beret wearing post-modernists with an opinion on the aesthetic.
No, everyone is imaginative, whether they believe it or not; a lot of people simply don’t actively practice it, and scorn themselves for slipping into the odd bout of day-dreaming- a phenomenon I like to call passive creativity.
If you can imagine what you want to achieve, you are perfectly capable of being positively creative, and it can go a long way towards achieving your goal.
All you have to do is spend time each day imagining, in as much detail as you can, what it would be like to get what you are after.
If you want loads of money, imagine the joy of lying in a bed of cash or checking out bank-statements with large sums on them.
The key is to incorporate as much detail into the vision as possible. How does the image make you feel? What is the exact sum you want? How did you get it?
Though simply imagining what you want isn’t going to be enough. While you may be altering your brain patterns to incorporate your dream into them, you still haven’t quite convinced yourself yet.
Manipulate Your Emotions Towards Your Goals
The next part of hacking your way towards success involves associating your goals with positive emotions.
Life gets us down sometimes, but for some people, simply getting out of bed without a gripe is a difficult thing to do. And this is where self-talk comes into the mix.
Whether you are aware of it or not, the first person you listen to each day is yourself, and it is your opinion on matters that sets the tone for the day.
So, when you wake up to take a pee, or slump in the shower until you are awake enough to function, try to be aware of the nature of your thoughts. Try to push negative thoughts from your mind; tell yourself that you are awesome and deserve to move a little closer to your goal today; and try everything in your power to get your mind and your emotions operating on the same level.
You may have to force it in the beginning, especially if you are a characteristically negative person. But keep it up and over time you will begin to associate positive feelings with your chances of success, and will actually enjoy working towards your goal.
Keep Your Goals a Secret
Whenever a new idea with potential pops into our heads, we tend to want to share it with those around us; either for acknowledgment of how outstandingly clever we are, or simply to bounce the idea off of those around us to get more information and opinions on it. This seems like a positively constructive idea, but recent research may suggest that keeping your goals to yourself is far more productive.
This video will tell you why:
About the Author:
Terrence Kennedy is the man’s man on a journey to self-discovery. A traveler, extreme sports aficionado, an observant wanderer, a DIY man, an ultimate outsider and documentarist of culture, sex, dating, relationship, fashion, style and gentleman’s etiquette. He has learned a lot through his escapades and continue to do so, and is happy to pass that knowledge to you.
Photo Credit: Positivity / Visualizations / Brain
