Programming your brain the right way.

How to program your brain to think success?

“A great attitude is not the result of success. Success is the result of a great attitude,” stated Earl Nightingale, revered motivational speaker. Success is not a destination, it is an unending journey. Your success is determined by your mindset and your actions. Often in life, the problem with the problem is not the problem itself, it is the way we think about it. This suggests that the actual problem lies in one’s mindset. Do not be dispirited. For, if the problem lies in your mind, the solution rests there too.

In this article, ‘How to program your brain to think success?’ we shall examine what success is, and how you can achieve your desired goal by rewiring your brain, altering your mindset, and paying attention to your thoughts.

Defining Success

The notion of success is not the same to everyone. The ‘idea’ of success varies from one person to another. “When it comes to success it's all about retraining the mind. How we think on a daily basis is what determines our results in life and what our minds think about is mostly made up of past programming and experiences. So, retraining the mind takes daily practice, it's about becoming aware of our thoughts; limiting beliefs, and applying new positive information that is learned” quoted Dawn Burnett, contributing writer for Thrive Global. “Success is a habit. It’s a daily choice that you make and refine through repetition and determination”, said yet another source Vincent Bradley, CEO and Co-founder of Proper Wild.

Success can be defined differently but all definitions boil down to one thing - it is the achievement of an initially set goal. Predominantly, regardless of the goal, when it's reached, success has been achieved.

First and foremost, it is essential to define success. What does success mean to you? It is important to know this clearly… because you can’t get to a place that you do not specify. Like you can’t buy a ticket for a journey when you don’t know your destination.

The first step to programming your brain for success is to get crystal clear on what 'success' means to you. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to a successful life and trying to achieve someone else's idea of success will only reduce your sense of fulfillment. Get clear on what your values are, identify what matters to you, and build a blueprint of what a successful life means to you as an individual. The key to achieving success, therefore, lies in defining it. If you’ve got your definition ready, rest assured that you’re halfway there.

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Changing your mindset

Whatever we think about the most will grow so it's important to go back and reconceptualize the trauma and negative programming that has happened over the years. True success comes from the balance within rather than constantly chasing outer desires. We all define our own meaningful success. We use our minds to create a thought which then determines our physical reality. If you want to become successful it first starts with adjusting your attitude, from there you need to get clear on your desire, believe that you are worthy of having it, and then take inspired action.  

 A 'fixed mindset' assumes that one's character, intelligence, and creative ability are static, and we can not change and are "stuck." A 'growth mindset' assumes the opposite, and it's the belief that growth is a choice, a belief, and approach, and that anything is possible. We adopt one of the two early. However, you can coach to a growth mindset, and you can adjust to it.

"Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny."- Lao Tzu 

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Believing in yourself

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right." - Henry Ford. You have to believe that you can.  If you look at most of the great success stories, they’re often about people who believed they could even if they were the only ones who did. Possibly the ultimate example of this is Roger Bannister.  He was the first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes.  Most people thought it was impossible, but he believed he could and he did. Now, being able to run a mile in under four minutes is taken as given for elite athletes. It all begins somewhere. All that is necessary is belief.

A lot of people have heard of the 'fear of failure' but not many people have heard about its close cousin, 'fear of success'. You may fear success if you don't believe you deserve to be successful, or if you believe that success changes people. To begin forming a healthier mental relationship with success it's helpful to identify success role models and learn more about them.

Believe that you deserve all the success possible. A lot of people suffer from imposter syndrome, that they’re not good enough, or talented enough, and when you think and FEEL you’re not enough, then success will not come to you, or at least not at its full potential. “You need to start believing that there’s room at the table for you and your talents, there’s enough money to go around, no market is that saturated that you can’t be successful. You might just need to be a little creative,” said Abby Herman,  Director of Strategy. As a rule of the thumb, success starts in the brain. This translates to one thing - emphatically stating what you want to achieve in life. Before you think of the ideas you should adopt for success, treat your brain as a notebook where all great ideas can be written down for the future. So, the ideas one should adopt for success should be success-oriented first. 

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Patience is a virtue

Patience is key. It takes time to build a successful life. You have to have a vision for your life and find the best ways to execute that vision. “Two progressive ways I have wired my brain for success is to practice delayed gratification and to focus on positivity. Delayed gratification means that you do what is going to be in your best interest in the long term as opposed to seeking immediate validation and gratification. Focusing on positivity is proven to stimulate our ‘feel good’ hormones such as serotonin and dopamine. This is an essential component of success as we want to stay encouraged on our journey,” quoted Adrian Sullivan, co-founder, and president of Rockstaws Incorporated.

Success isn’t achieved overnight. It can feel discouraging if you’re not accomplishing your goals and desires right away. But remember, as long as you have a vision, make deliberate choices that help you move the needle every day, and stay encouraged along the process, you will find yourself enjoying the journey of success, instead of deeming it as a destination."

Program your brain to think success

How do you program your brain for success? Change your thoughts. As Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher, pointed out, our destiny stems from our thoughts. Oftentimes, even if you can't change a situation itself, you can choose to change your thoughts about it.

The brain needs a very powerful motivator to achieve a high level of success. One of the most motivating techniques is to write yourself out a post-dated check to cash out in the future. This technique was utilized by Jim Carrey where he wrote himself a check for $10 million in 1985 dated ten years into the future and was subsequently cast in the film Dumb and Dumber exactly ten years later.

Great habits are essential to success in life and business, and productive habits can help reduce quotidian chaos. “I make sure to get a full night’s sleep each evening and to work out every day in order to set myself up for success. These habits ensure that I’m always functioning at my best—endorphins from exercise are proven to ward off anxiety, stress, and depression and a good night’s sleep is a mood-boosting tool as well. When I’m in a good headspace, it’s easy to believe in myself and my future success, and it also makes it easier to physically do the work necessary to set myself up for greatness” said Vincent Bradley, yet again.

“Success = N x E x W, where N is oneness with Nature, E is oneness with Empowerment, and W is oneness with Wealth.

 Nature is about ourselves. About our internal connectedness and alignment of body-mind-spirit. Empowerment is about our community and social frameworks, which allow us to lead people through our vision. And Wealth is about tuning into abundance, with the belief that the universe stands for our growth and abundance... and whatever we consider be success is merely a milestone on the way.

Applying this formula, the destination is closer and the journey is pleasant,” said Sandeep Nath, Author of the book, Arrive at Success.

Concluding: 'How to program your brain to think success?'

“I think success is enjoying the process without getting too caught up in the end goals,” quoted Jon Dykstra, Owner of Fatstacks. Your life is a collection of every single present moment which means you should make sure every moment is one you are happy to be in. If you try to postpone your happiness only until you reach your goal, then every moment of your life working up toward your goal will be unhappy. Instead, you should still set goals, but make the process of working toward them enjoyable, so you get the benefit of having something to work toward and the benefit of enjoying your life in each present moment. Being happy increases your likelihood of success. Make sure you're proactively and intentionally developing your happiness and wellbeing. This way, the success that follows will be the icing on the cake of an already great life.

Success is not always about achieving financial freedom or amassing riches. Success is also about making this world a better place to live in. Sometimes, it's about giving without expecting anything in return. If you live for yourself, you will only be remembered until your death. Live for others and you shall be remembered even after your death. Maintain the balance and everything will be fine.

I hope my article, ‘How to program your brain to think success?’ is of assistance. Subscribe for updates. Don't delay. Program your brain to think success.