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I’ll never forget the moment I got the call: an audition for a movie with Robert De Niro.
My brain short-circuited as soon as I heard his name. De Niro. The Godfather. Heat. Goodfellas. How could I not get distracted?
As the big day drew near, I spiraled. This wasn’t just another audition. This was the audition.
What if this is my big break? What if I blow it?
What should I wear? Do I look the part?
What if I forget my lines? What if I forget how to speak?
Maybe I’m not ready. Maybe I’m not good enough.
But what if I am?
The pressure was electric. Hope and fear did a wild dance in my chest and no matter how hard I tried, my imagination kept racing ahead.
This was the moment that could change the trajectory of my life and career — and I blew it.
But the lessons I took from that failed audition turned out to be more valuable than any role. They completely reframed how I walk into a room, command a stage and coach others to show up with presence and power in their own high-stakes moments.
Here’s what that moment taught me — and how you can use it to pitch, present or perform with confidence and clarity.
My first mistake happened before I even entered the room. In my head, the stakes were massive: This is life-changing. Don’t mess this up. You have to nail it.
I had already lost. I wasn’t grounded or focused. I was spiraling. What I didn’t know then — but now teach every client — is this: your mindset is your foundation. Walk into any room thinking, I’ve earned this. That shift alone changes how you speak and how others respond.
2. Focus on the moment, not the outcome
The second I started fantasizing about starring in a De Niro film, I stopped being present. I was thinking about my future, not the two pages of script in front of me.
When you obsess over the outcome — the deal, the yes, the applause — you miss the only thing that matters: this moment. Ask yourself: What does this person need from me right now? Then deliver.
3. Take it one step at a time
I was so focused on the future, I skipped the first step: the first impression.
In auditions, pitches and presentations, there’s no warm-up act. The first 10 seconds — how you walk in, how you greet, how you connect — set the tone for everything else. You don’t always get a second chance. Nail the first one.
4. Walk in like you belong
I came in with what I now call “please pick me” energy. Instead of owning the space, I shrank into it — grateful but almost apologetic for being there. Gratitude is powerful. But not when it makes you small.
If you were invited into the room, you’re there for a reason. Don’t ask for permission to take up space. Stand in your value.
5. Stop trying to impress — start trying to connect
I overperformed. I tried so hard to be impressive that I tripped over my words and cluttered my delivery. More isn’t better. It’s just more.
What makes your message land is simplicity, emotional truth and connection. Ask: If this were my last chance to speak, what do I want them to feel?
6. Prepare like a performer
I knew my lines. But I didn’t rehearse. I didn’t ground myself or prepare my body for the moment. Clients often tell me they’ve “practiced” — but what they really mean is they edited their slides or memorized content.
But presence is physical. Stand up. Breathe. Visualize the room. Your voice, posture, and energy are part of your message. Rehearse with them, not around them.
I knew it wasn’t going well, but I didn’t know how to recover. I was stuck in my head. Now, I teach people to build an internal reset button. A breath. A pause. A shift in stance. Anything that brings you back to center.
Things go off-script all the time. Power doesn’t come from being flawless. It comes from knowing how to find your footing again.
8. Don’t stay stuck in the past
The car ride home was brutal. I replayed the audition on a loop — every fumble, every flub. Reflection is important. But wallowing isn’t. Take the lesson. Leave the rest.
You might never audition for a De Niro film, but you will have high-stakes moments — on a stage, in a boardroom, across from someone who could change the trajectory of your business or life.
When you get there, remember: the secret to owning the room isn’t being perfect. It’s being present, prepared and fully yourself.
That’s what people remember. That’s what wins the room.
I’ll never forget the moment I got the call: an audition for a movie with Robert De Niro.
My brain short-circuited as soon as I heard his name. De Niro. The Godfather. Heat. Goodfellas. How could I not get distracted?
As the big day drew near, I spiraled. This wasn’t just another audition. This was the audition.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Are you struggling to achieve the success you deserve? Have you ever wondered what it takes to unlock the secrets of success and live a life that truly resonates with your dreams?
If the answer is yes, then you’re in for a treat. Join us to examine the fundamentals of success! Welcome to the ultimate guide, “How to Be Successful in Life: 12 Principles to Live By,” where we’ll uncover the 12 principles that empower individuals to soar to monumental heights.
Whether you’re looking to supercharge your career, enrich personal relationships, or find inner peace, these principles are your blueprint for a thriving existence.
So buckle up as we explore the essentials of success, complete with practical tips and inspiration to keep you motivated!
Let’s get started.
How to Be Successful in Life: 12 Principles
1. Practice Self-Discipline and Willpower
Self-discipline and willpower are crucial in pursuing long-term success, as they empower individuals to delay gratification and resist the temptation of immediate pleasures.
At the core of consistency lies the ability to establish and maintain daily habits that support one’s ambitions.
Top performers across various fields know how to commit to their goals, prioritizing incremental improvement over quick wins. By using willpower and self-discipline, you can effectively manage procrastination and distractions, ensuring that you remain focused on your goals.
How To Increase Willpower and Self-Discipline
Setting and achieving small goals is instrumental in building self-discipline, as it allows for gradually developing willpower. As motivation ebbs and flows, the discipline developed through consistent action becomes the driving force for progress.
By mastering the art of delayed gratification, individuals can nurture the patience required to see long-term projects through to completion. Goal achievement, therefore, is not merely the result of inspiration but a testament to one’s ability to stay dedicated and persevere through challenges, regardless of immediate outcomes.
Ultimately, the synergy between self-discipline and willpower forms a solid foundation for personal and professional growth. Those who persistently cultivate these traits will be better equipped for success.
Want to build a success-focused morning routine? Well, watch this video to learn about the 12 morning routine habits of the world’s most successful people.
2. Experiment
Start making small changes in the same permanent conditions you’ve always lived in. If you start by changing yourself and developing good habits, then everything in your life can begin to change–and often, the thing you need to change about yourself is your perspective. And the critical thing to note here is that there can be a subtle difference between success and failure. Your path to success may be blocked by a few minor judgment errors that you repeat daily.
You may think, “I took the elevator instead of the stairs again today, and it still hasn’t impacted me, so it’s fine.” However, this mindset and error in judgment will lead to the eventual development of chronic diseases down the road. These small mistakes will cost you in the end.
Now, let’s look at someone who experimented with small changes that led to career success, perhaps the top sales rep at a company or a highly demanded real estate agent. These people may have implemented minor changes to their routine, such as writing personal thank-you notes to their clients or following up several months later to ensure they are still satisfied. These small decisions can add up and make a huge difference.
The only thing that this kind of career success requires is discipline, which is essential for advancement. You have the unique ability to influence change in your life. You must consciously engage in actions that can compound and succeed in the long run. And the truth is you need to work every day for years before you become successful in life.
You won’t find your ultimate success in an ad you see online for a three-day conference or a new “proprietary blend” supplement that promises to melt fat away. If these things worked, everyone would be successful.
Finding success doesn’t come at a magical moment when everything falls into place. It’s more about the more minor (and sometimes seemingly insignificant) moments that happen in between. It’s in the moments when you’re happy and soaking in your surroundings because you feel a sense of gratitude for your life.
And the fact is that these moments can happen even if you are currently in a career or situation far from your ultimate long-term goal. Without taking these baby steps to achieve success, you can’t be sure if what you’re chasing is something you genuinely want or think you want.
3. Try to Have a Positive Mindset At All Times
A positive mindset is one of the most potent tools for success. Mindset influences how we perceive challenges and adversities.
Adopting an optimistic outlook enables people to transform setbacks into learning opportunities, fostering resilience and mental toughness.
Mindsets of Success (and the ones holding your back):
Competitive Mindset: Strives to achieve personal best but may sometimes lead to unhealthy rivalry if unchecked.
Growth Mindset: Embraces challenges and views failures as opportunities for learning and development.
Fixed Mindset: Believes abilities are static and avoids challenges, hindering personal and professional growth.
Positive Mindset: Focuses on opportunities and solutions, fostering resilience and motivation.
Negative Mindset: Dwells on obstacles and discouragement, often leading to stagnation.
Creative Mindset: Encourages innovative thinking and openness to new ideas, driving progress and adaptability.
Risk Tolerance: Willingness to take calculated risks and embrace uncertainty, leading to growth and success.
Coping Skills: Managing stress and overcoming challenges, promoting mental well-being and perseverance.
Self-Encouragement: Using positive self-talk to boost confidence and motivation, helping overcome self-doubt.
Positive Thinking: Approaches situations with a positive attitude, generating more favorable outcomes.
Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and adversity, persevering towards goals even in the face of challenges.
Fear-Based Mindset: Driven by anxiety and fear of failure, restricting risk-taking and innovation.
Collaborative Mindset: Values teamwork and diverse perspectives, enhancing learning and success through synergy.
4. Seek Out Mentors
While you may think you can gain all of the knowledge that you need in books, the truth is that most authors don’t reveal everything about their experiences or struggles in the books that they write. Instead, personal connections with someone can boost your self-confidence and reassure you.
Find people who are already “successful” in your mind, no matter what that looks like to you. If you think success means finding life-long love, research the habits of the happiest couples together for decades. If you want to start your own business, find some successful entrepreneurs whose businesses have taken off from where they started.
Having a mentor or a role model will give you a personal guide to achieving the greatness that you desire. When you learn through other people’s experiences, you can learn from their mistakes and success stories. Many people who view the world as successful today start with a mentor.
One study found that 80% of CEOs reported having a mentor before achieving their success.
However, don’t confuse having a mentor with having a boss. A mentor isn’t there to pick up your slack or give you so much feedback that they are essentially doing the work themselves.
The important thing about your success is that you’re creating it in the unique way you want to. Having your mentor decide for you means giving up the freedom to make your journey.
While you want to hear about someone else’s mistakes who has already been in your shoes, you won’t learn from them like you will learn from your mistakes.
Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck’s research into the growth mindset, reveals its profound impact on the success and personal development.
Unlike a fixed mindset that views intelligence and innate talents as static traits, a growth mindset embraces challenges and sees intelligence and talents as things that can be improved with effort.
This mental framework is built on the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, fostering resilience and mental toughness. It encourages individuals to learn from experiences, seeing failures as stepping stones rather than obstacles.
A growth mindset is crucial in cultivating key attributes such as character and emotional intelligence. As a result, those with a growth mindset often exhibit a more robust character, equipped to handle criticism constructively while maintaining focus on long-term goals.
Furthermore, embracing a growth mindset can lead to more fulfilling and successful personal and professional lives. Its focus on continuous learning aligns with the demands of modern environments that require adaptability and innovation.
Integrating a growth mindset into everyday practices allows you to develop the flexibility needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world. This mindset enhances intelligence and competence and enriches character, providing a solid foundation for sustained success and personal fulfillment.
6. Check-In With Yourself Regularly
To increase your chances of success, you need to consistently monitor, evaluate, and adjust your approach and methods. You must also work to avoid complacency and continue to meet your greater standards. You also need to check in with yourself to ensure that you’re still passionate about what you’re doing and that all of the work you are putting forth will ultimately be worth the time you have spent.
One of the best ways to stay motivated and accountable is to write down the specific tasks involved in demonstrating exceptional work that will guide you toward your definition of success. Then, write down what a complacent execution of work would look like.
Finally, describe the steps you plan to take to avoid the lesser of the two habits. Check this list regularly to see where your work falls in this range. (Keeping a journal, like many successful and famous people do, is also a good way of checking in with yourself regularly.)
Having power over your direction in life means you have to set performance standards that lie somewhere between complacency and perfection.
7. Set Goals – The SMART Way
Setting clear, achievable goals is critical in the journey toward success, as it provides a structured pathway.
The SMART goal framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—serves as an effective goal-setting guide, ensuring each goal is well-defined and attainable.
By aligning your goals with your values and ensuring they are relevant to your long-term aspirations, you strengthen your self-esteem and commitment.
The specificity of SMART goals allows you to chart progress and celebrate small victories, which boosts motivation along the way. Adding time-bound deadlines encourages a sense of urgency and keeps you on track.
Moreover, distinguishing between short- and long-term goals and scheduling them on a calendar can help balance immediate needs with future ambitions, ultimately fostering a more organized and driven pursuit of success.
Learn more about SMART goal setting and grab some excellent tools:
If you want success, planning is good… but action matters more. Do something to move you closer to your goals… now!
8. Take a Break
There is a difference between taking a break and avoiding doing work. You will easily experience burnout if you do not take the necessary healthy breaks to rejuvenate your mind. Learn how to recognize the signs of mental fatigue and take the time to rest and recuperate.
You can allow your mind and body to rest by scheduling breaks into your calendar, just as you do with meetings. Make these breaks a priority and treat them as firm appointments.
You can do anything during these breaks if they take your mind off your goal. This can be anything from going for a short walk in the middle of the day to going on a week’s vacation. Just as long as you don’t spend every waking hour solely concentrating on the success you crave.
9. Learn How to Brainstorm
I’m sure you’ve heard this term often, but do you know what it means? One of the guidelines for success in life involves letting your brain go–whether by yourself or in collaboration with others. This means you release your hang-ups and objections, take an idea, and run with it. Don’t plan your train of thought or its final destination; think freely.
Brainstorming is used to generate ideas, engage in creative problem-solving, and learn through inquiry. When brainstorming is used for problem-solving in a team environment, it incorporates team members’ diverse experiences to increase the depth of the ideas being explored, meaning you can typically come up with better solutions to problems than when thinking on your own.
If you’re having a brainstorming session with a group, you have to let go of your ego or fear of saying something completely unrealistic. Your outlandish thought could trigger someone else to morph it into a practical idea. This collective thought process will allow you to develop your ideas through diverse thought processes.
However, for a brainstorming session to be practical in a group setting, everyone has to be comfortable enough with each other to be willing to share. Otherwise, someone may hold back from saying something that will solve the problem.
Group brainstorming is great for generating ideas that may not arise during a normal problem-solving conversation. However, studies have suggested that brainstorming solo may result in more and even better ideas than when working with a group.
If you’re brainstorming alone, you must get your brain to think outside of your everyday routine by considering ideas without considering their practicality. By thinking without boundaries, you may come up with a solution that initially seems completely unreasonable; however, the process lets you open up your range of thought, eventually leading to the right solution.
This can be done more effectively individually than in a group setting because groups can often be distracting when people don’t follow a brainstorming behavior protocol. Also, if you’re paying all your attention to others in the group, you may not generate your ideas.
To leverage your individual brainstorming, find a place where distractions are minimal and you can focus. Brainstorming sessions can truly spark success in your life because they may be when you have a “lightbulb moment” that improves your entire method of working.
After your brainstorming session, whether with a group or by yourself, you will have many ideas to sort through. Pick the best and analyze them to see if they can be integrated. If you can’t find a purpose for all of your ideas, write them down for later use.
Tools and lessons for improved brainstorming sessions:
10. Stop Seeking Validation
If you want to know how to be successful in life, you won’t find it if you rely on everyone around you to approve your work and ideas. When it comes to your success, do it your way. If you feel you’re on the right track, you don’t need other people to validate that.
Ask yourself if you are living the life that you want. If you believe that you are, it means you’re achieving success. If you decide you’re not living the life you want, figure out what changes you need to make and implement them.
However, don’t let other people who may have their own biases impact your thinking. While people may think they know the best thing for you, you’re the only one who does. You need to trust yourself, and you will recognize that you know exactly what you’re doing.
If you surround yourself with successful people, you will also become successful. People fail by themselves; they need supporters, partners, and other people who inspire them to increase the chance of success.
The key to picking the people you spend the most time with is ensuring you choose those exponentially superior to you in several ways. If you’re the most competent person in the room, you lose the opportunity to challenge and improve yourself.
As you find yourself in new stages of your journey to success, your five people may come and go. For example, the people with whom you spend the most time during the inception of your vision of success will probably evolve as their roles change and you make new contacts.
You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. So, if you want success, surround yourself with successful people who achieve great things.
Your lifelong friendships will always be there for you, but you must focus your relevant time suitably on achieving success. If there are people you know who can help teach you, inspire you, or help you improve, make it a point to spend time with them.
Alternatively, if people in your life do not share your values, are harmful, self-absorbed, or detrimental to your success in some way, gracefully cut them out.
12. Improve 1% Every Day***
I put stars next to the title for this one to highlight the importance. Daily incremental improvements are the most powerful tools for success.
If you want to know how to be successful in life, you have to realize that you must take on the role of being a life-long learner. You won’t achieve success overnight. You must take consistent action, test various ideas, fail, get back up, and slowly see your growth. Just like in finances, the power of compounding your growth is an unstoppable force.
But how do you define 1%?
Well, you don’t. But this refers to improving yourself just a bit every day. While it is hard to measure, think of it this way: if you improve 1% daily, it will be a 3800% improvement in one year. Alternatively, if you become 1% worse every day, your value will decrease by 97% in that year.
Maintaining this growth mindset allows you to take every opportunity to be a better employee, student, spouse, parent, doctor, writer, or whatever. Success never happens in one day. But if you continue to improve yourself every day, you will be successful.
Let’s look at an example. You want to be successful by completing a marathon. Here is what most people would do (and how it breaks down):
Start training by running 10 miles a week
Increase that to 12 miles a week about a month later
Life happens and interrupts training
They start to go for a run “whenever they have time”
Eventually, running dips to nothing as it stops being a “habit”
Now, let’s look at what a successful marathoner would do:
Run at least a mile every day for one week
Increase that to 1.5 miles the following week
Even when life interrupts, get a minimum of 1.5 miles running in daily. (running is a priority, not an afterthought)
As soon as the ability is achieved, it will increase to 2 miles a day.
Keep increasing mileage weekly until you can easily do 10K a day. Then, start mixing up training (still increasing distances) in preparation for a specific marathon.
The key part of these is that the “normal” view tries to make running an “addition” to a routine. The second (successful) plan views this as an essential habit to the daily routine—no different than showering in the morning and brushing your teeth—something you do when you are up, down, depressed, angry, or busy.
While it may be easier to just do what is needed to get by, if you take advantage of every opportunity that can create extraordinary returns and boost the quality of your work, success is within reach.
You don’t need earth-shattering improvements. 1% every day will reach any success goal in the long run.
The Importance of Success
Many obsess about success and what it takes to become successful. If we fail in our lives, we may look to the past with utter disappointment regarding everything we could have accomplished but didn’t.
Personal growth and success depend on what we believe our greater purpose is and how that will impact ourselves and others. So, what is the importance of success?
Success makes us more confident and secure. It gives us a greater sense of well-being and allows us to contribute more. It will enable us to understand hope and leadership. Without success, our goals, dreams, and passions may not survive.
Final Thoughts on How to Lead a Successful Life
Your success ultimately comes down to your actions, perceptions, and attitudes.
There are many tips out there on how to be successful in life, but unless you are proactive in doing the work required, you will find yourself settling for a life that isn’t what you dreamed it to be.
Now that you have finished reading these guidelines on how to be a more successful person, take advantage of the ideas that sound unique to you and tailor them to fit into your success plan. I hope that using these principles helps you find fulfillment in your endeavors and achieve what you believe to be the epitome of success.
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Looking for printables to help set and track your goals this year? If so, we’ve got you covered. In this post, we’ve rounded up 20 goal-setting printables that help define your goals and provide a means of tracking them.
In case you’re wondering why it’s necessary to have goals and track them, here are the main reasons they’re important.
The Importance of Goal Setting
Goals provide focus.If you don’t set the right goals, your time, energy, and effort are often used up in activities that have no long-term significance. When you have goals, you focus more of your personal resources towards something meaningful.
Goals motivate you. When you have goals, you tend to see the bigger picture. You consciously shape every action to lead to your desired outcome. You are inspired to keep working toward something because you have a vision of it coming true.
Goals change your life. When you set goals, you’re working on improving your personal experience. Goals have the ability to transform your outlook and help you see all of the possibilities. In order to achieve what you want, you become more resourceful and creative.
How to Make Goal-Setting Work
Regardless of whattype of goal you’re working toward, there are three main ways to ensure that goal-setting will bring you the outcome you want.
Write down your goals. Severalstudies have shown that writing down your goals increases the likelihood that you will be able to achieve them. It has something to do with how your brain better recalls materials that you yourself have created. Use this neurological phenomenon to your advantage and set your goals down on paper.
Specify your goals. You can determine what your specific goals are by brainstorming or answering pre-set questions that are designed to identify them. Remember, keep your goals S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).
Track your goals. Use printables (like the ones featured below) to track the progress of your goals and see what you need to revise or improve on in order to arrive at the intended result.
Now, let’s check out the printables available to you.
Boost your productivity with our Goal Planner Printables Package, designed to help you set and achieve your aspirations with precision.
This comprehensive package includes planners for Daily Tasks, Weekly Goals, Monthly Goals, Quarterly Goals, Yearly Goals, and more, including a “My Goals” section, Monthly Reflection, and Goal Overview.
Simply download and print to start organizing your path to success with clarity and focus.
We designed this goal planner to ensure that you have a concrete plan for achieving what you set out to accomplish. It has a predominantly blue theme for serious goal setting.
There are dedicated spaces for writing up to three major goals (perhaps related to a single vision), with corresponding spaces for listing your action plans to achieve these goals.
A goal tracker is quite useful for monitoring the progress of long-term goals.
You can use our very own goal tracker to plan and track how close you are to achieving one of your major goals.
There are spaces allocated for writing each major goal and the action steps you need to take to get there. Furthermore, there are additional sections for writing specific minor or short-term goals and your plan to support the fulfillment of your major goal.
This goal tracker allows you to track a goal that takes up to a year to accomplish. It has the names of the months on the left-hand side of the page, followed by a number of checkboxes corresponding to the number of days for that month.
What goals take at least a year to accomplish? Some examples that come to mind include:
This set of printables comes in pastel blue, pink, purple, and gray. This is an ideal resource for those looking for both a goal planner and tracker.
This goal planner sheet is used for identifying your goals. You can indicate a start date and an end date for your goals, and also list the resources you will need to accomplish them, as well as any possible challenges and strategies.
Furthermore, you can keep track of your action steps, as well as the dates you accomplish each one. Lastly, there is ample space where you can write down some notes.
7. 100% Challenge
This tracker was designed to monitor your weight loss goals. Just like the tracker above, it has 30 checkboxes representing each day of a one-month period.
You can use this tracker not just to ensure that you’re doing the workouts or following a diet to achieve your desired weight, but also to track:
8. 30-Day Goal Tracker
While the two previous trackers allow you to track only one habit per page, this tracker lets you monitor up to 10 goals per page.
The main advantage of this tracker is that you have a quick view of how your goals are progressing.
9. Goal-Setting Printable Set
This printable goal-setting template is designed for both long- and short-term goals. The key features of this tracker include boxes where you can state what your goals are, specify why you want to achieve them, and identify the reward you’ll get for achieving them.
There is also a column for your action plan, with boxes for due dates and checkboxes for when you’ve completed them.
Near the bottom of the page is a review section where you can reflect on the actions you took in order to accomplish your goal. This is a great way to identify which actions worked and which didn’t.
10. Boss Babe Printable Goal Planner
This goal planner helps you break down a big goal into manageable parts. That way, you’ll have a greater chance of achieving it.
When you download this printable set, you’ll get the following:
Weekly goal sheet (where you can break down your main goal into three major focuses)
Daily goal sheet (where you can break down the three main focuses into a maximum of three action items each)
End-of-week review (where you can reflect on which actions brought you closer to your goals, and which didn’t)
11. Short- and Long-Term Goal-Setting Guide
This goal guide was designed to make personal goal-setting as painless as possible.
When you download this set of printables, you’ll get the following:
Brain dump sheet, for writing down every possible personal goal you have (even the craziest ones)
Goal planner sheet, where you can identify possible obstacles, and any major actions you need to take in order to attain your goals
Goal timeline sheet for long-, mid-, and short-term goals
Goal milestones sheet
Weekly planner
This goal guide works best for those who have a number of goals that they want to keep track of.
12. Financial Goals Worksheet
Being financially secure is a dream for many people. However, if you apply goal-setting principles, this dream can become an attainable goal!
This printable worksheet gives you the necessary information to set your financial goals. It provides ample space for writing down clear descriptions of your goals, the target amount of each goal, dates, and the amount you need to set aside for a given period in order to reach the goal.
13. Financial Goal Tracker
This savings goal tracker helps motivate you to reach your money goals more quickly. Whether you’re saving up for a new gadget or a trip, you have a higher chance of reaching that amount quickly if you have a goal tracker.
There are 20 coins on this printable sheet, which serve as the tracker for your savings.
All you have to do is determine the amount of money you want to save, then divide that by 20. Each time you set aside that amount, you can mark a coin until you’ve eventually reached your goal.
14. A Simple Goal Setting Worksheet
Looking for a simple template for setting your goals? Here’s one that you might like.
It features a grayscale color scheme with enough spaces for a detailed plan to achieve your goals. This template allows you to record the following information:
Writing prompt: Why is this goal so important?
Steps to take to reach your goal
Things that will help you reach those goals
Reward for reaching your goal
15. Foliage-Themed Goal Worksheet
This foliage-themed worksheet has a prominent space dedicated for writing down a major goal.
You can then identify what type of goal you’re working on by circling or putting a check by one of the pre-written categories set in boxes. Some of the categories include Self & Well-Being, Finances, and Passion/Hobbies.
Another section of this template is allocated for writing down your answer to the prompt, “Why is this meaningful?”
The second half of the page is intended for writing your monthly and weekly actions that will bring you closer to your goal.
16. Teal-Themed Goal Setter Template
This teal-themed template offers a bit of calm in the face of your overwhelming list of tasks.
It has more than enough space for writing down the major goal you’re working on, as well as details and reasons why it’s important.
There are also respective sections where you can list up to 12 action plans and important notes.
Finally, a habit tracker is found at the bottom of the template, with provisions for a month’s worth of tracking up to nine habits that propel you toward your goal.
17. Goal Digger
This template was designed for evaluating and setting goals for the New Year.
It has sections allocated for taking note of what you’ve accomplished during the previous year in the spiritual, physical, financial, relational, professional, and recreational areas of your life.
There are also sections set aside for writing down your goals for the coming year.
18. 100-Day Goal Challenge Template
This template helps you track the progress of a major goal for the next 100 days. If your goal is self-improvement, such as developing a new healthy habit, this template works very well to help you achieve it.
There is enough space at the top of the page for writing your goal. Then, right below that section, there are 100 boxes that you can check for each day that you’ve done something toward the fulfillment of your goal.
The lines beside the boxes are intended for writing details about the activity you’ve done that day or reminders to prepare you to accomplish an activity.
At the bottom of the page is a notes section for writing other important information, reminders, and ideas.
19. BuJo Style Goal Tracker
Let this goal tracker motivate you to reach your goals. It has 30 checkboxes leading to your goal. You mark each box for every day that you accomplish the tasks or routines required to reach what you want to achieve.
This tracker comes in two versions. One comes with motivational quotes to get you going, and the other is blank so you can choose to decorate it and include your personal favorite motivational quotes.
This tracker is just the right size for inserting into a bullet journal.
20. Editable and Printable Goal Tracker
If you need a weekly goal tracker, consider the example above. It has an eye-catching design and comes with checkboxes for every day of the week (for seven weeks).
The template is editable, so you can change the header text, colors, and layout to suit your preference.
Final Words About Goal Setting & Tracking Printables
Goal setting becomes more effective when you have the right tools.
That’s why goal-setting printables—even the simplest designs—are a great help. With the assistance of goal trackers, you can monitor how you’re doing. You can see if your efforts are bringing you closer to your objectives, or if there is a need for some improvement.
If you are interested in other goal-setting tools, you might want to check out a couple of posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
When a child is born, they have a clean slate.
While they don’t know it yet, they’re faced with years of opportunity to create a fitting and unique life for themselves. Unfortunately, many of us don’t realize until much later in life just how much control we have over the directions of our own lives. Part of this is because we are stuck with a fixed mindset that dictates that failure is the end all and be all of any experience.
You know that your muscles grow and develop the more you challenge them–well, your brain goes through the same process. When you struggle to lift a weight, you’re setting your body up to build muscle. And when you’re struggling to grasp a concept or master a skill, you’re setting up your brain’s capability to adapt and grow in response to your efforts.
Why Is it Important to Help Children Develop a Growth Mindset?
We can all choose to look at the world in one of two ways: a way that makes us feel happy and capable or makes us feel defeated and powerless. One of the greatest things you can instill in a child that will contribute to their happiness and success down the road is a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, children are confident in learning and engaging with the unknown.
Those with a growth mindset know that with hard work, they can improve at anything. Unlike a fixed mindset, a growth mindset encourages children to view failures as learning opportunities. When a child is raised with a growth mindset, they’re invited to thrive on challenges and to continue to stretch their abilities beyond where they stand today, which cultivates a love for learning.
Carol Dweck, a Stanford University psychology professor, developed the growth mindset concept. She posits that students who have a growth mindset—that is, students who believe that their intelligence is fluid—tend to be more successful in school than those who believe their intelligence is set at birth. By focusing on learning and creating a growth mindset environment for our kids, we can help them develop and reach their potential.
Because the language we use while talking to our kids has a profound impact on their attitude and mindset, let’s examine some growth mindset phrases you can use to encourage your children or students.
30 Growth Mindset Phrases to Encourage Children
1. “Well done. I noticed how hard you worked on that project.”
This statement focuses on praising a child’s process instead of their final product. Even if a child’s result isn’t perfect, praising them for their hard work and applaud them for learning along the way is best. The important thing is how a child approaches a challenge, not how successful they are.
2. “Let’s problem-solve together.”
Children may think that asking for help is a sign of weakness. However, offering support during a process when a child seems stuck can help that child come up with a solution instead of getting frustrated and giving up.
3. “You can do hard things.”
Children often shy away from trying things that seem too difficult. Encouraging children to try seemingly tricky tasks is a great way to show them they may be more skillful than they originally believed.
4. “What did you learn?”
Asking a child what they learned after an experience can help them reflect on what they could have done differently and what they will improve on moving forward. Reminding children of their consistent learning will also show them that they’re growing with each experience.
5. “Thanks for your effort on that task.”
Coupling value with a child’s effort instead of their results will start changing what the child views as being important. Over time, the child will start to appreciate perseverance over perfection, which can help children build the resilience that’s needed for their future success.
Recognizing a child’s effort instead of the result will help change the child’s perception of what is important.
6. “You’re on the right track.”
This statement can encourage children who feel like they’re not getting anywhere when trying to finish a project or reach a goal. It confirms for them that they are making progress. This phrase helps cultivate a growth mindset because it helps children attribute success to their efforts rather than their abilities. They’re receiving praise for their work that’s been done so far.
7. “What went well?”
When helping kids reach their potential, it’s important to focus on the positives. Don’t just focus on what a child has done wrong and what needs to be changed. Consider what they did right and how they can translate that into other areas of the problem or even amplify that success in some way.
8. “I believe in you.”
While children may not believe in themselves, having an adult tell them that they have faith can encourage them to try. Supporting a child through their best efforts can motivate them to value perseverance and hard work.
9. “…yet.”
If a child says they can’t do something, it’s uplifting to remind them that they can’t do it yet. This doesn’t mean they can’t ever do it. The word ‘yet’ is mighty in fostering a growth mindset.
10. “It’s ok to make mistakes.”
Remind children that making mistakes is not only acceptable but encouraged. When children engage in a productive struggle, they learn. Children who know that it is okay to make mistakes approach challenges with confidence and are willing to take risks.
11. “Can we come up with a different strategy?”
If a child is struggling with a task, helping them troubleshoot their strategy can demonstrate that they can take a new approach to success. Children need to learn how to strategize so they look at problems from various angles and don’t give up when faced with failure.
12. “You have unlimited tries.”
If children know they can try as many times as they need, they’re more likely to brainstorm and be willing to fail a few times.
13. “Let’s do some brain training.”
Reiterating to a child that they can develop and strengthen their skills through practice by using this catchy rhyme can help them memorize the phrase and recall it later, reinforcing their belief in it.
14. “This task will take some time and effort to achieve.”
You can give a child a heads-up that a task will be challenging. This will help set their expectations appropriately and reduce the chance that they will give up if they aren’t immediately successful.
15. “Did you face any fun challenges today?”
Asking this question will encourage your child to perceive challenges as positive, inspiring them to seek out challenges and solve problems throughout the day.
16. “Everything is difficult before it is easy.”
This is a good reminder for children to practice something to improve their skills. If they look back on things they have improved upon in the past, it can provide good anecdotal evidence of the truth in this saying.
17. “Aim for progress, not perfection.”
Teach children that the goal is to get a little stronger each day. This can help simplify unachievable goals by focusing on the small efforts one can make today that will eventually lead to success.
18. “Your mistakes show me that you are trying.”
Children long for the approval of their parents and teachers. Praise the effort that your child is putting forth, no matter what the result is, to show your acceptance. By affirming that a child’s mistakes have a positive outcome, they will be more willing to make them.
19. “Your answer is correct. What strategy did you use?”
This helps children focus on the process rather than just the end result. It’s important for them to not only fix their mistakes but also reflect on what they did right.
20. “Let’s give each other feedback.”
You can help a child develop a growth mindset by offering honest feedback. However, don’t focus too much on what went wrong. Instead, emphasize how the child can learn from their errors so they don’t associate negative consequences with making mistakes. Please encourage them to give you feedback as well.
Offering honest feedback can help your child develop a growth mindset.
21. “It is ok to feel frustrated.”
When a child faces failure, it’s an excellent time to teach them how to dig deep to find their inner strength. Instead of simply saying it’s ok, validate their feelings of frustration and help them find comfort in the discomfort of failure. Meanwhile, encourage them to consider other strategies or solutions.
22. “You are improving, I can tell you’re practicing!”
Reinforcing the relationship between practice and improvement will help encourage children to have discipline and keep working toward their goals.
23. “Nice try!”
This phrase validates a child’s efforts–no matter the outcome.
24. “Great use of your resources!”
People with a growth mindset are not afraid to ask for help and understand that self-advocacy is essential to their future success. When children feel safe asking for help, they can make significant progress. With the right guidance, children can learn to sharpen their communication skills and confidently use their resources.
25. “I admire your patience.”
Working through failure can undoubtedly test one’s patience. While giving up is an easy way out that many people prefer to take, being persistent in solving a problem separates the high achievers from the rest of the bunch.
26. “How does it feel to be so close to reaching your goal?”
Asking this question will invite a child to stop and consider their feelings and sense of pride for their hard work. Sometimes, a little reminder of how far someone has come can motivate them to finish strong.
27. “I like your determination!”
Acknowledging a child’s determination to succeed can help them maintain positive energy.
28. “Think about where you were _____ ago, and look at you now!”
Whether it was a week or a year, this can help children reflect on their progress and maintain hope for their future success.
29. “Let’s reflect on what you did.”
When children take the time to reflect deeply on their experiences and challenges, they can identify gratifying experiences as well as things they may aspire to do differently in the future. Either way, this encourages children to focus on their process.
30. “What could you improve?”
Encouraging children to seek out areas that could use improvement will reinforce the importance of a process rather than just the outcome. Continuously doing this can instill a habit of continuous improvement.
Final Thoughts on Growth Mindset Phrases to Encourage Children
Your child’s growth mindset can decide between success and failure. The concept of a growth mindset encourages children to overlook the grief or discomfort associated with failure to gain enthusiasm about their future success. Using these phrases to instill a growth mindset will help your child become confident in their abilities and encourage them to keep trying instead of giving up.
More Lessons in Creating a Growth Mindset:
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Whether you’re a solopreneur, a single mother, a family, a business owner, the CEO of a multinational corporation, a teacher, or a public servant, you have problems that you need to solve.
The problems we have in our day-to-day lives can make us or break us, and whether we become wounded or wise depends on how we tackle our most pressing troubles.
Fortunately, there are a plethora of ways you can solve problems, and the technique we are about to share with you can act like a Swiss army knife of troubleshooting while also helping to elevate your thinking in the long term.
12 Favorite Problems Overview
The 12 favorite problems concept comes from the scientist Richard Feynman, a man renowned for his work in physics and his contribution to the Manhattan Project – which allowed the USA to develop nuclear weaponry before the Nazis in WWII.
His method is simple but brutally effective:
He asked 12 open-ended questions on interests or challenges he thought about often (which he called his favorite problems).
The question’s purpose is to filter information that can be applied to problems you are facing in the present moment.
The questions allow for insights and surprising solutions to come from perspectives you may have never thought to combine.
Richard Feynman said that these questions were on the “back burner of his mind” or that they were issues that he was actively solving at the time.
Gian-Carlo Rota (a contemporary of Richard Feynman and a renowned mathematician in his own right) said this:
“Richard Feynman was fond of giving the following advice on how to be a genius. You have to keep a dozen of your favorite problems constantly present in your mind, although by and large they will lay in a dormant state. Every time you hear or read a new trick or a new result, test it against each of your twelve problems to see whether it helps.”
Also check out this video showcasing another brilliant technique by Feynman designed to help you learn anything faster:
12 Favorite Problems Action Plan
Step 1: Have a means to take notes
Get some notepads or use the Notes application on your phone.
Keep the notepad or your Notes app within reach of you at all times.
This means whenever you have an idea you can record it down and this reinforces the behavior of generating ideas and thinking about solutions to problems.
Have one page or folder per question or problem.
For example, you would have a page or folder dedicated solely to “business ideas”.
Step 2: Crafting questions and challenges
The problems and questions have to be both personal and applicable.
Here are some of the questions that Richard Feynman asked – according to this article by Forte Labs.
How can we measure the probability that a lump of uranium might explode too soon?
How can we design a large-scale computing system using only basic equipment?
What is the smallest working machine that can be constructed?
How could the discoveries of nuclear physics be used to promote peace instead of war?
However, you don’t necessarily need to ask complex questions like this (unless you want to).
The categories and questions that work for you depend on your circumstances.
Step 3: Commit daily
Commit to thinking about one or more of your challenges or questions.
Record down the ideas that you have for each category every day.
You don’t need to force yourself to think of ideas for all 12 questions all the time (that will simply turn this process into a chore).
Instead, focus on the category/categories that are most pressing to you at the moment.
This creates an open loop in your mind that allows ideas to come to you and to find inspiration in all sorts of different contexts.
12 Favorite Problems Example
John is the owner of multiple online businesses.
John goes to the shop and purchases a notepad.
Firstly, he thinks of 12 different questions or challenges that are based on what he’s currently facing.
Goals to set
Product ideas
Titles & hooks
Tweets to write
Systems to build
Newsletter topics
Next action steps
Tasks to eliminate
Tasks to outsource
Fun activities to try
Random cool ideas
New business ideas
He commits to recording whatever ideas he comes up with.
Some days he has ideas for all 12 categories and on other days he focuses on the most important ones.
Over time he finds that he can generate much higher quality ideas than before and more of them.
It also allows him to incorporate different information and turn that into valuable insights.
Final Thoughts on 12 Favorite Problems
Feynman’s 12 Favorite Problems is an excellent thinking tool that anyone can use to generate more ideas, to find solutions to problems, and as a general way to elevate the quality of their thinking to be more profound and insightful.
Feynman used this method to great success in every scientific undertaking he was involved in and it allowed him to see remarkable results in most of his hobbies (including teaching himself to play the drums, pick locks, and decipher Mayan hieroglyphs).
And if you want more resources about 12 favorite problems, be sure to check out these blog posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Do you feel frustrated at how much time you spend on media sites like YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, or Twitter?
One of the big challenges of being a human in the 21st century is the unrelenting bombardment of media and information from every device that we frequently use.
We are fed an algorithmically determined line-up of content to maximize our engagement with a platform that is designed to maximize revenue at the expense of your attention.
However, you can take advantage of the bounty of information we have access to without completely drowning in it.
The trick is to practice what’s called “Curated Consumption.”
In today’s featured article, I’ll talk about this concept and provide a 5-step plan for practicing it.
What is Curated Consumption?
Curated Consumption simply means that you are more directly in control of the content you’re consuming every day.
There is no denying it, platforms like YouTube, Reddit, podcasts, blogs, and websites have become an important part of how we access information and learn more about the things that intrigue us.
Unfortunately, the downside is that there’s so much useless “clickbait” designed to hijack your attention that well-intentioned time spent researching something helpful turns into time-wasting scrolling that gets you nowhere.
Curated Consumption is a way of getting more of what you like, whilst getting less of the time-wasting filler that can eat away at your day.
Scott H. Young (who is credited with coming up with the concept) talks more about it here.
So, here’s how you do it.
Step 1: Be Conscious of Bad Media
Be aware of how much “negative” media you’re consuming.
In this case negative means anything that wastes time (mindless scrolling through TikTok, YouTube, browsing Reddit threads, etc).
Here are some common examples:
TikTok shorts
YouTube shorts
Mindless browsing
Scrolling Reddit/Quora/online community platform with an endless stream of content.
Another form of negative media consumption is compulsively listening to bad news.
Large media networks know that the more raw emotional reactions their story elicits the higher their clicks and views.
However, this is terrible for your mental health, as you are powerless to stop all the evils that take place in every remote corner of Earth.
A lot of this is about dialing into how you feel.
Are you wasting time mindlessly consuming clickbait media or are you consistently feeling negative and bleak about the world?
These are huge warning signals that you need to start curating your media consumption.
Discover how to break free from the endless cycle of negative news and reclaim your peace of mind with these 5 effective strategies to stop the doomscrolling habit.
Step 2: Cut Out Toxic Profiles or Content
What is the content or people who contribute most to your negative media consumption patterns?
If there is a type of content or a specific bunch of people that causes negativity and makes you waste time, start cutting them out or silencing their profiles.
On social media platforms like Twitter (or X) this is as simple as not following somebody.
On YouTube, you can selectively tell the algorithm to stop showing you a certain type of content by selecting the icon that appears when you hover over a video (it looks like three vertical dots – and you can say that you’re both not interested and not to recommend a specific YouTube channel).
If the social media profiles are of friends and loved ones, every platform offers a way of muting them without blocking or removing those profiles from your friend’s list.
So if you feel that a certain type of content produces a negative feeling, then be proactive about removing it from your
Step 3: Get More of What You Enjoy
Now it’s time to focus on the stuff that you enjoy and that brings a positive contribution to your life.
Focus on the stuff that helps you learn and grow.
For example:
YouTube channels about hobbies that offer invaluable insights.
Any online communities that you are engaged in that have a positive influence on your life.
Websites, articles, and blogs that regularly publish content that you enjoy reading and help deepen your understanding of a personal or professional field of interest.
Any podcasts or audio-based media you enjoy listening to.
Books and other long-form content that challenges you and stretches your thinking abilities.
Understanding the media you like that has a positive impact on your life helps you instantly identify the stuff you should start cutting out.
Step 4: Focus on Quality, Not Quantity
Make some effort to replace some of the time you’d spend on less productive media with longer-form content – like audiobooks and podcasts.
This does two important things.
It makes you aware of just how much time you spend following the algorithm to nowhere in your browsing habits.
You’ll find yourself spending less time overall consuming information because longer-form content requires more involved listening and processing.
Look for high-quality sources of information about things you’re involved with from writers that you enjoy reading or publications that are known to produce quality material in whatever field you’re interested in.
This is the equivalent of eating healthy meals instead of choosing convenient, unhealthy fast food.
Scott H. Young recommends bypassing the algorithm entirely and using a Really Simple Syndication (RSS Web Feed) such as Feedly.
An RSS is an old-fashioned tool that allows you to subscribe to social media pages, websites, blogs, and even Instagram and Twitter pages.
The RSS completely bypasses the stream of content that the algorithm on these platforms has determined will keep you on the website the longest (usually with clickbait rubbish, disaster porn, or anything designed to elicit negative emotions).
An RSS takes a bit of effort to set up.
But, instead of having to wade through trash to get to the insightful stuff, you can set up a curated feed that brings you the information you want from the sources that you most like, without being tangled up in the time-wasting content on the various platforms mentioned.
Final Thoughts on Curated Consumption
Setting up strategies to curate the information we’re exposed to might seem like a strange concept to some, but in today’s era of information overload and attention-hijacking scams, it’s becoming mandatory for peace of mind.
Following some or all of the strategies I mentioned here can allow you to set up an informative and educational web of content that supports your growth and development, instead of dragging you down and wasting your time.
And if you want more resources about curated consumption, be sure to check out these blog posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Many things are responsible for your results and successes across your lifespan and not all of it is in your hands. However, a large part of who we are and what we become lies in how effectively we use our minds.
What if there was a basic and simple method you could follow every day that could allow you to invest in your mental performance and give massive returns for your energy spent?
Such a system does exist, it’s straightforward, it can be done anywhere, and it fully realizes the potential of the 3-pound supercomputer in your skull.
10 Ideas List – An Overview
The person credited with popularizing this idea is James Altucher, he writes about this on his blog here.
The basics are simple:
Every single day (without fail) create 10 ideas about something.
It doesn’t matter if they’re “good” or “bad” ideas.
James Altucher mentions that you most likely won’t be able to spot the bad and good ones as humans are not good at predicting outcomes when things get complex.
The most important thing is that you train your brain to be able to churn out ideas.
It would be false to say that James Altucher invented this method – in fact – it’s as old as the hills.
Cerebral powerhouses like Thomas Edison, Nicholas Tesla, and Leonardo Da Vince swore by this method.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks are full of ideas – anything from philosophical concepts, to word games, or ideas for inventions.
Most of the best scientists, authors, marketers, entrepreneurs, or anyone who uses their mind to produce stuff engages in some form of idea-creation habit.
10 Ideas List – An Action Plan
The steps to apply this habit are straightforward and the most important thing is consistency.
Just like physical training, you have to do it regularly and frequently to see results (this is something that James Altucher reiterates all the time and he recommends practicing this 7 days a week).
You’re using this as a method to strengthen your mind and develop new mental skills – for this to work, you do it every day, without fail.
Most of the time this exercise takes less than 10 minutes to do.
James Altucher states that the reward for this daily effort is unlocking the equivalent of a superpower, you’re able to come up with creative ideas at the drop of a hat and are capable of solving problems and seeing solutions in any situation.
Step 1: Buy a Small Notebook
James Alucher says he uses a waiter’s notebook, but the reality is that any small thing that can fit into a pocket will do.
The important thing is that it’s a portable place where you can take it out jot down 10 ideas and put it away, no matter where you are.
The important thing is coming up with the ideas and not the ideas themselves (yet).
Step 2: List 10 Ideas
It has to be 10.
Most people can come up with 3 or 4 good ideas, but 10 will challenge most people.
That’s the purpose of this exercise, once you get past the first 2 or 3 or 4 you have to start thinking creatively and using what you know in innovative ways.
At first, this can be quite challenging, but you’ll find that your mind quickly adapts and can pump out very interesting ideas about nearly anything with practice.
Step 3: If You Struggle With 10 Try 20
What if you’re struggling and 10 seems like too much work?
James Alucher gives us an interesting solution.
He says to write down 20.
This isn’t to be masochistic, usually, people struggle to write down 10 ideas because they are trying to produce 10 good ideas.
This means that they are self-editing and not being creative or generative.
Upping the number forces you to come up with absolutely absurd and what may be impractical ideas but it’s the single best way of training your brain in this skill.
Step 4: Be as Creative as Possible
Ideas can be about anything you want.
The more broad your “idea” categories are, the better your results will be.
Try and come up with ideas for things that are outside of your usual wheelhouse.
If you’re just trying to come up with ideas for a business or ideas to make money then try coming up with poem ideas, plots for a detective novel, funny names, or jokes.
This makes you look at things with a new perspective and is like rocket fuel for innovation.
When your mind is capable of different kinds of creative thinking it comes up with more creative solutions everywhere.
If you want to learn more about how to think creatively and outside the box, then watch this video:
Step 5: Unlock Your Ideas
Another exercise you can add that multiplies the value of the ideas you’ve created is to take a single idea from your notebook and then think up “10 next steps.” This trains your brain to be solution-oriented and to see the next step in whatever you have to do.
Being able to break down hard projects into simple steps is a superpower in itself and almost a cheat code for success – so with this method, you are getting a two-for-one deal.
The Ideas List in Action
Here’s the 10 ideas list in action.
John wants to improve his productivity so he starts by buying a small notebook and writing “Productivity ideas” at the top of the page.
He comes up with the following:
Find areas where I’m wasting time.
Figure out what my strengths and weaknesses are.
Look for ways to delegate or automate stuff that can be.
Study different productivity methods and systems.
Listen to motivational podcasts.
Study the lives of people that I like and are known for their insane productivity to see what I can learn.
Check-in with health (am I getting enough sleep, eating well to get the most out of my body and mind, exercising, etc.)
Ask friends and family for advice.
Join a group online that’s trying to improve their productivity.
Experiment with different ways of working (does taking frequent breaks work? Or do I do better when I just sit down and hammer the job out?).
John changes the focus of his “10 ideas list” every day – sometimes it’s about work or personal projects that are important to him, other times he throws caution to the wind and writes 10 ideas on the weirdest and most wonderful topics he can think of.
Whenever he struggles to come up with 10 ideas about something he thinks of 20 of the most nonsensical rubbish ideas he can think of.
For example:
John is struggling with 10 ideas for “profitable” businesses – so he comes up with 20.
Dropshipping
E-store
Digital marketing agency
Freelance marketing
Website design
Private detective
Wellness coach
Motivation speaker for motivation speakers
Freelance joke writer
Nail salon and pedicure for men only
Barbershop that is strictly for styling beards and moustaches
Daycare for turtles and other nonstandard pets
Daycare for teenagers
Artificial holiday shop
Dating app for clowns
An emergency cleaning service app
Rent an audience service for comedians
A birthday planning consultant
A service that texts your spouse for you while you’re at work
A bar that only serves nonalcoholic drinks
As you can see, a lot of these ideas are unlikely to work out and some of them might need more details before they become fully fleshed out.
The key here is to give yourself permission to go all over the place and think of “good” ideas only.
The day after, John does his “10 ideas list” on the first idea he had for profitable businesses to identify the next steps.
He writes “Dropshipping” at the top of the page. He comes up with the following:
Learn more about dropshipping
Look at what sells well
Look at what doesn’t sell well
Figure out what kind of investment is needed to make it work
Figure out if it’s practical enough for me to make it work
Figure out if I even like the idea of dropshipping or not
Look at potential products that I could sell as a drop shipper
Think about goals and ambitions for a dropshipping business
Look at risk vs reward
Compare drop shipping to other options
Final Thoughts on the 10 Ideas List
The 10 ideas list is a clever way to train your brain for success, solutions, and creative ideas every day and doesn’t take long to do each day (usually less than 10 minutes or so).
You can make this exercise as fun as you like and you can very quickly start to see ideas that could potentially be fantastic solutions to your problems.
It worked for James Altucher and Leonardo Da Vinci and it can no doubt work for you.
And if you want more resources on how to be more successful, be sure to check out these blog posts:
Brian Klaas’ Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters wasn’t meant to have anything to do with personal growth. The political scientist wrote it for those who are“trying to make sense of an incredibly bewildering, rapidly changing world where they feel despair about their lack of control” (himself included).
As flukes would have it, that’s the very nature of personal growth—exploring the meaning of this uncontrollable life and its significance for each and every one of us.
The thing is, we control nothing, but we influence everything. That’s the motto Brian shares with Kristina Mӓnd-Lakhiani, the host of the Mindvalley Book Club. (You can watch this interview with a free Mindvalley account.)
“Every action we do, every choice we make, every person we encounter in our lives—we’re part of this sort of intermeshed web that creates change,” he adds. “And it affects the trajectories of our lives. It affects the trajectories of other people’s lives.”
This interplay between chaos and order isn’t just a profound lesson. It’s a practical guide to harnessing the power of seemingly random events to your advantage.
The Fluke Factor: Is Your Life a Product of Randomness?
Fluke, as you may know, is an unexpected stroke of good luck, like finding a $20 bill on the sidewalk. However, in the way that Brian presents it in his book, it’s how randomness plays in your daily existence.
Missed train, burnt toast, wrong turn, heartbreak, a split-second decision… these “flukes,” it turns out, might actually be pivotal moments steering your life’s direction. It’s essentially chaos theory in motion—small actions can lead to significant, unforeseen outcomes.
You can’t write out the chaos… Our lives exist somewhere between chaos and order, right? It’s not complete disorder. It’s not complete order.
— Brian Klaas, political scientist and author of Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
Take the movie Sliding Doors, for instance. Helen’s life takes two drastically different paths, depending on whether she catches a single train.
Brian’s own personal anecdote about a tragic event involving his ancestor, which, though devastating, indirectly paved the path for his own existence.
These seemingly random events highlight how big of an impact chance encounters can have on our life’s trajectory.
That can make everything seem like it’s predestined—maktub, for lack of a better word—and if that’s the case, our life is out of our control.
The thing is, there’s a constant effort to make sense of the messy world around us, especially in fields like sociology and political science. We try to create clear-cut models to explain complex issues, like how societies function or how our life unfolds. These models, like economic forecasts, give us a sense of order.
Life, however, is rarely that predictable. Unexpected events and uncertainties are part of the equation. Trying to force everything into a neat narrative just doesn’t work.
“You can’t write out the chaos,” Brian states. Our lives exist somewhere between chaos and order, where “it’s not complete disorder, it’s not complete order.”
Does Accepting Flukes Mean You’re Sitting On Your Laurels?
While you can’t control everything, that doesn’t mean you sit back and twiddle your thumbs. Instead, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of life allows you to overcome perfectionism and, instead, focus more effectively on the areas where you can make a difference.
Let’s take Kristina as an example. She, too, is in this life due to a “mass murder,” thanks to a “pretty bloodthirsty dictatorship.”
But instead of sitting on her laurels, she’s injecting goodness into the world where she can—through her book Becoming Flawesome: The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life, through her interactions on the Mindvalley Book Club, by being a mother, and so on and so forth.
“The key takeaway is to act with good intentions, even though the outcome might be uncertain,” says Brian. So strike up a conversation with a stranger, plant a tree, write a book… not because you can predict the butterfly effect of these actions, but because you aim to inject positive energy into the world.
“I think it’s actually a happier way to live—to acknowledge the limits of your control,” he adds, “but then, try to maximize the way that you influence the world according to your values and passions and desires and the people you care about and so on.”
The fact of the matter is, some things are out of your control, like where you’re born or your natural talents. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. You can still try to influence the world around you based on your values and goals.
The key takeaway is to act with good intentions, even though the outcome might be uncertain.
— Brian Klaas, political scientist and author of Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
This way, you find a balance between accepting randomness and taking responsibility for your actions. It’s a more realistic and, ultimately, happier way to live.
My new book—FLUKE: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters—is out now! Linking chaos theory to humanity, it explains why our lives—and societies—are swayed by random, accidental, arbitrary forces, and how to better live with that knowledge. pic.twitter.com/pKCVfTRm5D
If you cannot eliminate chaos, the question then is: what do you do with it?
“There’s actually some upside to it,” says Brian, “if you understand how to embrace it, harness it, and play with it more effectively.”
Here are a few ways he suggests to find the calm within the chaos of life:
1. Schedule time for leisure and contemplation
Sometimes the most impactful moments come from embracing the unexpected. So make room for unstructured time in your day.
That doesn’t mean mindless scrolling or social media binges. Instead, set aside dedicated breaks for activities that allow your mind to wander and explore—a walk in nature, practicing meditation, or engaging in a free-flowing creative pursuit like drawing or playing music.
“Human brains need the space to think,” Brian explains. “They need the space to create.”
It’s what science calls leisure-time invention, where a spark of creativity hits you while you’re relaxing and not under pressure to perform. You might be surprised by what flows from simply allowing yourself to be present in the moment.
2. Focus on building resilience rather than optimization
Google “life hacks” or “self-help” in general, and what you get is advice on optimizing your life to eliminate the inefficiency. It’s a lot of “How can you hustle a little bit faster, a little bit more efficiently, and so on?”
Brian argues that when you optimize too much, you “actually create a lack of resilience.” And any slight disruption can send us into disarray.
For example, from a social system standpoint, a gust of wind turned a ship sideways in the Suez Canal in 2021. This fluke froze nearly $10 billion in trade a day, causing a mega-nightmare in the global trade industry.
“We engineered systems that have no resilience,” Brian explains. “They’re extremely brittle, precisely because they are optimized to the limit, right? So when anything goes wrong, when the little noise or randomness of life enters the picture, everything falls apart.”
That happened with the Arab Spring, 9/11, and even the pandemic. Similarly, when we optimize our own lives, a slight disruption can send the whole thing crashing down. A meticulously planned morning, for instance, can crumble if you accidentally burn your toast or your child wakes up sick.
The thing is, resilience, according to research, can help you have better emotional regulation, recover faster from stress, and have the ability to find meaning and growth even in negative situations.
So, as Brian advises, instead of trying to optimize every aspect of your life, focus on building resilience.
3. Rethink success and find meaning beyond work
Society often defines success in terms of productivity, status, and material wealth. Be the next Elon Musk, the next Jeff Bezos, the next Oprah Winfrey… However, we’re all different. There’s only one Elon in this world. One Jeff. One Oprah. And one you.
“All eight billion people have different values, different interests, different passions, different goals,” Brian points out. “And yet, we all are trying to get the same script about how to live a life. And I think that’s very counterproductive.”
He suggests that you re-evaluate your definition of success. What truly matters to you? Is it connecting with others, making a positive impact on the world, or simply living a life filled with curiosity and exploration?
By prioritizing these intrinsic values, you can discover a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment. And one that goes far beyond the confines of your job title or bank account.
Awaken Your Unstoppable
So the question is: is life a fluke? Yes, according to Brian. “One tiny fluke can change everything in an instant.”
Like you reading these words—it’s a chance encounter, a fortunate click that brought you here. But what if you could harness the power of these “flukes” to create your own unstoppable momentum?
The Mindvalley Book Club with Kristina Mӓnd-Lakhiani is a gateway to a world where every book opens a new door, every discussion sparks a new idea, and every member could be the catalyst to your next big breakthrough.
You’ll get exclusive access to her monthly picks of the hottest, most thought-provoking self-help books, plus notifications about her weekly podcasts, where she chats with brilliant authors like Brian Klaas.
Sign up now and start turning flukes into opportunities.
Success mantras can help us through tough times and give us a boost of energy to carry on. They can empower us to have the confidence to work toward our dreams.
However, many seemingly positive mantras are actually sabotaging us.
So before we jump into the list of mantras you can adopt to uplift your spirit daily, let’s clear the air.
Here’s how Mindvalley Coach co-founder Ajit Nawalkha breaks down three popularized mantras for success that may secretly sabotage your growth and progress.
3 Daily Mantras for Success That May Be Secretly Sabotaging You
Though they seem to have a positive premise, these affirmations can limit your potential. Here’s why you should use them with caution.
1. Don’t quit
On the surface, this appears to be one of the most powerful mantras for success. To stay in the game and see things through is often associated with great qualities like perseverance and hard work.
But here’s something not many people talk about; not knowing when to quit leads to one of the biggest problems of the 21st century. And more often than not, it leads to burnout.
When you’re determined to stick to something no matter what, you’re blind to the signs that show you when you need to slow down. You could be sacrificing your health or time with your kids just so you can make a million dollars in 12 months instead of 24.
A much smarter and more effective approach is to create multiple milestones when you chart your plan for success.
Do this, and you’ll be able to reflect on how far you’ve come and whether you’re on the right track every time you hit a milestone.
You’ll also be able to change direction and choose a different goal that truly makes you fulfilled.
2. Never blow your own horn
Think back to when you were growing up. Did your well-meaning parents tell you to never talk about your own achievements? Did they tell you your work would speak for itself?
Maybe it was your aunt or a godparent who told you that “good girls” or “good boys” never bragged about themselves.
The truth is, the world we live in now is very different from the world inhabited by previous generations.
Inventions and innovations we take for granted today could only have been found on the pages of science fiction magazines a few decades ago.
While there is more opportunity now to achieve success and happiness than at any other time in history, these same opportunities have also created a highly competitive marketplace.
In the 20th century, it was the norm to go to work for the same company from the time you joined the workforce to the day you retired.
Now, jobs come and go in a flash. Entire technologies become redundant overnight (remember the typewriter?)
The only way to stand out in this noisy, ever-changing world is to talk about yourself. You need to speak up about your achievements, wins, and abilities; otherwise, you run the risk of getting lost in the crowd.
It’s not about bragging. It’s about legitimately sharing what you can do and how you can serve others in your own, unique way.
3. Always do your best
There’s nothing wrong with trying your best. However, things can go wrong when motivational mantras like this turn into perfectionism. It’s a habit that’s hard to overcome because it appears to be a success mindset.
Why not try your best and get everything perfect before you hit publish, stand up in front of a crowd, or sell your art?
The problem is, perfection doesn’t exist in the real world.
You may end up spending years—maybe even decades—looking for it, but it will never come. You’ll remain an undiscovered genius with hidden talents.
The world will never know countless works of art and life-changing inventions because the people behind them are waiting for the day they finally achieve that elusive thing called “perfection.”
Sometimes, it’s better to listen to positive affirmations like “Done is better than perfect”—so long as you find the right balance between being meticulous and getting things done.
18 Daily Mantras for Success
Following certain mantras for success and wealth without truly understanding them can lead to falling into the wrong mindset.
Instead, try adopting these affirmations that will move you toward the life you want.
Fear is temporary, but my potential to grow is unlimited.
Gratitude fuels my drive and joy in the journey.
I release negativity and embrace positive possibilities.
My thoughts shape my reality. I choose empowering thoughts.
Mantras for taking action
I take daily action, no matter how small, towards my goals.
I prioritize tasks and focus on what truly matters.
I break down large goals into manageable steps.
I seek support and collaboration when needed.
I celebrate my achievements, big and small.
I listen to my intuition and make decisions with confidence.
Mantras for challenging times
I embrace discomfort and step outside my comfort zone.
Today is a new day, filled with new possibilities.
I breathe deeply and find calm amid challenges.
I trust the process and surrender to the flow of life.
Remember, success is subjective, and finding the best mantras for success is individual. Choose the ones that resonate with your unique goals and values.
Turn Your Mantras Into a Game Plan
If your life isn’t where you want it to be, take a close look at the beliefs and ideas that are driving your everyday decisions and behavior.
Reflect on whether the mantras you use make you feel empowered or trapped, and remember to be selective.
Affirmations are great for overcoming doubts, but there’s something even more effective: a clear roadmap.
Learn an actionable and future-proof game plan for building a fulfilling and transformative coaching career in the free Become a Mindvalley Certified Life Coachmasterclass.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Boosting productivity is an art form, and the more tools you have to help you, the faster you’ll see results.
One of the simplest and easiest ways to make the most of your waking hours is to measure the time you spend unengaged on your most important tasks (MITs) and then create processes to put yourself back on the right path.
When you understand where your time is occupied, you’ll be able to see why you’re getting the results you are (positive or negative).
Understanding the Power of a Time Audit
One process that can help you get the most out of your work hours is something called a time audit. This involves tracking what activities you do and where you spend most of your time over a given period.
This period can be a few days, a week, or even a month. We recommend a week, as it gives you a good amount of data to work with.
A time audit is simple to perform, and there are tons of ways you can make it work for you.
Step 1: Choose Your Method
Start by researching your options. There are plenty to choose from:
Pen and paper
Apps
Spreadsheets
Journals
Think about what works best for you, whether for ease of use, privacy, or what you want to do with your time audit. In some cases, you can generate reports to help make the information easier to use.
If in doubt, pick an option and try it for a day to see if it fits you or not.
Step 2: Record Your Activities
Get used to jotting down your activities and the time you spend on them. Set reminders or alarms that remind you throughout the day. It can be easy to log tasks at first, but as the day goes on, this can often get pushed from your mind.
Create a detailed log for each day to record the start and end time of each activity. For example:
Activity
Start – End
Meeting with team
9:30 – 10:15
Work on project
10:15 – 13:20
Lunch
13:20 – 13:50
Emails
13:55 – 14:55
Meeting
15:00 – 15:45
Try to be as detailed as possible for your activity entries, as this helps the information you’re getting from the audit have the best utility for you.
For example, instead of “Emails,” you could put “Email Marketing Team and Team Leaders.”
If you do a block of three hours of work, record exactly what tasks you did.
Step 3: Include Small Details
The more detailed you can be, the better.
Pay attention to every aspect of your day, noting the minor tasks, the interruptions, and any breaks you have. Thoroughly note down not just the main activities, but also any incidental tasks you complete, as well as distractions that capture your attention.
You can even comment on situations or pin additional notes to your daily log to explain the context that you might forget.
Be mindful of every facet of your day, including the minor tasks, interruptions, and breaks.
Step 4: Review
Set aside time at the end of each day or week to review your daily logs.
Evaluate the areas where you spend the most time, look for any patterns that stick out to you, and note these down if applicable. When you’ve completed this, look for areas where your planned tasks and the time you’ve spent on them don’t match up.
Look for any reasons why this might be so.
For example:
If you allocated three hours to work on a specific task or project, but you’re consistently finding that you only worked for an hour or two on most days, identify why this is.
Perhaps distractions are adding up and diverting your attention away from a task.
Maybe there is a lot of unaccounted time around that specific task.
Other tasks or projects might be getting in the way of you getting enough time for that specific task.
Step 5: Look for Areas of Improvement
Once you’ve identified data trends and patterns showing where your time is being spent, and any discrepancies in planned time, it’s time to snip out the time wasters.
Start by identifying tasks that are sucking a lot of time away and not providing much in the way of results.
Look for strategies you can use to claw back your time. Set boundaries with snooping coworkers, friends, and family, and look at productivity techniques or tools you can use to stop distractions from hijacking your attention.
Step 6: Adjust Your Schedule
Take your analysis and look for ways you can alter your schedule to match your plans.
One way you can do this is by ranking your tasks. If low-priority tasks are taking up too much time, then change your schedule so that the high-priority tasks go first in the day.
Another way is to look at your goals and objectives, and then check to see if the tasks you’re completing every week line up with those goals.
Anything that is low-priority or doesn’t align with your goals should be given less priority in your schedule.
Step 7: Implement and Monitor
Take what you’ve learned from the previous steps and keep track of how the changes you’ve made impact your schedule.
It can take a few times before you get your schedule to the point where you’re happy with it.
You might switch some tasks around, only to find out that you need to reprioritize other things.
On the other hand, you might find that adding extra time to a task doesn’t lead to any productivity increases.
This is why tracking and monitoring are so important. Someone might do fine working with a schedule where they just hammer out a single task for five hours, but others might need to tweak the time they spend on certain tasks and projects to get the best bang for their buck.
Putting It All Together: Time-Tracking Example
Let’s see how we can put this together with the help of an App called aTimeLogger2.
Using this app, you can create “buckets” for each different facet of your business.
For example, the app site shows various example buckets, such as self-care, sport, sleep, and transport.
For an online business that focuses on content creation, you might narrow your buckets down to:
Writing
Social media
Education
People management (relevant to a solopreneur if you’re using freelancers or have a small team)
Admin
Blogging actions
Thinking/planning
Start your timer whenever you work on something business-related.
Review these numbers every month to make sure you’re spending time on the most important activities.
Time-Tracking Benefits
Following this approach has many potential benefits. While it might take a little getting used to at first, the effort will pay for itself 10 times over.
Here’s what you can expect to start seeing if you practice time tracking regularly:
Steady and continuous improvement – Time tracking is a tool for self-reflection that leads to the constant development of efficiency as you review your logs, set new targets, and adjust your strategies.
Greater work-life balance – Time tracking isn’t just about setting targets and being more efficient, it’s also about creating boundaries. Instead of allocating time frivolously, you put in the hours that something needs and then can more freely enjoy your life elsewhere.
Improved decision-making skills – Time tracking is one of the most valuable ways to get data that can inform the decisions you make around your business. It helps with planning, strategizing, and assessing project timelines.
Improved focus and concentration – If you don’t know how you’re spending your time or don’t pay attention to it, it can be an uphill battle to become more efficient and productive. Time tracking makes you conscious of how you use your time on any given day, and change flows very naturally from there.
Also, if you want to know how to stop wasting time and be more productive, then watch this video:
Final Thoughts on Time Audit
Taking the time to do regular time tracking can transform how you perform each day. It’s hard to overstate just what this practice can do for you and your business, and it is especially useful for solopreneurs.
When you don’t have a manager allocating tasks and project timelines, you have to learn to do it for yourself. Time tracking is one of the best ways to do this.
Here’s a quick summary of everything we have covered about time tracking:
Start by selecting which method you want to use for time tracking (pen-and-paper, Google Docs and Excel, or apps).
Created a daily log of all your activities.
Make this log as detailed as possible.
Review this log every week (or every day, if you like).
Look for patterns that distract you or ways you can improve based on what the data tells you.
Adjust your schedule based on what you find.
Implement this, and watch closely to see how any changes you make impact your day.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
We always hear about people who are able to reach fame at an early age, but it isn’t often that people talk about late bloomers. These are the people who seem to be late in meeting society’s unwritten milestone calendar.
They may be seen as not living up to their potential or even being failures, but this is far from the truth.
People develop at different rates and a lot of factors go into how and when individuals find success. Even defining what success means can make a difference.
Let’s look at some factors that go into why a person may not find success until later in life.
Why Are Some People Late Bloomers?
The Harvard Business Review conducted a study to determine the dominant factors that indicate whether or not a person will succeed.
The study found that success was primarily due to a combination of having the right idea, at the right time, and being passionateabout pursuing the goal. Sometimes those right ideas come later in life.
Other factors also come into play when determining one’s rate of success:
Poverty can prevent a person from having the means to act on their dreams. In order to succeed, you need to have access to both financial means and education. You also need to have access to the knowledge of what type of help is available.
Mental health issues such as PTSD can make a child feel like joy is non-existent. They grow up without passion and excitement, both of which are necessary to reach a dream.
Some people are what are known as Renaissance Souls. They have so many interests that once they reach a certain plateau with one, they are off seeking new adventures. They can’t focus on one thing.
Other people are perpetual learners. They feel that the longer they do something, the more they learn. These people do not seek a particular physical goal. For them, the journey and knowledge gained mean the most.
When Is It Too Late to Switch Gears in Life?
The answer to this question is a resounding NEVER!! There are many resources available today that those in the past didn’t have. You have the world at your fingertips with the Internet databases, online classes, access to professional and personal connections, and much more.
As long as you don’t give up on your dreams, you can succeed. While having a support network is a big help, many have succeeded by sheer willpower alone, even when it seemed everyone they knew thought they were crazy.
Keep learning, keep dreaming, and keep striving to reach that goal. Motivation is key.
Food for Thought: 35 People Who Became Successful Later in Life
1. Colonel Harland Sanders
Left school in seventh grade and worked several jobs, often quitting in anger or getting fired. At the age of 40, he ran a small gas station and opened a small restaurant in the apartment next to the station. Word soon spread and business grew.
In 1952, at the age of 62, Sanders opened the first Kentucky Fried Chicken, and history was set in motion.
2. Fauja Singh
Was born with a disorder that left him unable to take his first steps until the age of five. When his wife and two children died, he looked for a way to fill the empty spot in his life and started running again. He was in his late 80s at the time.
He ran his first marathon at the age of 89 and became the first 100-year-old to run a marathon in 2011. He has been an Olympic torch bearer on two occasions, once at the age of 101, and has broken several running records in his age category.
3. Julia Child
Couldn’t cook when she graduated from Smith College. She spent time working in advertising and later worked in government intelligence. During that time she fell in love with French cuisine and started to cook it when she could.
She wrote her first cookbook at the age of 50 and gained a reputation as one of the top French chefs in the world. She eventually became the first woman inducted into the Culinary Institute Hall of Fame.
4. Laura Ingalls Wilder
Quit school at the age of sixteen and worked with a local dressmaker. She was in her forties when she started writing but it wasn’t until she was in her 60s that she wrote Little House in the Big Woods and she began to gain a following.
Over the next decade, she continued to write the Little House books.
5. Ray Kroc
Was only 16 when WWII broke out and he lied about his age and was assigned to drive a Red Cross ambulance throughout the war. Once his enlistment was over, he spent the next few decades as a traveling salesman who sold paper cups and milkshake machines.
Ray Kroc
He teamed up with the McDonald brothers when he was in his 50s to start the first McDonald’s fast-food restaurant in 1954.
6. Grandma Moses
Only briefly attended a one-room schoolroom. When she reached her 60s, she picked up her brush. It would take another decade before her work was noticed. Once they were, she ended up having her paintings displayed at the Museum of Modern Art.
Before her death at the age of 101, she produced about 1500 pieces.
7. Leo Goodwin Sr.
Was working as an accountant and dabbled in the insurance arena on the side. When in his 50s, he began to think that he could lower the cost of insurance if he could find a way to sell to the customer directly.
He started the Government Employee Insurance Company in 1936. It has since grown into what is known as GEICO, one of the largest car insurance companies in this nation.
8. Duncan Hines
Attended Bowling Green University and when he graduated became a traveling salesman for a printing company. He spent a lot of time eating out and decided, at the age of 55, to write a book about his culinary experience, Adventures in Good Eating.
This book was so well received that he became a food critic. By the time he was in his 70s, his high standards as a critic had product developers asking him to use his name on their products to indicate they were high quality.
9. Peter Mark Roget
Was a physician who graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1798. From an early age, Roget suffered from depression and found that spending hours categorizing words, making lists, and finding similarities and differences in the lists helped him deal with his depression.
In his early 70s, Roget published his lists in a book that would become Roget’s Thesaurus. This book has sold millions of copies and has never been out of print since its first edition.
10. Henry Ford
Started out as an engineer under Thomas Edison. Learning how cars were developed, he founded Ford Motor Company at the age of forty, with many innovative changes in both work processes and design. Five years later, the first Model T was introduced to the public.
11. Sam Walton
Graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in economics. He joined the Army and eventually rose to the rank of Captain. After his discharge, he made many attempts at running retail businesses.
While each failed, he took what he learned from each attempt and finally put these lessons into play when he started the first Wal-Mart at the age of 44.
12. Charles Darwin
Got a MA from Christ’s College. He entered medical school but didn’t finish. Instead, he chose to join the crew of the HMS Beagle when he was 21.
When he returned home, he suffered an illness that he was to fight off and on for the next few decades. When he could, he wrote of his voyage. Finally, at the age of 50, Darwin published On the Origin of the Species.
13. Stan Lee
Graduated with a BS degree when he was only 16-1/2. While studying, he also worked several part-time jobs. He started working in comics but didn’t move up the ranks until he was in his 40s.
At that time, he hit on the idea for The Fantastic Four and success was imminent. After that, he created Spiderman, Black Panther, X-Men, and many others. He is still active at the age of 95.
14. Momofuku Ando
Studied Economics at Ritsumeikan University. After leaving school, he opened his own textile company. At one point, he was arrested for tax evasion. He filed for bankruptcy and ended up losing almost everything he had worked for.
He took what little money he could gather and purchased Nissan, which was a small salt-producing company. At the age of 50, he perfected his idea of a cheaper noodle, and Chikin Ramen was introduced. When he was 61, he then introduced cup noodles.
15. John Fenn
Got his first academic appointment at Princeton when he was 35. For years, he did research and published with little success. It wasn’t until after he was forced to retire at the age of 70 that a paper he published at 67 got noticed.
In his mid-80s, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating a way to measure ribosomes and viruses, a method found in every lab today.
16. Nelson Mandela
Was in his 40s when he found his voice as an activist. He was arrested on numerous occasions and eventually spent 27 years in prison, where he studied law.
After his release from prison, he continued speaking out and was elected as his country’s president at the age of 76.
17. Harry Bernstein
Was considered a mediocre scriptwriter most of his life, retiring at the age of 62. He started writing his memoir when he was 96 and this is where he found success.
After this book, The Invisible Wall, he published three more books, one at 98, one at 99, and one at 100.
18. Jeffrey Brotman
Earned a degree in Political Science and then a J.D. in 1967. At the age of 40, he joined forces with a partner and opened the first Costco.
He remained chairman until his death at the age of 74. Costco has grown to over 736 stores nationwide.
19. Gladys Burrill
Had polio as a child and didn’t become active until she was in her 40s. After that time, she came to pilot multi-engine planes, climb Mt. Hood in Oregon and hiked the Arizona deserts.
At the age of 86, she ran her first marathon. She completed the Honolulu Marathon at the age of 96 and holds the world’s record for the oldest woman to complete a marathon.
20. Joseph A. Campbell
Opened his canned goods company at the age of 52. He sold canned tomatoes, condiments, and jellies, but never developed his first condensed soup, tomato soup, until he was 78 years old.
Campbell’s condensed tomato soup changed the way the world viewed canned soup.
21. Miguel de Cervantes
Spent time as a military prisoner. He became a tax collector and we don’t hear much of him until he wrote Don Quixote when he was 58.
This book has been touted as the first version of the novel as we know it. It has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible.
22. Jack Cover
Earned a doctorate in Nuclear Physics. He spent time working with NASA’s Apollo program, IBM, and Hughes Aircraft. When he was in his 40s he designed the taser that is used by law enforcement personnel around the world.
He named his creation after a Tom Swift move, Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle.
23. Donald Fisher
Had a BS in Business and no retail experience at all when he founded the first GAP store in his 40s. He envisioned a place where people could buy all their favorite styles in a wide variety of sizes.
He eventually founded the GAP label and they became the first chain to use the store name as the brand name.
24. Ian Fleming
Attended many schools in his life but barely passed classes and was asked to leave a few because of his behavior. He went to work for Britain’s Naval Intelligence Division and wrote in his spare time.
He wrote his first James Bond novel when he was 44. In all, he wrote 11 James Bond novels; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and two short story collections, all before his death at the age of 56.
25. Taikichiro Mori
Graduated from Tokyo College of Commerce. At 51, with no prior real estate experience, he founded Mori Building Company.
In 1992, it was so successful he was considered the richest man in the world.
26. Toni Morrison
Earned a MA in English. She taught for a time and then became the first black female editor at Random House.
She was just shy of 40 when her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published. She has since won both Nobel and Pulitzer prizes for her books.
27. Kathryn Joosten
Was a psychiatric nurse for most of her adult life. At the age of 42, she joined a local community theater. This continued until, at the age of 60, she got her break by being cast in a role on West Wing.
28. Ralph Roberts
Used his Business degree from Wharton to buy a small local community antenna TV system at the age of 43.
He incorporated this business as Comcast, a name he invented by combining the terms communication and broadcasting, and helped it grow into the largest TV network in the United States.
29. J. R. R. Tolkien
Was originally homeschooled but attended Oxford College, where he graduated with first-class honors in English and Literature.
His first novel, The Hobbit, was published at the age of 45 and he didn’t complete Lord of the Rings until he was 56.
30. John Warnock
Failed 9th-grade math but ended up earning a BS in Mathematics and Philosophy and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.
At the age of 42, he founded Adobe and he was 52 when he came up with the idea for Portable Document Format (PDF).
31. Bob Ross
Dropped out of school in the ninth grade. He enlisted in the Air Force where he spent the next 20 years yelling orders. He taught himself to paint and did so to relax.
After leaving the Air Force, at the age of 41, he gained fame for his quick painting style.
32. John Pemberton
Earned his medical degree and worked as a pharmacist. He suffered a saber wound and became addicted to heroin.
John Pemberton
This compelled him to try and create a pain reliever that wasn’t addictive. In the end, he stumbled upon the formula for Coca-Cola when he was 55 years old.
33. Vera Wang
Has a degree in art history. She started figure skating at 8 but an injury ended that as a career. She then tried her hand at journalism, without much success.
When she was 40, she opened her first bridal boutique and it has now grown to include locations in NY, London, Tokyo, and Sydney.
34. Wally Blume
Had a degree in Industrial Economics. He used his career in the dairy business to start his own ice cream company at the age of 57.
Since then, Denali Flavors, who introduced us to Moose Tracks, has realized revenue of over $80 million.
35. Tom Allen
Never started doing yoga until he was in his 50s. When he retired from the pharmaceutical company he worked at, when he was 60, he started teaching yoga. In the early years, he taught six classes a week.
Today, he still teaches two classes a week and is considered Britain’s oldest yoga instructor at the age of 90.
Final Thoughts on People Who Succeed Later in Life
One thing we can take away from this list is that there isno limit to the age a person can realize success. What is most important in eventual success is passion, determination, and a willingness to put aside the negative thoughts and stereotypes society places on us when it comes to what is and what is not appropriate for a particular age.
The people on this list had to overcome many hardships, including a few who had to learn to handle anger. And there are more success stories like these. In the end, however, they are among many who have shaped the world, with or without a college degree. And I, for one, couldn’t imagine a world without their influence.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Do you think that you’re past the point of being able to achieve your goals? Are you over 40 and feel stuck with your career? Perhaps you wanted to run a marathon but you feel like an ancient amongst saplings when you look at most other runners. Think you’re too old to find love?
Well, we’re here to tell you that it’s never too late to start – and we’re going to prove it to you.
By the time you’ve read through this article, you will understand that the idea that you are too old/too inexperienced/not good enough to begin something will be a thing of the past.
At the very least, you’ll know that it’s a false belief.
Your Beliefs Determine Your Reality
Have you ever had any of the following thoughts?
“I’m too old to change careers.”
“I’m too old to start a business.”
“I’m too old to start dating again.”
“I’m too old to learn.”
“I’m too old to run a marathon/improve my fitness.”
The ones listed above (and many others) are all common beliefs that are perfectly reasonable things to think. Most people would understand you not attempting to run a marathon at 55, but that doesn’t make this correct.
So, we will break down all the bulleted points above and explain why they are untrue and hinder you from living a life you are more than capable of attaining.
I’m Too Old To Change Careers
Grandma Moses grew up in New York on an upstate farm, she worked as a hired girl (helping with cooking, sewing, and cleaning) married, had children, and by all accounts had a normal life by the standards of her time.
Numerous instances exist where individuals entirely shifted their careers later in life.
She was also a painter, and one of her paintings currently hangs in the White House. She didn’t pick up a paintbrush professionally until the age of 78.
There are countless examples of people who completely changed their careers at a later date.
Here’s some more:
Samuel Jackson didn’t strike it big as an actor until he was in his 40s (his breakthrough role was Pulp Fiction)- he worked various jobs (including as a social worker and stand-up comedian).
Stan Lee didn’t start comic book writing until the age of 40 – before that, he wrote obituaries and press releases.
Alan Rickman (famous for Die Hard and Harry Potter) didn’t start acting until his mid-20s, before that he worked as a graphic designer.
Arnold Schwarzenegger first started as a bodybuilder in his 20s, before becoming an action star in his 30s, and then later the governor of California at 56.
I’m Too Old To Start a Business
A huge portion of successful business initiatives were launched after the age of 50 – in fact, you may have a hidden advantage.
Harvard Business Review found the average age of a successful start-up is 45 years old. With age comes experience, and better experience leads to better decisions. Younger people start more businesses, but their lack of experience causes them to take risks that lead to failure.
Here are some examples:
Julia Child became a chef after writing her first cookbook at the age of 50.
Jeff Bezos worked in computer science and quit to launch his company at 31.
Arianna Huffington founded The Huffington Post at age 55 (selling it to AOL for $315 million).
Colonel Sanders launched KFC at the age of 62.
I’m Too Old To Start Dating
While there’s nothing wrong with choosing to be single, feeling that you must be single because you’re too old to look for love is an unnecessary tragedy.
There are countless internet dating apps and sites that are devoted to helping people meet:
These sites host millions of people with a good proportion of users over the age of 40. If it was impossible to find love at an older age, these websites would go out of business very quickly.
I’m Too Old To Learn
This is one of the more common excuses.
People say variations of: “I don’t have the energy, too tired, don’t have the memory I used to” and it’s true that our brains decline as we age – but that’s only partly true.
Your brain only declines if you misuse it.
This study found that a basic meditation practice can counteract the effects of age-related cognitive decline. There’s more and more scientific literature showing that behaviors that train the brain (like mediation) have a large impact on how it functions.
Your brain is neuroplastic, which means that it can change or build itself in response to stimuli.
As a human, your brain never loses this ability and stays with you for life. This means that, biologically, you are quite literally never too old to learn.
I’m Too Old To Run a Marathon
The brain is neuroplastic but it turns out that your muscles are as well. Your muscles are one of the most adaptable parts of your body and they never lose their capacity to change according to stimuli.
Whether that’s weight training or endurance training this is a very well-established science at this stage. We know for a fact that elderly people who are reasonably healthy and training will enhance and improve their fitness over time in the same way that a reasonably 20 or 30-year-old would.
Here are some examples:
Fauja Singh – ran marathons in his 80s and continued to compete in his 100s.
Sister Madonna Buder – AKA the “Iron Nun” has run over 45 triathlons and completed her first in her late 40s.
Ernestine Shepherd – started bodybuilding at the age of 56 and became the world’s oldest competitive female bodybuilder.
Satchel Paige – considered by many to be one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time didn’t start playing in the American League until the age of 42.
An Action Plan For New Beginnings
Here’s how you embrace the “never too late to start” philosophy.
Reflect on Your Goals
Start by taking stock of your goals.
Write your goals or aspirations down on the left side of a piece of paper, and on the right side ask yourself, “Am I too old for this?.”
Point out all the reasons that you think you can’t achieve a goal. These are the limiting beliefs holding you back.
Out of all the goals identify the one that is most important to you.
Take Small But Consistent Action
Embracing the “never too late” philosophy is all about breaking limiting beliefs. How do you do that?
The only way is to convince your subconscious that you aren’t. The only way to do that is to take action every day.
This doesn’t necessarily have to be massive amounts of action. If you wanted to run a marathon, for example, you could do 5 minutes of exercise each day for a month and then as you get fitter, slowly increase the amount of time you spend exercising.
It could be as simple as spending 10 minutes every day brainstorming ideas for a business.
Take small concrete steps toward your goal and you’ll find that sooner or later you start to banish limiting beliefs about your age.
Embrace The Growth Mindset
It’s important to not compare your progress to other people and instead identify how you are getting better on a day-to-day, week-by-week, month-by-month, or year-by-year basis.
Look at any challenges that come up in your path as opportunities for growth, no matter how difficult or how long it takes.
Remember to keep in mind that your body is adaptable up until the day you die, which means that whatever challenges you face, you will get stronger in response to them.
Want to learn how you can develop a growth mindset attitude? In this video, we define the growth mindset, talk about how it can help you and provide 11 actionable strategies to add it to your life.
Celebrate Your Progress
No matter how small or how insignificant, acknowledge and celebrate any progress you make. This is direct evidence that it’s never too late to start on something and begin working towards it.
How you celebrate your progress is entirely up to you, but even the simple acknowledgment that your efforts are paying off can work wonders.
Focus on the journey and not the destination, many people choose to spend their older years squandering their potential instead of making use of the capabilities and wisdom that they’ve developed.
The Benefits
Outside of the obvious benefit of achieving your goals and potentially greatly improving your life, embracing the idea of its never too late to start has some potent upsides:
Persistence and resilience: When you realize that it’s up to you when you start or finish (no matter how young or old you are) can give you tremendous persistence and tenacity. Instead of thinking that you must have everything figured out quickly, or else, you play the long game. Nothing breeds success quite like putting your time in.
Regret and self-doubt: Some people fall into the trap of thinking their time has passed to do what they want to do, and then become regretful and take blows to their self-esteem as they get older – but if you’re actively working towards what you want? There’s no room for regret.
You become a shining beacon for others: There’s nothing quite as motivating as someone succeeding when everyone around them expects them to give up. When you embrace this idea you become a tremendous example for other people to follow.
Final Thoughts on Starting Now!
In a world that tells us that we become less useful as we get older, daring to spit in the face of that conventional wisdom can be incredibly empowering. It’s never too late to start, no matter who you are or what your circumstances.
Here’s a summary of everything we talked about:
If you tell yourself it’s too late to start you’ll believe it.
There are countless examples of people who have achieved amazing success in their later years, whether that’s changing professions or founding businesses.
When you get older you have the advantage of more experience, which helps you make better decisions.
To embrace the “it’s never too late to start” philosophy, reflect on your goals and identify which one is most important, take small steps every day to achieve it, embrace the growth mindset, and celebrate your progress.
And if you want more resources about success principles, be sure to check out these blog posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Improving something by 1 percent every day simply means looking for very small positive changes that you can make every day that help you get closer to your most important goals and objectives.
In fact, this philosophy of self-development is widely regarded in the Far East.
The Japanese have a philosophy called kaizen, which can be roughly translated to “change for better” or “continuous improvement.” You can apply this way of thinking to pretty much anything.
The Japanese apply this to industry, business, management, and any product or service that you can imagine.
The idea of perpetually refining something is a large part of Japanese culture, but you can make it a part of your personal culture, too.
What Does it Mean to Get 1% Better Every Day?
While it can be easy to get hung up on exactly what “1 percent improvement” looks like it just means that no matter how small or trivial a change looks to be, as long as it helps you in some way and you can do it every day, it’s good.
Here are some examples:
A 1 percent improvement in fitness could be something as simple as doing a 5-minute walk every day (or even a 1-minute walk).
A 1 percent improvement in business could be brainstorming new ideas for 5-10 minutes when you’re commuting or have some dead time.
A 1 percent improvement in your morning routine could be having a healthier breakfast, going to bed 10 or 20 minutes earlier, or meditating for 5 minutes in the morning to clear your mind.
A 1 percent improvement in giving up smoking could mean giving up one cigarette each day for a month, and then giving up another one after a month, etc.
These very small “1 percent” changes add up over time, and they make profoundly positive impacts on your life.
The Principles of Continuous Improvement
“The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus.” – Bruce Lee
Making small, incremental improvements is not about trying to move mountains, it’s about seeing how you can make small, positive changes every day.
In Japan, companies that embrace kaizen do the following:
Study their different processes and procedures every day, and make plans on what needs improvement.
Cut away waste and focus on what provides the best results.
Make it a priority to quickly learn from mistakes.
Toyota (which is the largest automobile manufacturer in the world) holds kaizen as one of its core principles.
The Small Changes Every Day vs the Change Everything Now Approach
One well-known way to change your life is what is commonly referred to as the “New Year’s Resolution method.”
Under this method, an individual decides to achieve their dream job, find a perfect partner, get in the best shape of their life, declutter everything, and perhaps bring about world peace when they get the chance.
A widely recognized approach to transform your life is often described as the “New Year’s Resolution method.”
There’s nothing wrong with ambition and taking big steps, but if you already have a lot on your plate, there’s a very good chance you’re going to fall off the wagon, and all of your good intentions will topple over along with you.
A Little Everyday Goes a Long Way
Instead of thinking big, consider what small changes you can create that will compound over time.
Instead of writing a book over a single month, spread it out into small, 30-minute blocks.
Instead of going to a fitness book camp and torturing yourself with hour-long exhaustive exercise sessions, look for ways to add small bouts of activity to your day.
If you build a side hustle or learn a skill for just 10 minutes every day, how far would you get in a year?
If you spend 10-30 minutes reading at night, how many books could you get through in a year?
Spend 20 minutes looking at what bothers you, and figure out small things you can do that will make life easier for you.
This kind of planning and thinking can be revolutionary.
Instead of gung-ho goals (which can be exciting and overwhelming), you focus on small details that add up to huge results over time.
The Power of Small Changes
To understand why this works, you need to understand homeostasis.
Homeostasis is a biological term that describes how your body tries to keep your physiology stable at all times, including your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose, and brainwave patterns.
If one thing goes up, another thing must come down to compensate, or else the entire system falls apart.
When you make many huge, energy-intensive changes all at once, you eat into your adaptive reserves. The technical term for this is your allostatic load, and it is the point when stress turns from adaptive to maladaptive (aka, bad for you).
What happens when you try hard but don’t see results? You feel demotivated and stop enjoying the pursuit of your goals and objectives.
Making small, incremental changes is the opposite of this. Instead of draining your adaptive reserves and causing inevitable pushback, you tiptoe your way to success.
Small, daily changes don’t have the big, juicy impact of massive action, but they fit into your daily life and compound over time to become huge changes.
The kaizen approach is like swimming with the current instead of against it. You take things slowly, make something a little better, and reduce what isn’t working for you over time.
A Constant Improvement Action Plan
“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.” – Bill Gates
Hopefully, we’ve sold you on the power of thinking small.
Let’s see how you can apply this in your life.
Start with Asking Small Questions
Challenging goals can often become paralyzing. It can be difficult to know where to start.
It can be gratifying to finally find an area of life you want to improve, such as getting more exercise, eating better, setting up a business, or improving your marriage and other relationships.
You decide what you want to focus on, but then become frustrated because you don’t know where to start.
This is where small questions come into play.
In The Kaizen Way by Rob Maurer, he claims that small questions lead to a “mental environment that welcomes unabashed creativity and playfulness.”
Smaller scope = a more playful and creative attitude.
Here are some examples from the book:
“If health were my first priority, what would I be doing differently today?”
“What is one way I can remind myself to drink more water?”
“How could I incorporate a few more minutes of exercise into my daily routine?”
“What is the one thing I can do today to improve my productivity?” (Career)
“What can I do today to reduce the balance on my credit card with the highest percentage?” (Finance)
“What is one type of healthy food that I can introduce to my diet?” (Health)
“How can I get an extra 5 to 10 minutes of relaxation during my busy work day?” (Leisure)
What is one thing I can do to show my appreciation to my spouse?” (Relationships)
“Who is struggling in the world right now and what is one small thing I can do to help them?” (Service)
“What is one quick habit I can build that will help me relax daily?” (Spirituality)
When you’re stuck with a big goal, ask yourself small questions about what small actions you can take to get you a step closer today.
Even if it seems like a tiny step forward, you are still creating forward momentum.
If you’re looking for simple daily habits that will help you make consistent, constant improvements throughout your life, then watch this video:
Build Small Habits into Your Daily Routine
Making time for important activities is easy, but what happens when the time comes and the motivation goes?
Mini habits is a term coined by Stephen Guise. He has an entire book that can help you understand this term in detail. It’s called (you guessed it) Mini Habits.
Here is a common scenario mini habits can help you with:
You’ve decided to start a business as a solopreneur.
You devote one hour a day to working on it.
Everything goes perfectly for the first week or two.
You feel the rush of working on something new and life-changing.
Your boss at your day job asks you to work late, and now you don’t have the time or energy to work on your new business.
This situation repeats itself over and over again, and now the first week of bountiful progress you made amounts to nothing.
Instead, you could do something smaller:
You start a business as a solopreneur.
You spend 10 minutes a day working on it.
You ask yourself what is the most pressing thing you should do in those 10 minutes.
There are ups and downs, but over the months you start to make very real progress on your business.
This progress becomes very motivating, and you find yourself spending more and more time on your business without having to force yourself to do so.
You keep asking questions about small things you can improve.
Some other examples:
You spend 5 minutes a day walking or jogging in place (fitness mini habit).
You write a single paragraph every day (writing mini habit).
You get out of bed 5 minutes earlier (anti-procrastination/self-discipline mini habit).
You compliment a stranger every day (social skills mini habit).
You eliminate a single sugary drink or junk food item from your diet (health mini habit).
Over time, these mini habits naturally expand. Instead of forcing yourself to run a mile, write a book, or eat clean, you organically grow your way in that direction instead.
Leverage Technology (If You Want)
Applications like Todoist can act as technological taskmasters that support healthy habits and actions.
If your life is feeling a bit packed, it’s easy to let things slip through the cracks.
Apps like Todoist give you a space to note down everything you need to do in a day, and then break those down into small steps.
Having all of this in one place can be tremendously helpful when you’re practicing the kaizen principle.
It can help you ask questions about your daily routine and enable you to see where your time might be spent either more efficiently or more fulfillingly.
For more about Todoist, how it can help you, and how you can master it, check out Todoist Master.
The Big Benefits of a Small Daily Improvement
There are some huge benefits to be had from applying the 1% daily improvement principle to your life.
You focus more on the process and less on the outcome: When you seek to improve something daily as part of a larger goal, you start to look at the process more and the outcome less. As James Clear (author of Atomic Habits) states here, winners focus on the process, because the goal doesn’t get you anywhere.
You become more patient and consider the long term: It takes time to build lasting success. If you want to own a successful business, you have to maintain effort over time.
You become more creative/innovative: When you spend time every day thinking of creative ways to make things that are important to you a little better, is it any surprise that this way of thinking starts to spill over into other areas of your life?
You become more engaged with life: When you seek out small improvements, it’s hard to not feel motivated and engaged. Instead of dreading the effort you’re going to have to put in, you feel excited about where you can go.
Final Thoughts on 1% Improvements
It’s hard to oversell the benefits of the kaizen philosophy and the power of mini habits. It doesn’t take long to see practical benefits from following this approach, and it benefits you no matter who you are or what situation you’re in. What’s not to like?
Here’s a summary of everything we’ve covered in this article:
The kaizen philosophy is about seeking small improvements in things you do every day to achieve your goals.
You start by asking yourself small questions to get started (what little thing can I do today to help me make progress?).
You combine this with mini habits, which are straightforward actions that don’t take a lot of time.
Over time, this results in huge improvements.
Finally, you reap the benefits and can be pleasantly surprised at how far you’ve come!
And if you want more resources about self-improvement, be sure to check out these blog posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
If your colleague were to earn the promotion that you were hoping for, would you be genuinely happy for them? Or would you feel envious and like you’re not good enough?
Or, if you were just shy of meeting one of your goals, would you feel defeated or would you reflect on some opportunities that you could potentially learn from?
But if your fixed mindset hasn’t budged, there is still hope for you to change that.
So in this article, we are going to provide an overview of the growth mindset and then discuss how you can adopt this mentality by reciting growth mindset statements. Then we will look at 15 examples of growth mindset statements for you to recite each day.
Let’s get started.
What Is a Growth Mindset?
First introduced by Stanford Psychologist, Carol Dweck, the idea of a fixed vs. growth mindset defines one of our most fundamental beliefs about ourselves. A “fixed mindset” assumes that we are born with the amount of talent, ability, and intelligence that we will ever have.
Because these personal characteristics won’t change with practice or experience, success only confirms one’s inherent intelligence, and displays how each person compares to their equally fixed peers.
This means that working to be successful and avoiding failure act only to help people maintain their perception of their own abilities.
Alternatively, having a growth mindset inspires people to view failure as an opportunity for growth rather than proving the limits of one’s innate intelligence.
Having a growth mindset takes the perceived restrictions off of one’s inherent abilities, and marks a starting point from which that person can grow.
People who have a growth mindset are better equipped to bounce back from inevitable setbacks and be resilient in the face of change. Having this mentality allows you to recognize that hard work and determination will help you accomplish any goal that you set out to achieve.
It allows you to believe that your true potential is unknown, and it’s impossible to predict everything that you could accomplish with enough passion, hard work, and training.
This means that this mindset can ultimately help determine your happiness and satisfaction with life, making it an important predictor of your overall well being.
The video below shares effective strategies you can try to develop your growth mindset:
Because of this, you’ll want to make every effort to develop a mentality that is the most advantageous to you. Let’s look at why you should use statements or affirmations to help you solidify this.
Why You Should Recite Statements to Attract a Growth Mindset
If you feel like you’re stuck with a fixed mindset, you can change this by reciting (or writing down) growth mindset statements every day.
This is a really simple–yet very effective–exercise that you can do to challenge your fixed mindset and reset your subconscious mind to think in a way that eliminates your current limitations and opens up new opportunities for success.
According to Walter E. Jacobson, M.D., a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist, motivational speaker, and best-selling author, reciting positive statements every day can help you attract the mentality–and ultimately, life–that you want.
Hearing yourself say these statements will encourage positive changes in your thinking and behavior.
Growth mindset statements can not only act as a source of inspiration, they can also be simple reminders for you to live with this attitude.
Reciting these statements can help you focus your efforts and attention on making progress throughout the day, which will help promote positive and lasting change.
Let’s take a look at some examples.
15 Growth Mindset Statements to Recite Daily
1. Every mistake I make teaches me something new that brings me closer to achieving my goals.
2.I welcome new challenges in my life that will help push me to get outside of my comfort zone and try new things.
3. I appreciate any constructive feedback I can get because it gives me an opportunity to learn.
4.I strive to be like the people who have succeeded before me and I look up to my superiors.
5.Because I’m determined, I can do anything I put my mind to.
6. I have no excuses.
7. I don’t need other people to validate me or my work.
8. I know my purpose.
9. I am stronger than the impulses that bring me short-term gratification.
10. I’m going to work smarter, not harder.
11. I’m committed to the learning process.
12. I am in control.
13. I believe I can do anything I want to do.
14. I have a vision and I know what I’m working toward.
15. I am at my starting point.
Final Thoughts on Growth Mindset Statements
Once you’ve come up with your growth mindset statements, you have to say them (or write them down) at least once a day in order for them to be as effective as possible.
Some professionals suggest “bookending” your day by reciting your statements both first thing in the morning and right before you go to sleep.
Others say to write the statements down and put them in places that you see frequently throughout the day, like at your desk or on your mirror at home.
No matter what you do, make sure to be repetitive so your statements become a part of your subconscious being. This way, you’ll start to believe you have a growth mindset and you’ll act accordingly.
And if you’re looking for more resources to help you enhance your own growth mindset, be sure to check out these posts:
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Some principles withstand the test of time–foolproof ideas that kick start the journey to success and put you on the road to a more fulfilling, healthier, more conscious life.
First and foremost of these is accountability.
But what exactly is accountability?
Accountability is a condition in which you take responsibility.
An accountable person understands that the overall quality of life is down to you and you alone.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you started, or what advantages and disadvantages you were born with.
Accountability allows you to operate at your full potential.
Why?
Because you are taking ownership of your goals and problems.
This can seem daunting, but in reality, it is incredibly empowering.
You simply cannot operate at your potential if you blame something or someone else for where you currently are in life.
Why Accountability Creates Success and Irresponsibility Creates Failure
To understand why accountability works, you need to understand its opposite–irresponsibility, otherwise known as playing the blame game.
Society loves irresponsibility. Think of the various phrases you might hear regularly:
“I can’t find a job because the economy is in shambles.” Maybe you didn’t take the time to learn new skills or build a network within your industry.
“My health is poor because the food industry contaminates everything with unhealthy fats and excess sugar, salt, etc”. – Have you used this as an opportunity to educate yourself about nutrition and food labels?
“The bank foreclosed on my house. It’s their fault, because they said I qualified for a loan that I couldn’t afford.” – Did you take the time to fully understand your finances and figure out how much you can afford to pay each month?
“I’m too busy/tired to exercise.” – Can you carve out 5 to 10 minutes a day for some simple calisthenics or a brisk walk?
“I like sugar/cigarettes/(insert addictive substance here) too much to quit.” – Addictions can cripple you, but there is always help available to anyone who wants to quit.
These excuses are heard frequently, and they all have one thing in common: They take control out of your hands and put it into someone or something else.
They can be plausible and understandable, but that doesn’t change the fact that you can always do something about it.
There are dozens of conditions and groups of people that can negatively impact your success:
Government
Economy
Parents
The area you grew up in
Friends
Family
Religion
Coworkers
All of these and more can hinder you, but the only person who can overcome them is you.
Accountability Starts with Change
The results you see now are a direct result of habits and actions. Change these and you will change your results.
If you want to improve, think about how the choices you have made have led you to where you currently are now.
How have these choices helped or hindered you?
The first step in accountability is taking ownership of yourself.
This means that you need to look at your current habits and decisions, and change them if necessary.
Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation
Without motivation, change can be difficult.
Motivation comes in two flavors: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is all about feeling competent, satisfied, and internally motivated.
An example is going to the gym because you enjoy the feeling that exercise gives you.
Extrinsic motivation is all about goals, rewards, and achievement.
Without motivation, change can be difficult.
An example is going to the gym to lose x amount of pounds or lift x amount of weight.
When changing your habits, think about why you are doing it.
If you want to earn x amount of money every month, then you’re doing it for extrinsic reasons.
If you’re taking action because you want to be more independent and live a more satisfying life, you’re intrinsically motivated.
Keep in mind which one you are. This is your why, and it’s important to hold onto it.
An Accountability Action Plan
While knowledge about accountability is great, application is where the rewards are found.
Applying accountability is much more straightforward if you have a roadmap to follow.
Make a Commitment
Decide what you want to achieve. To be accountable, you need something to be accountable to.
This is your steering wheel. It keeps you honest and helps you know if you’re going the right way.
One way to commit is to ask yourself some questions:
Are your day-to-day decisions and actions helping or hindering you?
Are you listening to constructive criticism from people who care about you?
Are you taking stock of your mistakes and learning from them?
Are you being honest and genuine with yourself and others?
Are you a reliable person? Would you count on you if you didn’t know yourself?
The essence of commitment is sticking with something until the very end. Try to minimize wavering and “umming and ahhing.” Stay the course and stick to your chosen path and goals.
Simplify and Gain Clarity
Break your objectives down to the point where there is no room for interpretation about what the outcome should look like.
When stating what your goals or objectives are, be clear about what you’re expecting from yourself.
This isn’t necessarily for other people (although they’ll likely find it helpful). This is all about removing any ambiguity for yourself.
If you’ve said that you’re going to get fit, and the process for that is going to the gym four days a week, you’ve set a commitment and an expectation.
Don’t set yourself a list of massive commitments with vague, ambiguous, open-ended goals. This makes it harder to be accountable in life.
Create SMART goals
SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound.
With these goals, you take out all of the guesswork out of the process.
Specific means it has a narrow focus. “I want to be a better person” is not a goal, it’s a prayer. “I want to improve my stress management skills” is much better.
Measurable means that you have some way of knowing if you’re getting closer or further from your goal. For stress management, this could mean attending a course and getting a certification, or it could mean attending regular meditation sessions.
Attainable means realistic. Improving stress management doesn’t mean that you’re trying to be the next Dalai Lama or Gautama Buddha. It could be something as straightforward as lowering your blood pressure.
Relevant means that the goal is related to your broader aims and objectives. Learning to manage stress better, for example, can help with physical and mental health. It can also help you succeed more in the long run.
Time-bound means giving yourself a deadline or ensuring that you check in with your progress every month.
SMART goals help with accountability by breaking everything down into steps.
If you stick to the process of achieving a goal, then you are being accountable to yourself.
This video provides a quick overview of SMART goals and then show three examples for each of the seven areas of your life.
Stop Pointing Fingers
Regardless of how wonderful you are, setbacks can and will happen.
When they do, your response can make or break your progress. Do you complain about who is at fault, or do you see what can be learned from the setback?
That being said, it is important to end self-blame. If you’ve goofed up, there’s no need to self-flagellate and feel too bad.
This doesn’t make you more accountable, it just makes you fixate more on your flaws than necessary. It is much better to reflect on what went wrong and then figure out how you can avoid the same mistakes in the future.
Practice
Accountability is like a skill: You need to put the time in to get the benefits out of it.
A good way to do this is to think of yourself as a manager for your own life. Are you managing your life well? Are you using your time and resources well? Is the company (you) flourishing?
Looking into how you spend your time is another good way to practice accountability. Do you spend time reading or learning about the skills you want to develop or the subjects you want to learn about?
Do you spend any time in the gym?
Do you spend time budgeting or looking at your finances?
Looking at things in this way exposes gaps in your accountability and helps you think of better ways to get things done.
Try an Accountability Partner
Finding someone who can help you stick to your goals can be a game-changer.
If you struggle to do what you say you’re going to do, then you might need someone else to help you out.
This is where an accountability partner comes in. They can be a peer, a partner, or a friend who checks in to ensure that you’re doing what you said you were going to do.
You both focus on each other’s success. Instead of feeling like a teacher is scolding you for misbehaving, you’re on a more even footing.
A good accountability partnership focuses on coaching and supporting each other. It is not about judgment.
A good accountability partner is someone who you can talk to about the challenges you’re facing, and get honest advice from.
Watch the video below to learn the specific steps to take in order to succeed with an accountability partner.
Accountability Benefits
Following a plan makes it much easier to enjoy the benefits of accountability in your life, of which there are many!
Benefits can help you stay motivated, so here’s what you can expect to gain from being more accountable in your life.
You observe your own life: When you place your own life under a microscope, you notice what you’re doing well and what you’re doing poorly. This knowledge can be transformative when it’s self-realized.
Socrates said “An unexamined life is not worth living,” and this is exactly what he meant.
You become more honest with yourself and others: When you become more accountable, it’s much easier to see where you’re failing. This can hurt at first, but it’s invaluable information in the long run.
When you understand your strengths and weaknesses, you understand exactly where to put your focus and attention.
You force yourself to follow through on commitments: One common problem is starting a new project and then abandoning it when the initial feelings of excitement go away. A large portion of success is just sticking with something until you’re good at it.
It keeps you grounded in reality: Focusing too much on goals and dreams stops you from taking the necessary actions to achieve them.
Accountability is all about being focused on your day-to-day actions and commitments. This keeps your eyes on the road and helps you stay focused on the everyday actions that get you to where you want to be.
Final Thoughts on Accountability
Accountability isn’t some new and sexy revolutionary idea, but it’s almost impossible to overstate just how valuable it can be to anyone on the path to a more independent and fulfilling life.
Being accountable is all about taking an honest look at where you are now versus where you want to be, and then keeping tabs on yourself to ensure you’re taking the actions you need to get there.
And if you’re looking for more articles on accountability, be sure to check out these blog posts:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
I remember watching my daughter from across the room back when she was about three years old working in her play kitchen, preparing some plastic vegetables, a wooden steak, and some uncooked macaroni. She was concentrated, focused, and on a mission that was not to be interrupted.
She was focused on the here and now. She was fully present in her work. And, seeing as 3-year-olds don’t focus so much toward the future, it was clear she was committed to this task only for the purpose of doing it.
I thought to myself, “Wow, so industrious at such a young age. There must be some human nature behind this.”
And it turns out that, despite what many may think, it is human nature to “do” things.
Many have been able to feel this over the past year and a half being isolated in their homes due to the coronavirus, so as you’ve probably experienced for yourself, we are not biologically programmed to do nothing.
In fact, we thrive on completing tasks, and people choose to do things every day that they don’t have to do, which are often not even enjoyable (as seen in this study).
Think of a friend who gets up at 4:30 every morning to go for a run or someone who spends hours on a crossword puzzle without looking up the answers.
And this starts in our early years, as we’re taught as children through both everyday experiences and persuasion from parents and teachers that effort leads to reward, which conditions people to enjoy exerting effort in itself.
As adults, we also get so focused on putting effort into tasks that we sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture. Have you ever spent an entire day doing something that made no difference at all in the end?
This is where the difference between being task-oriented and being goal-oriented becomes an important part of success. So in this article, we are going to look at what it means to be task-oriented vs. goal-oriented, and which is a better option if you want to be successful.
Let’s start by looking at the difference between these two traits.
What Does It Mean to Be Task-Oriented?
A task-oriented person’s top priority is to get things done.
Task-oriented people focus on concrete, short-term targets–or objectives–that must be completed before they’re on their way to something bigger. Furthermore, they value structure and clearly defined roles and schedules.
A typical day for a task-oriented person may look something like this:
Review the to-do list for the day
Clearly delegate tasks as needed and give the appointed people simple and specific instructions on how the tasks should be completed; refer to the standard process or company policies if questions or obstacles arise
Review each team member’s activities completed that day with them individually so they know what to be prepared to either finish or start tomorrow
Offer praise or have a reward system for employees who stay on task to encourage them for their efforts
Now there are some advantages to being task-oriented. First, you can meet your company’s objectives, which keeps the higher-ups happy.
If you are a higher-up, being task-oriented can help you meet deadlines on a regular basis and even work ahead of schedule, which can be great for building rapport with clients. You do this by finding efficient strategies and cutting out busy work and unnecessary processes.
Being task-oriented also means that you can clearly define your objectives and expectations for others, so you will always know your entire team is on the same page.
You are consistent in your work, which helps people know what to expect from you and your strict structure helps newer employees develop appropriate time management and organizational skills.
If you’re in a leadership role, you set clear parameters for your team to succeed, which means promotions aren’t based on office politics.
Instead, your team members know their success within the company is reliant on the work they produce, allowing them to prove themselves to be valuable employees in very objective ways rather than their numbers related to happy hour attendance.
People who are goal-oriented are focused on reaching a planned outcome and concentrate more on the big picture.
Now, this may sound ideal to some people. Being productive and marking things off of a to-do list is certainly something that many people want in a job.
They want to work from 9-5 and once they walk out of the door, they leave all of their work behind them. They’re satisfied with flying below the radar and meeting the status quo.
But now let’s take a look at what a goal-oriented work ethic entails.
What Does It Mean to Be Goal-Oriented?
People who are goal-oriented are focused on reaching a planned outcome, and they’re motivated by the purpose behind the outcome or the process that’s required for them to complete their goal.
They concentrate more on the big picture than the smaller everyday tasks that have to be completed for them to reach their milestones–and in the long run, a small setback can easily be recovered with some problem-solving.
Those who are goal-oriented focus on the following:
Is It Better To Be Task- or Goal-Oriented for Success?
While these two characteristics are not mutually exclusive, there are clear benefits to being goal-oriented that can help you succeed in achieving the things you want in life.
And even in today’s chaotic business environments of budget cuts and layoffs, you can become (or stay) goal-oriented despite possibly feeling overwhelmed.
I will note that being task-oriented is often the easier way out. It allows you to focus on short-term tasks to meet objectives that are a small part of (what is usually) someone else’s long-term goal.
Maybe you’re part of a sales team working to satisfy a company’s larger vision and initiative for growth. But at the end of the day, if your company meets its ultimate goal, how much will that impact your life on a micro, everyday level?
Probably not too much if your job remains the same and week after week you just continue to work on making more sales.
Being task-oriented creates a clear path to becoming stuck and burned out with your everyday responsibilities without furthering your professional success. Along with this comes the potential for:
Low morale and motivation in the workplace, which leads to less productivity
High levels of stress associated with volume of tasks and short deadlines
Unhealthy competition among colleagues instead of collaboration
Little to no personal development, which leads to an unfulfilling life
So with these drawbacks of having a mindset that is too task-oriented, what makes being goal-oriented more conducive for success?
A few of the main things that being goal-oriented will do for you are: help you maintain your motivation, ensure you continue to progress with whatever you do, and ultimately, help you live a fulfilling and meaningful life.
If you believe that you’re more task-oriented and you want to tilt the scale, here are a few things you can do to become more goal-oriented:
Assign a “Why”
Make sure there is a reason behind how you spend your time every day– and make sure that reason is in line with your values, not the values of someone else.
Use vision boards or other visual tools to constantly remind you of the scope of your goal. Put these tools in places where you will see them often so you’re reminded of what you’re aiming to achieve.
If you struggle with knowing what you want from life, watch the video below to learn about practical strategies you can use to find more purpose with your daily routine.
Identify Your Intrinsic Motivators
Make sure you’re motivated by the actual process of meeting your goal rather than just rushing to the end. Intrinsic motivators urge you to perform tasks because they’re personally satisfying.
Pay attention to the parts of the day when you feel the most energized, competent, and focused. Chances are, there is something about those common situations that are intrinsically motivating you to complete those tasks.
Plan Accordingly
Prioritize your work so you’re only completing the tasks that are necessary to make progress toward your goals. Prepare yourself by creating weekly and monthly plans that you can reevaluate regularly and refine your strategy as needed.
Track Your Progress
You can actually watch yourself move closer to reaching a goal on paper if you create your goals just right. Make sure you break your larger goals down into smaller, achievable chunks.
Instead of facing a goal that seems out of reach, complete small steps to make your final outcome less intimidating and easier to obtain. Doing this will make sure you stay motivated. Review your accomplishments often and reward your progress.
Stay Positive
Create a vision board or recite affirmations on a regular basis to maintain your drive to cross the finish line. Seek constructive feedback if you’re feeling stuck, and believe people when they offer compliments on your work.
Final Thoughts on Task-Oriented vs Goal-Oriented Mindsets
I won’t deny that there are situations where having a task-oriented mindset is beneficial.
But when looking at the long-term success of your life, you need to focus on creating and achieving relevant and effective goals that align with your values, strengths, and beliefs.
And if you’re looking for examples of goals you can refer to when creating your own, be sure to check out these blog posts:
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
No matter what area of your life you’re working on, you need to have some type of framework and target when you’re setting goals.
While some people focus on attainable goals, others prefer setting potentially impossible goals to see how far they can go. Will one goal-setting method make you more successful than the next?
Think about the goals that you’re working on right now–or goals you have had in the past–and the goal-setting method you’ve used to help you make progress. Have you been successful?
If you understand the difference between stretch goals vs SMART goals, you can easily determine which one is appropriate in your various goal-setting situations.
In this article, we will look at the pros and cons of each type of goal and examine some factors to keep in mind when you’re choosing which to use. Let’s get started.
A Definition of Stretch Goals vs SMART Goals
A stretch goal is one that requires high risk and high effort. They’re intentionally set just out of reach in hopes of earning exponential rewards, opening new doors, and gaining new experiences.
Stretch goals aren’t set with the intention to be achieved–rather, they’re created in order to inspire growth and push you beyond what you believe your limits are.
Stretch goals can’t be achieved by simply working “harder” than you are right now. Rather, they’re designed to motivate you to leave your comfort zone and explore new ways to be successful.
When you’re hoping to achieve something that seems impossible, you have to develop creative techniques that you haven’t used before. However, when you’re setting your stretch goals, you should think big and focus on your outcome without worrying too much just yet about how you’re going to get there.
SMART goals, on the other hand, are used to help guide your goal planning in a way that ensures you will know exactly what you’re going to do to achieve the specific goal at hand and exactly when that goal has been accomplished.
SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Therefore, a SMART goal incorporates these criteria to help you set a goal that is focused and realistic to achieve.
Writing SMART goals is easy, you just have to write down the outcome that you desire and determine your deadline for achieving it.
The harder part comes with actually taking the appropriate action that you initially promised to take when you wrote your goal. SMART goals often require you to do a little bit of work every day to make progress and be successful.
Ultimately, it’s your habits that will make or break your success with a goal. Watch the video below to learn about the five-step process for turning your goals into simple habits.
Stretch Goals Pros and Cons
Pros of Stretch Goals
Stretch goals encourage you to think beyond your current limits and set your sights higher than the status quo.
Rather than aiming for a target that is seemingly attainable, a stretch goal will help you raise the expectations you’ve set for yourself and find ways to achieve more ambitious endeavors, which will increase your chances of being successful in general.
Even if you miss your target, you’ll probably achieve more with a stretch goal than you would without one.
Stretch goals give you somewhere to go once your original goal has been achieved.
You can view the stretch goal as a target to work towards if or when your original target is met. As you get closer to reaching your original goal, you may lose momentum because of the amount of progress you’ve made. But your stretch goal offers an incentive to keep your motivation high and finish strong.
You don’t need to worry if you don’t achieve your stretch goal.
While these goals want you to focus on higher ambitions, they also don’t want to discourage you if you don’t hit your target.
Regardless of your outcome, having a stretch goal will give new energy to your sense of inspiration.
Whether you’re working by yourself or on a team, stretch goals can turn an uninspired work environment around by setting challenges to create better results. They inspire commitment, effort, and creativity, leading to the discovery of hidden talent and new methods of doing things.
Cons of Stretch Goals
With stretch goals, your targeted level of performance can become unclear.
Instead of having just one specific objective, you’re typically aiming for a generally unsurpassed level of achievement.
Without a clear timeline, it can be tough to determine if you should be taking a slow and steady approach to improving your baseline or if you should do anything that’s necessary as fast as possible to get there.
Stretch goals, by definition, appear to be unachievable.
People are more likely to buy into goals and possibilities that are…possible. Goals can help encourage improved performance when people believe they can push themselves that hard.
However, setting targets at a level that is nearly impossible to achieve may not result in harder work, and instead may cause people to mentally check out and actually reduce the efforts they’re putting forth.
Stretch goals may cause you to feel like you have failed.
This can feel defeating, especially if the stretch goal will inevitably lead to failure at the time of inception. If you set yourself up to be disappointed, it can make your motivation suffer.
Just because you set higher goals for yourself doesn’t mean you will know how to tackle the work. Stretch goals don’t assist you in the execution of your efforts.
If you become fixated on the outcome of your stretch goal, you might lose sight of what is driving you to meet the goal in the first place.
Having stretch goals in group settings may lead to unethical behavior, which can then lead to negative consequences for the group.
Studies have shown a connection between working toward ambitious goals and cheating—when people feel pressure from their superiors, they may turn to unethical measures to hit their target, no matter what it takes.
Differentiating between process and outcome goals is also important for your success. The video below provides an overview of the difference between the two and the specific strategies you can use to set process goals that can help you achieve what you want from life.
SMART Goals Pros and Cons
Pros of SMART Goals
SMART goals make your end vision clear.
Whether you’re working on a short term, intermediate, or long term SMART goal, you have a specific vision, which also allows you to have a proper aim. This weeds out any goals that are ambiguous or vague and requires you to clearly define what you want and how you’re going to get it.
SMART goals keep you focused.
After writing a SMART goal, you know exactly what you’re shooting for. This clear focus can help you prioritize your time and prevent you from becoming distracted by non-essential daily tasks that come up.
Furthermore, if you get off track when working on a SMART goal, you will quickly notice it because every SMART goal is measurable along the way. In the case that this happens, you can refocus and correct your course.
It is easy to track your progress when you’re working on a SMART goal.
This, in turn, allows you to evaluate your work piece by piece. This also helps you predict your long-term outcomes as you see your rate of progress.
You can break your SMART goals into pieces so you can conquer them in a successive manner.
Instead of exhausting yourself by taking on a big project all at once, you just need to divide your ultimate goal into smaller, more manageable goals. This will help to reduce the distance between where you’re starting and your finish line.
Cons of SMART Goals
They don’t guarantee success.
Sure, SMART goals set you up to achieve your goal with a plan and a timeline. But that doesn’t mean it is always going to work out. And when someone is achieving SMART goal after SMART goal, an instance of failure can cause some severe distress, which can also lead to a decrease in self-confidence.
SMART goals don’t encourage you to take a break.
Constantly working under a fast-paced deadline can lead to drastic changes in your lifestyle. This can lead to constant stress and the deterioration of health conditions.
Long-term SMART goals require a lot of focus and commitment. So it’s important to remember to take breaks in between reaching your goals and celebrate reaching the smaller milestones along the way.
SMART goals can act like stop signs on your way to your full potential.
You may work hard to bring your dream to life, but once your goal is reached, the curvature of your growth flattens. Setting goals that are unknowingly too easy may not move you to achieve more than your minimum potential–you may miss an opportunity for growth.
When you’re unable to follow your SMART goal plan, you may get discouraged and abandon the goal.
SMART goals require time management, and if your goal is the only focus of all of your work, you may lose some balance in life. When you focus all of your energy on a SMART goal, you may lose sight of the sense of fulfillment you get along the way as well.
To Sum Up the Pros and Cons…
Here is an infographic comparing the pros and cons of stretch goals and SMART goals to help sum all of this up. You may find that some of the pros outweigh the cons for each of these types of goals…or vice versa.
How to Decide Between Stretch Goals and SMART Goals
Both types of goals are probably useful for you in their own unique way, but each type fosters its own kind of self-improvement. So, which is right for you? The answer to this probably depends on the specific scenario that you’re facing.
When deciding between creating a stretch goal and making a SMART goal, there are some factors to consider, such as: the type of goal, your timeline or deadline, your resources, how specific your goal is, if you already know what you have to do to be successful, and how comfortable you are with the potential of falling short.
Make a stretch goal if:
Make a SMART goal if:
You know you can achieve your goal in a reasonably short amount of time.
You need to see a significant change happen sooner rather than later.
You’re focused on a fixed target.
You know exactly what you need to do to achieve your goal.
You have all of the skills you need to reach your goal.
Someone else has achieved this goal in the past.
Final Thoughts on Stretch Goals VS Smart Goals
You should know whether a stretch goal or a SMART goal is better for your success to improve your chances of achieving the growth that you desire.
While both of these types of goals have their pros and cons when used on their own, they can be tied together to create an interdisciplinary mindset to guide you through taking specific steps today to achieve some greater dream in the long run.
You can use both stretch goals and SMART goals for personal advancement in any area of your life. Here are more resources for you to check out:
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
My first job right out of undergrad was in sales–and it was miserable. I hated constantly hearing “no” from people and not really ever finding my niche in the business.
This was clearly not the right career for me, but I remember one of the best sales representatives telling me about the “Law of 10” with sales. She explained that for every 9 people who said no to me, one person would say yes. So in her mind, getting a “no” was always one step closer to making a sale.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that relates to this that says, “Failure is the mother of success.” When you fail at anything, you’re actually taking a step closer to finding success–and this proverb can be applied to many disciplines in your life.
Think about Thomas Edison, who reportedly tried (and failed) 10,000 times before finding a way to invent a light bulb. He famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
And there are many other recognizable people who have experienced the idea of this proverb first hand:
Walt Disney experienced many failures, including being fired because a newspaper editor claimed he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” What would have happened if Walt Disney stopped working toward his dream after being told “no”?
Soichiro Honda interviewed for an engineering job at Toyota, where it was determined that he didn’t have the necessary skills to work at the company. He left that job interview unemployed.
Marilyn Monroe was fired for not being “talented enough” to be an entertainer.
Not only are these people among the most respected in their individual industries, but they’ve also succeeded to the point that they’ve become historical icons.
Watch the video below for more examples of famous failures before success:
Everyone can learn from failure by using them as teachable moments and narrowing down their ideas in order to improve themselves and find out how things really work.
Before we look at how this proverb can impact your personal success, let’s look at what the research says. A 2017 study published in the journal Science found that children who are about 15 months old are likely to become more persistent when attempting to do something if they’ve just witnessed an adult struggling to succeed at a task.
The researchers concluded that there’s value in allowing kids to “see you sweat,” as this shows them that hard work pays off. The children in the study didn’t just imitate what the adults did, rather, they faced their own challenge, suggesting they had learned a general lesson about the value of not giving up.
Three Ways This Proverb Can Relate to Your Personal Success
1. Don’t Be Ashamed of Failure
Everyone faces struggles in life, but allowing those struggles to define you is detrimental. Why live with a sense of shame because you experienced a failure?
Failing makes people feel badly about themselves. They’ve done something wrong in some way when others around them seem to be achieving success. Failure often leads people to give up, assuming that they won’t be able to get the task right.
However, it’s important to understand that if you can do some self-reflection, you can identify the root of your failure and avoid repeating your mistakes in the future.
You need to start looking at things from a different perspective when looking for solutions. The more failures you endure, the more likely you are to eventually succeed because you will gain important experience.
Each failure should alter your path just a little, leading you closer to achieving your goals. For experience to be effective, you just have to remember to avoid making the same mistakes twice. Otherwise, you will never improve.
2. Know How to React
Everyone makes mistakes–and it can definitely be hard to admit them. But it’s really not the failure itself that matters, what matters is how you handle it after the fact. You can either move on to Plan B or you can quit. After all, failure is an opportunity to start over more intelligently than you did before.
A lot of people fear failure because it provokes feelings of not being good enough. However, think of the people who are counting on you–your children, your boss, your family, your spouse. These people are depending on you to push through obstacles.
If you’re able to see failure as a chance to learn, you can analyze what went wrong and do things differently in the future. In fact, you can even talk openly to the people who are counting on you about your struggles to try to work together to make some progress. You will find success when you get back on track and do things differently.
Failure can be used as a stepping stone if you’re able to move on from the past by not dwelling on your mistakes. Learn from them and build your success upon continuous self-improvement.
3. Accept that Failure Is a Given
It’s irresponsible to think any skill will be perfected and complete knowledge will be obtained on anyone’s first attempt.
You can’t avoid failure, and it often happens when you’re least expecting it. Obstacles arise, setbacks occur, and failure is inevitable. But you will not be hurt from failure if you’re able to admit it and consider it as being feedback.
So, accept it, use it as a building block, and move on with your work. Don’t just give up because being persistent will ultimately pay off.
Success is, of course, more gratifying than failure, but failure always presents an opportunity to learn and better yourself. You have to be flexible when you’re working toward a goal, stay open minded, and change your path as necessary.
Final Thoughts on Failure is the Mother of Success
When we fail, we often feel that other people are not only critiquing our work, but also who we are as a person. When we can’t put our best foot forward, it feels awful at first, but you have to trust that if you give up, you won’t be making any progress in your life.
Remember, you need to get all of your mistakes out of the way in order to be able to enjoy the huge success that can result from them. Step out of your comfort zone and finish the things that you start.
And if you’re looking for more inspirational quote son success, be sure to check out these blog posts:
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Lyndon B. Johnson was known for his histrionics — his customary reaction to minor pain or illness was “frantic” and “hysterical,” wrote Robert Caro for the New Yorker in 2012. But when under pressure — real pressure, as he was the day he became president after John F. Kennedy was assassinated — Johnson assumed a near preternatural calm.
As Caro writes, “Johnson’s aides and allies knew that, for all his rages and his bellowing, his gloating and his groaning, his endless monologues, his demeanor was very different in moments of crisis, in moments when there were decisions — tough decisions, crucial decisions — to be made; that in those moments he became, as his secretary Mary Rather recalled, ‘quiet and still.’”
Certain people seem designed to perform well under moments of intense pressure. As an entrepreneur, it’s certainly a skill you’d do well to develop. Research conducted by TalentSmart found that 90% of top performers can manage their emotions in times of stress and remain calm and in control.
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When things don’t turn out the way you want or expect, it’s easy to deny your role in the situation and look to external factors to blame.
And while circumstances, other people’s actions, and even luck can impact your personal and professional lives, refusing to accept accountability can prevent you from ever achieving your full potential.
Making excuses and blaming others can certainly give you some short-term relief, but it blocks any potential growth or improvement that you could make–and it doesn’t teach you how to avoid the problem in the future.
But what can you do to build more personal accountability?
Well, in this article, we are going to look at how you can build more accountability in your life and start taking ownership over the results that you produce–both positive and negative.
But first, let’s take another look at what accountability is.
What Is Personal Accountability?
Accountability isn’t about accepting blame when things go wrong. It’s about delivering on your promises. It’s accepting responsibility for an outcome rather than a set of tasks. It’s being proactive with intentional and strategic follow-through.
How would you like to work in an organization where everyone does what they say they’ll do? If you’re like 85% of the working population, you don’t feel like you’re currently working somewhere where employees are engaged with their work.
When you’re in a professional culture that embraces personal accountability, not only do people do what they say they will do, they also hold each other accountable to ensure their organization remains credible for clients or customers.
Without taking personal accountability, you’re likely working in a culture full of blame, where you figure mediocre is good enough,goals are vague, and you spend more of your energy trying to beat the system than you spend on doing your job well.
But having personal accountability isn’t just helpful in your professional life, it can also benefit you in your personal life.
On the other hand, if you have accountability, you accept the outcome that you’ve worked for–whether that’s good or bad. Having a sense of accountability is knowing that when your responsibilities are complete, you have to answer to someone for your work.
When you’re in a professional culture that embraces personal accountability, you hold each other accountable to ensure their organization remains credible for clients or customers.
There are a lot of definitions of accountability out there, but knowing what accountability means doesn’t equate to maintaining it as a value in your life. But while personal accountability may be defined in several ways, all of the definitions have a few common factors.
Everyone who defines this concept agrees that having accountability involves making a commitment to feel empowered to accept ownership of your tasks.
There are several reasons why you may be looking for how to build more accountability in your life.
Studies show that when employees lack personal accountability in a professional environment, low employee morale is likely to follow, along with reduced productivity and a higher rate of employee turnover.
Further, there is a direct relationship between employees’ sense of personal accountability and the overall performance of an organization.
Essentially, when employees have a strong sense of personal accountability, they perform better than those who lack this trait.
When something goes wrong and you find that you typically become upset, look the other way, or shut down in response, you’re displaying defense mechanisms to avoid having to face the situation.
Here are some signs that you need to build more personal accountability in your life:
You always have an excuse.
You blame other people for your shortcomings or mistakes.
You don’t follow through with your promises.
You’re waiting for ______, because once you have it, your life will be “better”.
You expect other people to fix your problems.
Let’s take a look at why you should want to build more personal accountability in your life.
Why Build Personal Accountability?
When you have personal accountability, you’re eager to take charge of your life, tackle new challenges, and reap the benefits of facilitating a success of some sort.
Everything that happens in your life is a direct result of your actions. And it’s only when you can take 100% responsibility for your choices that you will lead a meaningful and fulfilling life. When you stop blaming external forces, you can redirect that energy to focus on creating a better situation for yourself.
You have to understand and accept that you’re the one who is in charge of your circumstances because this will encourage you to be proactive in making a change for the better.
Once you accept accountability, you will genuinely believe the truth–which is that everything around you is the outcome of your decisions.
Let’s take a look at some specific habits you can adopt to build more personal accountability in your life.
8 Habits to Build More Personal Accountability in Your Life
1. Make a Commitment
The first step to building accountability is deciding what you want to achieve, which will then make it clear what you’re staying accountable for.
Once you’ve decided, you have to make a commitment to being personally accountable–this isn’t really something that can come and go. You need to be able to commit to the following:
Taking responsibility for your decisions and actions, whether they’re right or wrong
Learn from your mistakes and take corrective action
Supporting your team in honoring their commitments and be a positive role model by always honoring yours. If support is offered when challenges arise, studies show that people are more likely to get creative, innovative, and stay committed
Be honest and genuine in your work
Be reliable so people know they can count on you
Often, your commitments have to be to yourself to make a change. If you’re unhappy with an aspect of your life, step out of your comfort zone to initiate a change.
One of the first things you should do is specifically define people’s expectations of you when trying to gain accountability.
And while it may be difficult to change something that you’re used to, remember that it’s your choice to do nothing but complain rather than take action, but that’s not going to improve anything.
When you make a commitment, it means that you are going to follow through with something until the very end. You’re removing the things in your environment that may be distractions. You understand the decision has been made and there’s no turning back now.
2. Gain Clarity
When trying to gain accountability, many mistakenly start by listing the tasks that they will be held accountable for. However, one of the first things you should do is specifically define people’s expectations of you (or your company).
This means you have to break your objectives down to the point where there is no room for interpretation about what the outcome should look like.
If there is a misunderstanding between what you’re aiming for and the outcome that someone else is expecting, at least one person is sure to be disappointed in the end. If you are in a leadership position, make sure to explain to your subordinates exactly what you need from them.
When identifying your end goal, clarify where you are vs. where you need to be in order to establish your baseline so you can measure your progress along the way. And then get your team focused on the necessary actions that must be taken to get it done.
3. Be Realistic
If you overcommit yourself, not only are you likely to forget something important, you also may start cutting corners in your work to get it done faster. This will only decrease the quality of your outcomes, so be sure to know your limits and be realistic when making commitments to others.
And, because having personal accountability is a choice that you have to accept, this means that you need to learn to say no when it’s necessary.
You can’t agree to do everything that’s asked of you and expect it to be done well, so if you’re trying to build personal accountability–and you want that accountability to be rewarding–you need to be realistic about how you plan to distribute your time.
4. Create SMART Goals
To build personal accountability, you must work on setting goals. When you can, set SMART goals so you can measure your progress as you go.
When you know exactly how you’re going to complete your goals, you’ll be able to measure your progress and assume accountability for what you have and haven’t done to achieve your goals.
Your SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. With this in mind, you know that you will need a clear deadline in order to claim victory.
The video below provides a quick overview of SMART goals and then show three examples for each of the seven areas of your life.
Since this is the case, you need to make proper progress along the way and reach your smaller objectives so you’re moving forward toward success, which requires that you hold yourself accountable.
You will see that having personal accountability pushes you to get things accomplished and see the outcomes you were hoping for.
5. Eliminate Blame
No matter what, you will have setbacks when you’re working toward your goals. But when you’re facing a hurdle, you can’t look to external sources to blame for the issue.
And while you don’t have to beat yourself up and assume all fault for everything that goes wrong, you do need to feel the necessary empowerment to reflect on what went wrong and figure out how you can make things turn out differently in the future.
You have to be able to recognize that you control your actions and whatever outcomes result.
Finally, if necessary, you need to be able to admit fault to other people. Put your pride aside and practice doing this. Apologize if you need to, and tell people how you plan to make things right in the future.
6. Practice Holding Yourself Accountable
When you have accountability, there is someone (or many people) who are looking to you for an end result. People are counting on you.
To get used to this, start counting on yourself. If you were your manager, would you think you’re earning the salary you’re making? Are you meeting the goals that your company has laid out for you? Are you billing enough hours or signing on enough clients?
Hold yourself accountable for what you do with your time. Review your to-do list frequently so you can see what you’ve accomplished and what got left behind.
You can do this in your personal life as well. Reflect on your eating and exercising habits, the amount of time you spent reading, or how closely you stuck to your budget every week.
Then plan how you can fill in any gaps next week by making improvements to how you choose to spend your time or focusing on another factor that’s impacting your progress.
Accountability requires ongoing feedback. You need to hear what you’re doing well and what you need to improve. So create formal systems and processes so you don’t miss this critical step.
Feedback should be given (or sought out) every day. You must look at your actual performance toward the desired outcome so you can continue to define what “winning” looks like.
Seek feedback from others, including the opinions of coworkers, friends, and clients. Other people’s opinions will give you insight that will give you the necessary tools to succeed.
Accept the fact that how you see yourself may be very different from how other people perceive you. Ask others to give you an honest evaluation of your job performance, and even look to clients or customers to help understand what you’re doing right and where you can make a change.
8. Get an Accountability Partner
One of the best ways to build more personal accountability is to find an accountability partner who will follow along with your progress.
An accountability partner is a peer who helps you reach your goals by offering guidance and making sure you do what you say you’re going to do.
The video below discusses the benefits of having an accountability partner and the five-step process for having long-term success with this type of arrangement.
This is similar to having a mentor, however, this is a mutually beneficial relationship in which both people benefit from the feedback and support of their partner.
Your accountability partner will give you individualized help with your goals and they will be focused on your success–and vice versa.
You and your accountability partner will agree to support, coach, and provide feedback on a regular basis for one another. You will share your accomplishments with each other, discuss challenges, and offer some words of encouragement.
Final Thoughts for Building Personal Accountability
Building personal accountability doesn’t have to be scary or involve a lot of self-blame. Instead, making the decision to do this should mark an empowering transition to a new phase of your life where you can gain control of your time and the person that you want to be.
Follow the tips laid out in this article to build accountability in your life and regain that sense of control that feels so out of reach. Making the shift to being personally accountable requires some work and change, but you will find the results to be worth the effort.
And if you’re working on adding more or improving values in life, be sure to check out these articles:
Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.
