How to Develop a Positive Mindset and Reach Your Goals

Inside: Mindset matters. Develop a positive mindset for a happier life and to reach your goals.

Have you ever been around someone that always sees the glass as half-full? No matter what? I’m guessing most of us have.

And did you also notice that this person seems to sail through life, too? Nothing gets him or her down for too long, if at all.

Opportunities often come their way often. They never seem to have a bad day. And they always get rock star parking spaces.

What is it with these people? What’s their secret?

They have a positive mindset.

Developing a positive mindset is one of the keys to genuine and ongoing happiness.

Look, we all have bumps and stumbles. We have moments that can set us back or disappoint. Moments when we fall short or moments where things don’t go as planned. I call these Breathe and Reboot moments.

It’s how we react to these moments and learn from them that can determine if we grow, move forward, and ultimately reach our goals.

That’s why it’s so important to develop a positive mindset. Fostering a positive mindset is necessary to help us meet our goals.

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Developing a Positive Mindset Takes Work

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just snap our fingers and – poof – we have the positive mindset that gets the results we want? That sounds pretty good.

But just like anything else in life that is worth having, developing a positive mindset requires some work. The good new, though, is anyone can do it. Developing a positive mindset really comes down to training your brain.

Yep. Training our brain means setting a program you want to replay over and over again. Thinking of it as mental strength training for your brain.

It comes down to this: Each day, you must make the effort to catch when you have negative thoughts. And when you hear that negative voice, you need to shut it down.

Sometimes that negative voice is from your past. Maybe you have some healing to do from past events. The voice tells you that you aren’t good enough, smart enough, kind enough, for whatever it is you are trying to achieve.

Then sometimes the voice is trying to make instill fear and keep you safe.

For example, say you are feeling scared about a new endeavor, like starting a new business or going for a big promotion. Big goals can be daunting and it’s normal to have some fear around them. Explore those feelings and determine if there is any validity to your fear.

Does the new business have the potential to put you at financial risk? Are you afraid of what others will think?

The idea is to look deeply into those fears and determine if there is anything useful for you. If not, chalk it up to self-sabotage or limiting beliefs, and keep moving forward.

To Develop a Positive Mindset You Must Retrain Your Brain

Once you decide to cut out the negative self-talk (because trust me, it’s NOT valid,) then you can start to retrain your brain to focus on more positive thoughts.

When you think, “What if I fail?” Or “What if I look silly?” halt that thought as soon as you catch it. Reframe it to something like “When I succeed…” Or, “I am capable of doing this!”

Imagine yourself achieving your goals and let yourself actually feel those feelings of success. Even before you have achieved your goal, you can start activating that energy you feel with success.

But here’s the thing. Retraining your brain takes work. You must practice every day and it’s not always easy.

If you’ve been a Negative Nancy most of your life, or if you grew up “expecting the worst,” then you are going to have to be intentional about working to change your thoughts and creating a positive mindset every single day. (I am speaking from experience, here.)

Positive affirmations can be very effective in retraining your brain. Yes, when you start, it feels weird and awkward. I get it. But stick with it. It really can help shift your mindset into a more positive state.

You can recite them in the mirror or write them out in a journal. I have a friend that writes her affirmation on these Super Sticky Post-It Notes with a gel pen and sticks them up around her house where she sees them daily.

If you aren’t sure where to start, here’s a list of positive affirmations get you on the path of developing a positive mindset.

As you become more comfortable with your positive affirmations, tweak or rewrite them to work for you and the goals you are working to achieve.

Flood Your Brain with Positive Self-Talk

Affirmations to Develop a Positive Mindset

I have unlimited potential for success in all I do.
Challenging times are part of my journey and allow me to learn valuable lessons for success.
I have the power to achieve my goals.
I am enough.
My unique strengths and gifts will help me achieve my goals and dreams.
I have the power to achieve my goals.
My unique gifts and contributions to the world are valuable.
I am making a positive difference in the world.
Opportunities for success are always coming to me.
Every day I take intentional action towards my goals and make progress.
Each day I move forward with courage and confidence.
I will handle challenges with grace and determination.
Today I will focus on positivity and productivity.
I have clarity and vitality around achieving my goals.

Align Yourself with Success

Most people set goals. But often, the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is that those who succeed are willing to try, try, and keep trying. They don’t give up.

If you fear failure, that’s okay. A LOT of successful people have fears, too. They just understand how to turn that fear around.

Failure can also provide great lessons. Sometimes these failures/lessons are just part of our path. They definitely don’t define us. If we never try, or if we stop trying, we will never achieve our goals. Success won’t come if you quit.

Go after success by taking on new things. Try new endeavors. Be brave and get out there. Check out new seminars, take classes to boost your skills and confidence.

Put yourself out there to meet and connect with others who are experiencing success. Read books on personal development and growth. Always be looking for ways to grow and learn from others, whether it’s building relationships or educating yourself:

Read personal development books
Journal about your goals, your journey, setbacks and progress
Join a membership site that focuses on personal growth or the area you are working in
Take classes through Skillshare
Find bloggers offering courses in what you want to learn or improve upon
Hire a life coach or a professional coach
Join a local Toastmaster’s Club
Find a mentor

Setting Yourself Up for Success with a Positive Mindset

Bottom line – setting yourself up for success and developing a positive mindset is up to you. It’s up to each of us.

Look, the fear of failure is real and it’s scary. But changing your mindset and working on positive thoughts can and will make a difference if you are consistent and if you refuse to give up.

Speaking from experience, I’ve been through many fails and many successes. Here is one thing I know: once you accept that fails are just a part of life, it’s a lot easier to keep moving forward towards achieving your goals.

Success and achieving our goals is never just one straight line in our journey. There will be ups and downs, so developing a positive mindset is key.

It’s an ongoing practice.

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