Inside the Successful Leaders Mindset

Steve Jobs with his MacBook Air at Macworld 2008.

Steve Jobs with his MacBook Air at Macworld 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many years ago when I took NLP training, we learned that in order to help clients lose weight, we had to help them to emulate how fit people made their eating decisions. For example, the first thought when a fit person’s hungry might be “What would satisfy me until lunch” then the thought process would progress to “What are my choices that are healthy?” then it would go to “What tastes the best out of these choices” and then they would pick a healthy choice. In contrast, the thought process of an obese person might be “I feel like eating now” (whether hungry or not), then to “What will satisfy my craving right now” to “What’s available” to eating that food. It was fascinating how when clients consciously noted and then replaced their thought pattern with that of a fit person, even though at first it felt unnatural, it was successful in causing weight loss as a result. So if you want to emulate the thinking of a successful leader, here’s a look inside what their mindset is like:

1. Trust that you’ll adapt to new challenges. Successful entrepreneurs approach uncertainty with confidence. When faced with an unfamiliar challenge, they think of similar situations they’ve handled before or skills sets that might apply.

2. Attribute your success to hard work, not luck. Successful leaders believe their achievements are due to hard work, not just lucky circumstance.Leaders who are confident in their ability to learn are more likely to seek out and persevere through tough challenges, increasing their chances of success.
3. Believe that you are unique. To be successful, learn from the people you admire but don’t try to emulate them.

4. Challenge your negative beliefs. If you want to succeed, stamp out negative beliefs that might be holding you back.

via Inside the Successful Leaders Mindset.

In my coaching practice where I help small businesses grow, the single biggest obstacle to that growth is fear. Fear of the future, of the unknown, of not enough or of too much success. Like the obese eater, if you can note your thought patterns and learn to replace them at least most of the time with the thought patterns of successful business leaders, then you too can experience the highs of stellar results.

Need more chicken soup for your biz? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook or connect with me on LinkedIn –and let’s talk!

My teacher Oprah

I saw Oprah live for the first time in my life this week in Toronto. Bucket list anyone? People (mostly women) were lined up for blocks and blocks. Parking lots around the venue were full. The radio was talking about the traffic jams caused by the event. Once I got into the building, I joined the throngs of women all excited and chatting and taking pictures of signs and the other people. I felt goosebumps from the energy in the room. I was there 2 hours before the start time and I almost couldn’t find a seat–even though I walked to the very end of the cavernous room. 8500 avid fans were there, waiting for their first glimpse of Oprah.

Similar to most people, I consider Oprah to be one of my biggest teachers. I’ve learned about authors, concepts, movements and personal stories of triumph and tragedy from her. I owe meeting my hero Wayne Dyer and my Rwandan sister through Women for Women International to Oprah.

The day of the event was no different. I saw and listened to great teachers I’d never heard about before. A large and charismatic man named Bishop T.D. Jakes stood up and wowed the audience. He said to the woman who couldn’t get over the death of her husband, “people are like scaffolding, when the building is complete they go away”. I was so touched by that. So many of my relationships have so much more meaning when I look at it that way.

As a small business growth coach, I teach everything I learn on a daily and hourly basis almost immediately. I am privileged to have a life where I can transfer these learnings to others as part of my actual job.

Make every day a learning day. Every memory something that has lessons and every interaction will have that much more meaning for you and for your clients.

Need more chicken soup for your biz? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook or connect with me on LinkedIn –and let’s talk!