3 Steps to a Healthy Mindset Free from Regret

Throughout my life, I have invested thousands of hours researching how people can effectively grow and change. After all, we know that success leaves clues, and growing is the most fundamental change we can experience in our lives.

My success study included hundreds of interviews, listening to recordings from thought leaders, and reading scores of books written by experts on change and personal development.  It has also included observation within my own life and working with clients as a life coach and mentor.

My conclusion? Everything begins and ends with our mindset.

Earl Nightingale stated it this way: “We become what we think about.” Jim Rohn taught that before you can accomplish anything, you must first believe it is possible and then believe it is possible for you.

One of William James’ most quoted lines is this: “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” And from the Bible in Mark 9:23: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

It’s clear that unless we believe, we are not going to achieve.

Given the importance of mindset, how do we proactively create a healthy one that is in tune with our vision and mission? These three essential steps are an excellent place to begin.

Step 1:  Make peace with the past.   Here is where we usually trip up first.  We limit our future based on our past.  Our past is meant to prepare us for the future, not predict it. The most outstanding achievers now and from history have used their challenges to propel them to a better life. We must make peace with our past.  The steps for that can vary, but in essence, it involves achieving a state of grace through the forgiveness of ourselves and others to live from a place of gratitude.

Step 2:  Be honest about the present and take responsibility for it.  Personal responsibility is a significant factor for personal growth.  As long as we play the blame game, we are imprisoning ourselves as a victim.  We live “at the mercy” of circumstances or other people.  Once we are honest about where we are and take responsibility for our life and everything in it, we are, in actuality, empowering ourselves to change it.

Step 3:  Act based on faith in the future.  It is not enough to have hope.  Hope means we “might” succeed. It’s enough to start, but it won’t be enough to finish.  Faith means we believe that we will.  It means we won’t accept anything less.

Three steps to a healthy mindset.  Sounds simple, and yet it isn’t always easy.  Because we’ve had years of practice thinking the way we think now.  We’ve had years to let limiting beliefs and judgments cloud our vision.  So, we must set a new mindset that includes new expectations we allow to new core beliefs. 

Think about this for yourself and these remaining months of 2021. In what area of your life would you most like to experience growth in the next 90 days?  What change would you like to see?

Do you believe it’s possible?

Do you believe it’s possible for you?

Then you’re ready! The first hurdle is behind you. 

Think well to live well with no regrets.