How To Get A Positive Mindset
By Tim Russ
Everything begins in the mind. Everything. Let's take a look at the chart below.
I know, we're getting into weird territory here but bear with me just a bit.
There are 5 stages that human beings go through that determine whether we succeed or whether we fail. Understanding these 5 stages will help you understand what area you're having a problem with if you're not achieving success.
(Of course if your goal is to fail and you're failing don't worry about it because you're already succeeding at failing. :) )
Well use the example of someone who's boss just told them that they weren't going to get a promotion. The very first thing that happens is an instinctive rush of emotion.
The amygdala ( pronounced ah-mig-doll-uh ) is that part of the brain which produces emotions. When first accessed it produces a fight or flight reaction. Make no mistake, this is an instinctive reaction designed to protect us.
The amygdala passes the baton almost instantaneously to the frontal cortex. That's the front part of our brain that makes decisions. The place where we think. It determines whether our emotion is reasonable or unreasonable and passes a message back to the amygdala.
The amygdala passes the modified emotions back to the frontal cortex (the part of the brain that does conscious thinking) where we can begin the responding process. This is where we evaluate the meaning of the logic and emotion of the situation. By utilizing this self control we form our perspective of the situation.
Once we've formed our perspective we evaluate the perspective. This is where we actually make a choice of what we're going to do. That choice ends up being something we say or something we do or a combination of both words and actions.
The choice to speak or act can be something your do or it can be something you don't do. It can be a combination of words and actions or the lack of words and actions. Sometimes by not doing or saying something we accomplish things as well.
All this leads us to the point of success or failure. Most people think that we've already accomplished success or failure at the Results stage, but there's one other step.
Success or failure isn't determined by a single incident in our lives. It's formed by the lifestyle we live. I may try to quit smoking and fail 40 times but if I try 41 times and I quit smoking, I've succeeded in quitting and the other 40 times become irrelevant.
The repetition of positive words and/or actions is what defines a successful person. Many successful people (most, in fact) have failed many times but they aren't failures.
Failing and failure are two completely different things. Failing is the process of evaluating what works. Failure is what happens when you quit trying to succeed.
Now, if you're not snoring after all that I commend you! J
So, why, you may be asking, did I share all that with you? If you're reading this it's pretty clear YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! You're still trying in spite of the fact that you may have failed before. You're still evaluating what will work. You're actively working toward being successful. Great job!
Understanding how our mind works gives us a foundation to discuss your attitude. Keep in mind the words attitude, mindset, and perspective are inter related. A positive mindset is created by choosing the right perspective.
Here’s what happens with a person who has a negative mindset.
A person who develops a positive mindset goes through this process
As you can see we all reactive similarly on an instinctive level. We all repeat what kind of choices we’re making. The key to success and failure lie in Reasoning, Response, and Results.
Examine the way you’re thinking in light of the chart I’ve shared here. Take a specific situation where you weren’t happy with a failure and walk through it step by step. See if you can identify which of these three stages is the problem area for you. Then create a plan to strengthen those weak areas.
By changing the very first weak area you’ll likely cause a cascade of positive thinking through the rest of the process and achieve success. Becoming aware of this process and putting it into practice to form a good habit will likely change your life forever and you’ll find you’re achieving the positive life results you want.
By Tim Russ
Everything begins in the mind. Everything. Let's take a look at the chart below.
| Stages | Brain function | Experience |
| Reaction | Instinct | Emotion |
| Reasoning | Processing | Thoughts |
| Response | Self Control | Perspective |
| Results | Choice | Words and/or Actions |
| Repetition | Persistence | Success or Failure |
I know, we're getting into weird territory here but bear with me just a bit.
There are 5 stages that human beings go through that determine whether we succeed or whether we fail. Understanding these 5 stages will help you understand what area you're having a problem with if you're not achieving success.
(Of course if your goal is to fail and you're failing don't worry about it because you're already succeeding at failing. :) )
Well use the example of someone who's boss just told them that they weren't going to get a promotion. The very first thing that happens is an instinctive rush of emotion.
The amygdala ( pronounced ah-mig-doll-uh ) is that part of the brain which produces emotions. When first accessed it produces a fight or flight reaction. Make no mistake, this is an instinctive reaction designed to protect us.
The amygdala passes the baton almost instantaneously to the frontal cortex. That's the front part of our brain that makes decisions. The place where we think. It determines whether our emotion is reasonable or unreasonable and passes a message back to the amygdala.
The amygdala passes the modified emotions back to the frontal cortex (the part of the brain that does conscious thinking) where we can begin the responding process. This is where we evaluate the meaning of the logic and emotion of the situation. By utilizing this self control we form our perspective of the situation.
Once we've formed our perspective we evaluate the perspective. This is where we actually make a choice of what we're going to do. That choice ends up being something we say or something we do or a combination of both words and actions.
The choice to speak or act can be something your do or it can be something you don't do. It can be a combination of words and actions or the lack of words and actions. Sometimes by not doing or saying something we accomplish things as well.
All this leads us to the point of success or failure. Most people think that we've already accomplished success or failure at the Results stage, but there's one other step.
Success or failure isn't determined by a single incident in our lives. It's formed by the lifestyle we live. I may try to quit smoking and fail 40 times but if I try 41 times and I quit smoking, I've succeeded in quitting and the other 40 times become irrelevant.
The repetition of positive words and/or actions is what defines a successful person. Many successful people (most, in fact) have failed many times but they aren't failures.
Failing and failure are two completely different things. Failing is the process of evaluating what works. Failure is what happens when you quit trying to succeed.
Now, if you're not snoring after all that I commend you! J
So, why, you may be asking, did I share all that with you? If you're reading this it's pretty clear YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! You're still trying in spite of the fact that you may have failed before. You're still evaluating what will work. You're actively working toward being successful. Great job!
Understanding how our mind works gives us a foundation to discuss your attitude. Keep in mind the words attitude, mindset, and perspective are inter related. A positive mindset is created by choosing the right perspective.
Here’s what happens with a person who has a negative mindset.
| Stages | Brain function | Experience |
| Reaction | Instinct | Emotion |
| Little To No Reasoning | Little Or No Processing | Emotional Thoughts |
| Reacts Rather Than Responds | Very Little Self Control, If Any | Negative Perspective |
| Irrational Wild Results | Chooses Negativity | Words and/or Actions |
| Repetition | Persistence | Success or Failure |
A person who develops a positive mindset goes through this process
| Stages | Brain function | Experience |
| Reaction | Instinct | Emotion |
| Reasoning | Processing | Thoughts |
| Response | Self Control | Positive Perspective |
| Results | Chooses Positivity | Words and/or Actions |
| Repetition | Persistence | Success or Failure |
As you can see we all reactive similarly on an instinctive level. We all repeat what kind of choices we’re making. The key to success and failure lie in Reasoning, Response, and Results.
Examine the way you’re thinking in light of the chart I’ve shared here. Take a specific situation where you weren’t happy with a failure and walk through it step by step. See if you can identify which of these three stages is the problem area for you. Then create a plan to strengthen those weak areas.
By changing the very first weak area you’ll likely cause a cascade of positive thinking through the rest of the process and achieve success. Becoming aware of this process and putting it into practice to form a good habit will likely change your life forever and you’ll find you’re achieving the positive life results you want.
copyright © 2009 Tim Russ. All rights reserved.