An action without the right intention is hard to make, hard to sustain and ultimately purposeless.
Though actions are important in achieving success, and might be the common factor separating those who achieve from those who don’t, actions are futile without the right perspective and mindset to fuel them.
In order to achieve greatness in our lives, we must be willing to do much more activity (action steps) than most people, but we must always ensure our mind is in the right place in making our actions worthwhile.
Here are 10 reminders for achieving greatness by creating a successful mind:
1. Your emotions are a solid indicator of your thoughts
If you're feeling bad, in any capacity from boredom to complete depression, one thing is for sure: You're thinking the wrong thoughts.
More precisely, you're probably thinking about what you don't want or the lack of what you do want.
Allow your emotions to be your compass in maintaining your thought processes.
2. Happiness is a choice, seriously
Once you understand that you can monitor and control your own thoughts by simply paying attention to your emotions, you'll soon realize that you can feel happy whenever you want to. Feeling bad? Correct your thoughts. Happiness is just a choice away.
3. Success is mostly in the thought process, but it’s still up to you to take inspired action
When you're going through a period in your life when you're feeling good, inspired and motivated every day, you know you're on the right track.
You know something great is just around the corner because you can feel it and anticipate with excitement, but don't forget this critical piece of information: It's still your responsibility to take inspired action.
Inspired action is action that feels effortless because it comes from a place of pure excitement and enlightenment. Perhaps you have a revelation in the shower, or an idea comes to you while you're driving.
Whatever the case may be, be sure to follow these signs. These are signs pointing to your success and happiness. They may feel as if they've come out of nowhere, but take them as a breakthrough idea, not a random thought.
4. Daily gratitude will bring more positivity into your life
Reminding yourself on a daily basis of the things you have to be grateful for will help you to feel better. If you can achieve the feeling of gratitude and focus on it, you'll soon realize you have more positivity coming into your life; ie. more things to be grateful for.
5. What you think are facts are mostly opinions
We all like to give ourselves excuses, but the truth is that what people think are facts are more often than not just simply the opinions of the majority. You might allow yourself to ignore your ultimate passion because, "There's no money in that field, and I have to make a living."
You might make yourself feel better about the fact that you haven't taken that trip around the world because "All long-term travellers are financially privileged." The truth is, statements like these are almost always opinions, not facts.
Get your mind to focus on the possibilities in life: the opportunities, people and situations that you don't even know exist, as opposed to the self-imposed limitations you've created for yourself.
6. It won’t happen as fast as you want it to
It's easy to get hung up on the time when it comes to trying to achieve success in your life. It hasn't come to fruition as fast as you hoped it would, and therefore you begin to worry that it never will.
Just remind yourself that allowing yourself to get too hung up on the timing will cause you worry and doubt, and those are two emotions that don't coincide with a successful mind.
Remain positive and hang onto your belief, regardless of the time.
7. Negativity in your atmosphere can affect your success
This is a lesson I believe we all learn at some point, but the earlier in life the better. Keep your distance from negativity as it can and will affect your own positivity, and your own success.
Don't associate with people who envy or doubt your aspirations and dreams, and keep your positive news to yourself if you're unsure of how it will be received.
Free yourself of negative friends, family members and atmospheres by keeping your distance. When it's necessary to associate, choose your timing carefully.
8. Learning is the key to making progress and uncovering your hidden skills
Not all of us are blessed with a hunger for knowledge that fuels us to a perpetual state of reading and learning, but we can all force ourselves to become less resistant to these activities.
Reading should be an integral part of your mind sustaining regime (so if you're reading this now, hats off to you!). Even if it's just a page or a chapter, try to read something every day. You just never know what hidden talents, interests and passions you might uncover.
9. Being unbalanced is a necessity for greatness
Balance or brilliance, you can't have both. In order to bring something great into your life, you must get an obsession for its achievement. You can have a balanced life and be happy, if that's what you wish for.
But if you want something truly outstanding in a particular area of your life, whether it's a business, a trip around the world or a movement for a greater cause, you're going to have to be a little bit unbalanced.
Allow your mind to revel over whatever your goal is 99 percent of the time. (PS, those who love you will understand and support you, regardless of your imbalance).
10. Luck is created
I agree with Oprah on this one. Luck is simply the combination of preparation and taking action when the timing is right.
Don't bog yourself down and steal your own opportunities by convincing yourself that others who have achieved what you have yet to encounter are just "lucky." You can be as lucky as you wish to be!
Luck is preparation meeting the moment of opportunity. There is no luck without you being prepared to handle that moment of opportunity. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for the moment that is to come. — Oprah
Photo Courtesy: Hideaki Hamada
