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.
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Related articles

• How to Understand and Change Your Mindset (yourbipolargirl.wordpress.com)
• Negative chatter: banish with positive affirmations! (nutritionalspread.com)
• For Olympians and Ordinary People Alike, Mindset Matters (psychologytoday.com)