Most successful people share one trait: they are strong-minded.A person with a strong mind is not too stubborn to grow and adapt to new situations.Just like you would train your body in a gym, you can achieve a stronger mind with some work and patience.By knowing what you believe, having the conviction to live by your values, and being resilient enough to recover from adversity, you can develop your mental toughness.
Step 1: Quiet your mind.
An uncluttered mind is a strong mind.You can focus on more important things if you practice letting go of unnecessary worries.Take a deep breath and bring your focus back to where you want it.You can learn to control your mind through meditation.If you have never meditated before, it may be difficult at first.It will get easier with practice.Five or ten minutes a day is all it takes to get results.Writing down what keeps popping up in your head can help you regain focus in the moment.Think of it as a brain dump.You will be able to focus better if you get your thoughts out of your head.Don't forget to attend to these thoughts or ideas later.
Step 2: What brings you joy?
When have you felt most fulfilled and happiest?The reasons for those experiences were rewarding.If you can, try to duplicate these experiences more often.Ask people you know about yourself.When you're at your happiest, ask them what traits they think describe you, and what causes this side of you to come out.This can be used for self-discovery.If you enjoyed tutoring, take more opportunities to help others and share your knowledge.
Step 3: What motivates you?
Think about what motivates you in your day-to-day life.If you don't have to worry about money, what would you do with your time?Your values may be linked to your motives.If you value friendship, you will be more likely to spend time with your friends and meet new people.
Step 4: Long-term goals should be set.
Having a general idea of where you want your life to take will help you stay strong in the face of obstacles.Goal setting helps give you direction in life.Make a plan for the next five years.Write out a few accomplishments you want to achieve over the next few years.They may include graduating college, getting a job, or learning to speak Italian.Encourage goal setting by surrounding yourself with goal oriented people and also creating relationships with mentors with whom you can discuss your dreams periodically.
Step 5: Short-term goals can be created.
Break those long-term goals down if you have a general understanding of where you want to go.This helps you stay on track.Set SMART goals that are specific, measurable, realistic and time bound.You might divide "getting a job" into smaller segments.You may need to update your resume, complete an internship, or get additional education to reach this larger goal.You should be aware of the time frames you give yourself.They should be reasonable and account for rest, recreation, and the unexpected.
Step 6: Inform yourself.
Think about the reasoning behind your beliefs.If you find that your ideas are based on emotions or misinformation, you need to reexamine your position.You can stay up-to-date on current events by reading and watching the news.You will be better prepared to have rewarding conversations with other people if you can backup your ideas with facts.You should be aware of whom you associate with.Choose people who are respectful of your ideas.Good judgement is needed when reading on the internet.There are websites that spread false or malicious content.
Step 7: Don't worry.
Instead of thinking about the things you can't, focus on what you have control of.If you are worried about a situation or an upcoming event, ask yourself what you can do to prepare.Put your energy towards action.A short window of worry time can be set aside if you are a worrier.Give yourself ten minutes to think.If you worry at other times throughout the day, force yourself to think about something else.Try different times of the day and stick with the one that works best for you.
Step 8: Take responsibility for yourself.
You should be in control of your actions and choices.When something goes wrong, instead of blaming other people, think about how you can respond in a constructive way.If something goes well in your life, instead of chalking it up to luck, congratulate yourself for the hard work that went into it.You can share the good news with others.This will help build self-confidence and keep you motivated.
Step 9: Good habits are developed.
Establishing positive everyday habits, such as getting up the first time your alarm goes off, will increase your willpower.Making yourself accountable to other people and breaking your goals down into achievable steps will break the habit of Procrastination.Start with one habit at a time.You should keep a record of how often you stick to the habit.Try to do the habit for at least a month before moving on to the next one.
Step 10: Don't be afraid to learn and change.
Being strong-minded doesn't mean never changing your mind.If you don't get stuck in the past, your understanding of things will change over time.Practice looking at complicated issues from multiple perspectives and stay open to new possibilities.Listen to the people around you even if you don't agree with them.You can update your knowledge by doing activities such as: reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, and visiting museums.
Step 11: Don't let yourself be influenced by others.
Every time someone disagrees, strong-minded people don't doubt themselves.Speak up confidently when you don't agree, instead of keeping your thoughts to yourself or feeling the need to justify your opinions to others.
Step 12: The motives of others can be identified.
You need to develop a clear perception of others in order to be more confident in your decisions.You should always consider what people have to say when they are trustworthy and admirable, but listening to people with ulterior motives can make you feel confused or tricked.If you notice the person is needy and persuasive, don't associate with them.They probably don't have your best interest in mind.
Step 13: Take a look at your problems.
It's a good idea to avoid blowing problems out of proportion.Catastrophic thinking, blaming yourself, and jumping to conclusions undermine your mental strength.Try to see the situation in a different way.Reality testing against such thoughts will keep you in perspective.Do you have clear evidence to support the thought?Decide if there is a better way to view the situation.You might think that you are a terrible speaker if you give a bad talk in front of 100 people.If that happens, take a mental step back and remind yourself, "Lots of people have given one bad speech."Try to get some perspective by consulting a trusted friend or advisor.This person can be objective, which may give you new things to think about.
Step 14: Don't compare yourself to other people.
People who are strong-minded are confident and resilient.To show how you have grown, you should compare it against your goals in the past.Although strong-minded people are often in competitive fields, such as sales, athletics, politics and academics, they win by being able to move past competitive pressures.If your use of social media causes you to compare yourself, feel inadequate, or suffer from any other negative impacts, pay attention to it.
Step 15: Think in a constructive way.
You don't want to feel sorry for yourself or tell yourself the situation is bad.Look for ways to take control.Don't let your negative thoughts get in the way of asking yourself, "What can I do about it?"If you notice that you are giving yourself feedback that is not helpful, change it to something positive.Changing "Why do I even try?" to "I'm going to make one little improvement to the way I do this today" can affect the people you spend time with.If you notice that people around you tend to speak negatively, you may want to spend less time with them.
Step 16: Accept that you are uncomfortable.
The only way to achieve new things is to push past the limits of your comfort zone.It's a good idea to do things that are past your skill level.Practice not knowing how things will turn out and accept the inevitability of failure.Discomfort, failure, and uncertainty are useful for growth.Signing up for a challenging workout class or joining a public speaking group could increase your tolerance for uncomfortable situations.
Step 17: It was severe.
Don't give up on something if it's important to you, no matter how hard it is or how many times you have failed.If you don't see how things will work out, stay determined.It is possible to take one small step forward every day.If you can't get a job for the kind of job you want, you could take night classes in your chosen field.It is okay to stop pursuing a goal if you are honest with yourself about your motives.It's hard to quit because your goal is no longer in line with your values.