Until the 1950s, scientists believed that no one could run a four-minute mile. Roger Bannister then wowed the world by running one in three minutes and 59 seconds. In his youth, people told Doug Flutie he was too small for sports.
Yet he trained hard, honed his skills, and became an NFL quarterback. When Jessica Cox was born without arms, doctors expected her to live a sedentary life.
Undaunted, he earned a black belt in taekwondo. Roger, Doug, and Jessica may seem like uniquely wonderful individuals. And it's true that each of them accomplished incredible things.
Yet they all have one quality in common. All of them refused to set limits on their lives. Instead of focusing on constraints and limitations, they saw a world where anything was possible.
Too often, we allow our lives to be defined by narrow constraints. Instead of striving to achieve our goals or working toward our desires, we imagine they are out of reach.
Sometimes, we don't even imagine a better life. We simply accept the world around us as constant. However, the first step to making any big change is to start seeing the world as full of possibilities. So,
Smart Idea 1: Believe in the possibility, not the limit.
Imagine two colleagues. Both work in a big, shiny advertising agency downtown. Then, one morning, they get some bad news.
They are each called into the boss's office in turn and told they are being fired. The first mate immediately becomes frustrated. He declares himself a failure and spends the next few weeks lying on the couch.
The other partner takes a different approach. He is disappointed, but does not take it personally - after all, business is business. Instead of panicking, he sees the setback as an opportunity to pursue his true passion: creative writing.
A few months later, which guy is doing better?
The answer is probably obvious. While the first man is still looking for work, the second is on the verge of publishing a best-selling novel. Our attitudes have incredible power to influence how we approach the world around us.
A negative attitude can make the world dark, dangerous and bleak, while a positive attitude can bring out the best in most situations. Our mindset can also change how we experience reality.
Russian psychologist K. Kekcheyev found that simply thinking positive thoughts makes food taste better and colors appear more vibrant. If you're constantly feeling negative, try to surround yourself with positive role models.
This can be anyone from a trusted friend on the Internet to a close relative or mentor. These types of confidants can show that success is possible, and help you check your behavior if you're becoming unnecessarily pessimistic. So,
Smart Idea 2: Nothing is possible without a positive mindset.
Let's say you want to become an Olympic-level long-distance cyclist. It's an ambitious goal, but you feel passionate enough to make it happen. In fact, it's all you think it is.
Every day, from dawn to dusk, you are immersed in the world of bikes. You read cycling magazines, watch old cycling races on YouTube, and frequent the local bike shop to check out the latest gear.
The only problem is that you hardly ever get in the saddle and ride. With this approach, will you ever win the race? maybe not. By not actually acting, you're really just spinning your wheels and getting nowhere.
If you want to achieve your goals, you have to actually try to go for it. CHAMPION is an acronym in which each letter stands for a step towards your goal.
The first letter, C, stands for "chunk it out." This involves breaking your strategy down into smaller milestones that you can achieve one at a time.
Then, H is for "go a go". It means actually going out there and trying to hit your mark, whatever that may be. A is for "assess your results".
Did you hit your first milestone?
Why or why not? Reflect on what went wrong and what you can do better next time. Always remember M, P and I as you try and try again. These letters mean "keep your mindset," "go out with the right people" and "do your best research."
These steps are about staying positive, spending time with people who support and encourage you, and always being open to learning new and better ways to achieve your goal.
Finally, there are measures O and N. The O stands for "owning the results" and the N stands for "never give up." These last steps are extremely important. If you fail to achieve your goal, don't blame others or make excuses.
Just admit that you didn't overcome, then refocus your energy and redouble your efforts to try again. If you stay away from the champion process, you will eventually grow. So,
Smart Idea 3: Follow the Champion's Process to Make
It Possible Always remember, “Dreams don't work until you make them happen”. I learned these things from Rob Hartnett's book "It's All Possible".
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