“always train your will win well”
The principles behind any success-oriented training might differ from that of a regular classroom or college degree but in reality, they can be equally utilized for living a life filled with confidence, courage, discipline and strength. Over years, people that have made it in life have been put under rigorous physical and mental training programs that push the limit of the human body and mind. As a result of which stress, pain, trauma, heat, cold and just about any life threatening situation can be survived, endured and overcome. Nobody is born successful, people improve as they grow. The fact is every successful individual is taught to be that way. With repetition, practice and training, the mindset becomes solid as a rock and sharp as a razor.
So how can you make use of your mindset to become sharper, stronger and better than we are? Is there a pattern to this mindset that can help us get closer to our goals and achieve them? Yes, the right mindset can make all the difference.
If you suffer from procrastination, laziness, lack of clarity or confidence or a combination of them all; it is probably because you don’t have control over your thoughts, your outlook, your perspective and probably, your actions. Have you ever asked yourself- “Am I in control of my mind” or “is my mind taking control of me?” If not, it is important to take a prudent pause and ask yourself this right now. Before learning how to be battle-ready, the combatant’s mind has a much important lesson to learn. In any struggle, the first and foremost lesson is to master your mind. It is said that the aim for good training is not just to prepare s for battles, but to win it successfully and still remain alive. Now don’t get all philosophical with this. Mental mastery won’t give you any special superpowers all of a sudden. What it will give you is an ALMOSTSUPERHUMAN ABILITY to make best use of the most important resource you have in life which is your mind. There is no one who will ever lend you his or hers. You have to train and qualify your own. Hear this from me: “You can never conquer the mountain. You can only conquer yourself.”
Learning how to build a good mindset can lay the foundation for a successful, more fulfilling and satisfying life for all of us. Yet you have to remember that it will not be easy but it is worth attempting. The more you wait, the further your goals slumber. You need to be aware that building and developing a success-oriented mindset is going to take every iota of your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength. Jump only if you truly want to become better in life. The trouble with most of us is that we dread to dream of new opportunities; instead, we simply ‘copy and pest’. Yet if we don’t have a master plan, simply waste our precious time. If you don’t have the will to succeed, you might as well stop reading beyond this point. In life, it is the go-getters that count. Politeness is only during meals, but when it comes to living a golden life, every individual has to dig a personal mine. If you want to live life like a king, champion, warrior and fighter ; get ready to prepare for the most important battle you will ever fight.
What is a success-oriented Mindset?
This is a state of mind achieved after completing intensive training. A ready to succeed mindset can be colloquially summarized in the following mental attributes
- A mindset with discipline
- A mindset with courage
- A mindset with a purpose
To develop all or any of the above attributes, you don’t have to undergo exhaustive training like an Army General. All you need to do is to take three steps:
The first step is to train your Brain
What are the first thoughts that cross your mind when you think of an admirable mentor or the best model you would wish to imitate? Based on your thinking prowess, your answers might lie in the spectrum of extremely smart, courageous to ruthlessly resilient. That is precisely what success-oriented sergeants and extraordinary people are. After undergoing intensive mental training and preparation, your mind gets stronger and sharper. Just like a winning athlete, treat your mind as a muscle and start training it every day to improve mental toughness, strength, resilience and focus. By the way, you don’t have to go to a gym to do that; mental training can happen anywhere. All in all, if you desire to train your brain, you must cherish silence. Noise and much music around you only destructs but can train. Never waste your precious time on it because you have very little time remaining ahead of you. Some people behave as if they are going to live forever. No, it is not true, ‘your life like any living thing has an expiry date’ the only mystery is that you don’t know when you will leave this world permanently. Again, the problem is not about death but the disturbing question should be ‘why were you ever created?’ If you know anything about an academy, you probably know that their day begins at the stroke of dawn. The value of time is immense in any academy even when it is situated in the homestead where you came to life; the trick is that like a student in a respected academy, please, practice punctuality like a lifelong ritual. Your day has begun at the same time every day. Some of you treasure useless sleeping. Wake up, the world has never slept apart from you. Water is awake, light is awake, the air is awake, planets are awake, it is only you who is sleeping uselessly.
How can you do it? Being punctual is the first and easiest way to train your brain. Punctuality breeds discipline which in turn breeds mental strength. Remember the mind is also a muscle. If you snooze, you lose. Some people rest and dream-making billions of dollars, but you simply dream laughing. Who will invest in your laughter? When you start getting out of your bed at the same time every day, this habit will become a solid foundation to help you get out of your mental and physical comfort blanket.
Do you want us to take things a notch higher? Immediately make up your bed once you get out of it. Simple as it might sound, yet when Winston Churchill was asked about the most important lessons he learned, he replied “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed” Start waking up early in life. Now, this isn’t compulsory specific advice, the benefits of early rising are immense and almost every person who is successful gets going early in the day. Waking up early is the rule that guides nature. Only dead people sleep because they are in need of nothing. Whether you pray, read a book, go for a run, practise your craft or simply meditate, getting up early gets you going and is one of the easiest ways to train your brain every single day until it becomes a habit.
The second step is Do Something Different.
From random shouts to unanticipated attacks, the successful mindset is all about preparing for the unknown. In military language, this is called ‘Situational Awareness’. In life, true and good opportunities never make an appointment. You either go for them or you find nothing. The first to see them take them all. Basically, it is the ability of your mind to pay attention to what’s going on or happening around you. Of course, a hostile environment will require entirely different levels of tactics and mental conditioning techniques to develop this special ability but you too can practise this technique at any point and time in life. Some of you live through all their lives deeply asleep and only wake up when they are about to expire. Please, wake up now, time is not on your side. Mental agility is built when you give your brain something new, challenging and entirely unknown to experience. To make better decisions in your personal and professional lives, you will need lots of mental planning and courage. Allow me to give you some example that has a military flavour.
How do they do it in the military? Mental conditioning drills in the military are reinforced by positive thinking, controlled aggressive thoughts, relaxation and defusing of destructive emotions. The training involves thinking of new situations and circumstances that might or might not happen in the near future.
How can you do it? Of course, start by giving your brain new situations and simulations on a daily level. Routine is the recipe for safety and developmental courage, you will have to break the patterns of routine. If you feel too comfortable every, then know that your mental power is declining. The body is created by God to move, work and think. It is easy to be happy when you are well-placed in your personal and professional life. But ask yourself, will you be happy if you are put in a totally different situation or curve in life? How well would you respond to the unknown? Do you have the courage to take the unexpected punches and fits life can throw at you anytime? If you are not ready, then know that you are the good soul in the wrong body. You better escape before it is too late.
Start going out to new places. Make a point to meet new people even if you are an introvert. Try saying yes to new experiences and activities. Pick up a new hobby or a useful skill. To be successful, you must learn how to build the right amount of mental confidence and preparedness and for that, you must embrace the unknown. If a baby decides to remain comfortable in the mother’s womb, it risks never being born. Have the courage to try out something new and different whenever life gives you an opportunity. If no opportunity comes your way, then go for it. Yes, you might fail, suck at it or make a complete fool of yourself. So what? At the least, you will be wiser, fuller and better prepared than anyone who doesn’t even want to face fear in the eye.
The third step is to visualize your goals.
Visualization is one of the most critical fundamentals of developing a winning mindset. No matter how hard you train your mind and how confident you are in life ; if you don’t have a goal, you will never know which road will take you there. The motto of young Christian students is “see, judge, act and evaluate”. A warrior is trained to visualize life-threatening events and situations that might be encountered anytime. It is almost as if visualizing the future in the present so that you can tap your mind into believing you have already witnessed this event. Do you know how they do it in athletics? A sportsperson is trained to move towards the desired goal which is ‘gold medal or nothing’. In athletics training, a ‘trigger’ is developed as part of the mental training. This trigger can be anything. It can be different for everyone. But the point of this trigger is to remind you of a goal that is worth fighting for, living for and even, dying for.
How can you do it? Simply pick your goal in life. If you can’t, make a list of things that interest you and then find what can be that one goal that drives you, then you better consult any successful person you trust. The mistake most people do is to look for the right answer from the people they love most. I can assure you a lover will never tell you the truth apart from what you want to hear. Only teachers and friends can teach you the right way to go. That is why Christians sing that “what a friend we have in Jesus because he bears with all our troubles” To be goalless is a disaster. Your goal could be anything from eating healthy, getting fit, writing a book, starting a family, buying land, getting another degree or learning a new skill. A visual trigger will help you learn how to dream it before you learn how to do it. Choose your trigger. Have one image in your mind that instantly moves and pushes you. Make this mental memory the ultimate motivation you need to achieve your goal. Whenever you are in doubt, dilemma or depression, pull that trigger and go for it. The power of visualization is immense. But it is most effective when practised with discipline and sincerity. Take few minutes out of your busy schedule and visualize your goal/goals every single day. Be consistent in your goal visualizations. Always tell yourself that you can do it. Even on the days, you think you cannot do it.
In summary, here is the secret to your success
- Wake Up Early and do something you treasure
- Try New things with confidence
- Visualize your goals daily
Remember that every big change begins with a small step. The key to developing a rock-solid mental ability and mindset is to take things a bite at a time, a challenge at a time, a step at a time.
Food for thought: Ever success demands tough desire, training and discipline to achieve it, but not everyone has to follow that root. Those who love what they want to be will smile all the way to their destination. The point behind building a successful mindset is to take the best techniques and strategies and use them to up your personal and professional game. Just like a battlefield, life isn’t an easy curve. To be successful and live a fulfilling life, the secret is to use your mind to the best of your potential and advantage. Practising a successful mindset can help you live a life with guts and glory. Most importantly, it is a proven way to get closer to your goals in life. After all, the right mindset can make all the difference. Do you want to really succeed? Take your time to control your life.
Fr. Paulino Mondo
