To be successful over the long term takes supreme focus. It takes an unwavering commitment to your goals / vision and a belief that if you execute your plan, you will get where you want to be.
Unfortunately, the path is not a straight arrow up. There will be setbacks along the way. You may even plateau for an extended period of time, despite what you might think is doing everything right. Remember, your brain wants to keep you in the status quo. It will not do you any favors along the way unless you hack your mindset.
To hack your mindset, you have to “put the blinders on”. Blinders are the firm leather squares or plastic cups that are attached to a horse’s bridle during a race to prevent the horse from being distracted or panicked.
Those small leather squares, as it relates to you, is the plan that you create for yourself. Your plan is completely unique to you. Your business and life are different than everyone else’s.
What can happen if we don’t our blinders on?
- You can doubt yourself and therefore limit your growth.
- You can always be scanning your environment for ideas instead of trusting your plan and your intuition.
- You can compare yourself to others and limit your happiness in the now.
- You can get caught up in noise that has nothing to do with your success.
- Negativity can seep in when there is so much to be positive about in your life.
If we simply adjust our blinders, put them firmly in place so that all we see is that which is in front of us, we can enjoy:
- Hyper focus on what you’re pushing to create. Like a horse in a race, the blinders decrease significantly distraction and panic.
- “Being the Best You” is the competition. You won’t be tempted to compete with others.
- You see way less of the negativity and noise that disrupts your competition.
- You can celebrate each micro-victory knowing that you are just one step closer to the finish line.
- You have more energy and enthusiasm to put towards what you know works.
- By staying focused on what’s in front of you, it’s much easier to course correct, slow down, or speed up.
As you stay super focused, you have more wins. Those wins turn into positive momentum. That positive momentum creates more wins and the cycle continues.
When you got up this morning, did you put your blinders on? Are they firmly in place? Are looking forward obsessed with what is in front of you? I think we all need this reminder from time to time. Life is a race. Run it with your blinders on and we all win!