How To Have The Mindset For Success

Learning how to have the mindset for success is crucial when you want a successful and blissful life. If you are like me, you might have many goals you want to achieve. Whatever these goals are, the key is to have a growth mindset rather than a fixed one. But what is the difference and how you get it?

How can you set and have the mindset for success? Do you want to reach your goals more rapidly? In how many years did you plan to achieve your goals?

Many people, as well as I, preach hard work, focus, persistence and more but these are by-products of something else. It is something much more powerful than we can all develop. This extraordinary thing is critical to success, and it is your mindset.

Without the right mindset, you might find yourself sidetracked by your everyday routine. You can also often be distracted by the latest and most fabulous idea you are just having, which rarely pushes you to follow one path until successful.

You may think that you have all the time in the world to achieve your goals. But you have to realize that if you set your mindset for success, you can apply it to other domains as well. In this way, you will reach your goals much faster and find yourself with the capacity to possibly form new and bigger goals.

The Trap of the Mindset

It is always better to fail many times before succeeding as it will help you avoid many of the psychological traps. One of the key traps is to believe that you are smarter than other people, or that you do not have to work hard because you have talent, or that you have nothing to learn.

To have the right mindset to be successful in life, you do not need to have extraordinary intelligence or be gifted with talents.

"The moment you believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, you will brittle in the face of adversity." - Josh W., International Chess champion.

So, as soon as you think success is determined by talent, you become weak when you have to face obstacles.

The Difference between a Fixed and Growth Mindset

So as soon as people see intelligence or abilities as fixed, they believe that many things are impossible for them to achieve because they put limits on themselves and their skills. And that is what is called a fixed mindset.

But other persons see abilities as qualities that can be developed which is, in this case, called a growth mindset. The important part is that those two different frames of mind lead to not the same behaviors and results.

When you have a growth mindset, you know you can change your intelligence, and increase your aptitudes and skills over time. But people with a fixed mindset do not think it is possible. So, the difference between the two groups is the perspective on intellect and brainpower.

The Possibility of a Different Mindset

Many studies have shown similar effects for the mindset about any ability such as problem-solving, playing sports, managing people or anything else you would like. The key to success is not merely effort, focus or resilience, but it is the growth mindset that creates them.

Your mindset is critical. When you directly are trying to build determination or persistence, it is not nearly as effective as if as addressing the mind frame that underlies these traits. How many people think of themselves as not creative people, or sociable, or math oriented, or even athletic?

On the other hand, some people may think that they are naturals. But if you want to fulfill your full potential, you need to start thinking differently. You have to realize that you not chained to your current capabilities and that you can modify your mindset.

A Mindset Can Be Changed

You should know that your brain is very malleable and has plasticity. You can change your ability to think and to perform. In fact, many of the accomplished people of our era were thought by experts to have no more future. People like Charles Darwin, Marcel Proust, and many others but they along with all high achievers such as Mozart to Einstein built their abilities.

But the vital thing here is to realize that you can change your ability and picture yourself where you want to be. When you have a growth mindset, you bring your game to new levels. So, how does a growth frame of mind do that?

Well, there are biological manifestations to mindset. Tests show that with people who have a fixed mindset, the brain becomes most active when they receive information about how they perform. Whereas people with a growth mindset, they have their mind being most active when they receive information about what they could do better next time.

The Choice of a Growth Mindset

In other words, people with a fixed frame of mind worry the most about how they are judged while those with a growth mindset focus the most on learning. There are other consequences about outlook. A fixed mind sees effort as a bad thing, something that only people with low capabilities need while those with a growth approach see effort as what makes them smart and as a way to grow.

And when they hit a setback or failure, people with a fixed mindset tend to conclude that they are incapable, so to protect their ego, they lose interest or withdraw. It is often taken as a lack of motivation, but behind it is a fixed frame of mind.

Whereas, people with a growth frame of mind believe that setbacks are a part of personal development. They find a way around the problem. So it means that you have to challenge yourself. But it also says that you have to praise yourself for being great at something or being smart; so do not also forget to honor others and even children for the same things.

Mindset Affects Everything

Trying hard pushes you to work even harder next time you face a challenge. Do not get into the fixed mindset of thinking that when you win, you are a winner and when you lose, it must make you a loser. The reason being is that your mindset affects your performance.

Remember that you can change your mindset any time you wish. And that is important because many people have a fixed mind frame about something or another. When you teach or have a growth mindset, not only it improves you as an all, but it also narrows down the achievement gap.

Mindset affects all of us. In the workplace, managers and supervisors with a fixed mindset do not accept feedback as much, and they do not mentor people. A wrong or right frame of mind even touches relationships, sports, and health.

Why do schools not teach the growth mindset to children rather than being so critical?

Tips to Have the Mindset for Success

• Get a growth mindset.
• Develop Success Habits.
• Recognize that a growth mindset is beneficial.
• Know that your brain changes when you work hard to improve yourself.
• Make a small step toward each of your goals each day.
• Learn how to develop your abilities as well as teaching others.
• Capture all of the information that could help you.
• Do a deliberate daily practice to develop your abilities through effective effort.
• Listen to audio books or learn a new language on your phone while you are out for a walk rather than music.
• Clip articles and inspiring ideas for a vision board.
• Learn from your failures by asking yourself what you learned from the experience.
• Know your strengths and weaknesses.
• Develop core skills that will help you reach and achieve your goals.
• After experiencing a setback, do not dwell on it. Instead, make an evaluation, and move on to the next thing.

And so, learn that to have a right mindset will allow you to succeed beyond all your expectations. You have to learn to talk back with a growth mindset voice when you listen and hear your fixed mind frame. Therefore, when you hear it say "You can't," just add another word to it which is "Yet."

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How To Strategically Make Your Normal Workday Fun & Lively

Let's face it.

A non-stop 8 hours of work is not easy. To most of us, it's tiring, boring and unproductive.

We've been taught to divide our lives into 3 parts: 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work, and finally 8 hours of leisure. Naturally, we assume that we should do these things in such order.

What if that doesn't work for everyone?

What if we can strategically incorporate some fun, leisure and excitement into our working hours?

What if there's a smarter way to mix work and play together so you look forward to both your weekdays and weekends?

Here's the thing, it's extremely hard, if not counterproductive, to exert willpower in one go and focus for 8 hours straight.

Our bodies function in circadian rhythms so we are designed to work in periods and cycles.

If you plan for 8 consecutive hours as work (even if you have an hour of lunch in between), it's rarely productive for us.

So to be productive both professionally and personally, you should aim for a balanced schedule that incorporate some mind, body& emotions refreshment sessions in the middle of the day.

Instead of having a 9am - 5pm work schedule, try to put a long 3 hour session of rejuvenation buffer in-between.

During these few hours, you can go hit the gym and bring some fresh air to your brain.

Or you can go meet your mentors and have a long chilling wisdom chat so you have some advice, directives and guidance.

Or you can spend some quality time reconnecting Mother Nature and read <The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin> to gain some leadership insights.

This 3 hour block is deliberately placed in the middle of the day to give you a long enough break for your brainpower after an intensive morning work session.

It's there for you to be social, to invest some time in your personal development, and to recharge your batteries before you go dominate your round 2 of the day.

Whether it happens at 11am - 2pm or 12pm - 3pm doesn't matter, what matters is that you've blocked out your morning work session for the highest value prioritized tasks and get 70-80% of your day done.

Round 2 is for you to tackle other less important lower value tasks.

When you design your day like this, not only you have 2 solid productive sessions in the morning and near the evening, but also you have something to look forward to in the middle of the day so that you are compelled to stay focused in the morning before the fun begins.

So a sample schedule can be something like this:

12:00pm - 7:30am: 7.5 hours of sleep

7:30am - 9am: Morning Success Ritual to Jump Start Your Day

9am - 12pm: Uninterrupted Block of Time to Crush Your Highest Value Priority Tasks

12pm - 3pm: Time to Have Fun and Refresh Your Body, Mind and Emotions!

3pm - 6:30pm: Round 2 to Finish the Low Priority Tasks

6:30pm - 10:30pm: Spend Quality Time with Family & Friends, or Learn New Skills

10:30pm - 12pm: Night Journaling & Plan the Next Day

Isn't it more motivating when you realize you have something cool to enjoy after a few hours of work, instead of waiting for the whole day to pass and unwind in the evening?

Try it out, tweak the schedule and play around to see how much productive you can be!

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How to Improve Your Memory Through the Best Brain Food (By Curney Parker)

They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old adage simply isn't true. The human brain has an astonishing ability to adapt and change-even into old age. This ability is known as "neuroplasticity". With the right stimulation, your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing ways.

The brain's incredible ability to reshape itself holds true when it comes to learning and memory. You can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, enhance your ability to learn new information, and improve your memory at any age.

Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably already know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, "healthy" fats (such as olive oil, nuts, fish) and lean protein will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. For brain health, though, it's not just what you eat-it's also what you don't eat. The following nutritional tips will help boost your brainpower and reduce your risk of dementia:

Get Your Omega-3s - Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial for brain health. Fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3, especially cold water "fatty fish" such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring.

If you're not a fan of seafood, consider non-fish sources of omega-3s such as walnuts, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, winter squash, kidney and pinto beans, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans.

Limit Calories and Saturated Fat - Research shows that diets high in saturated fat (from sources such as red meat, whole milk, butter, cheese, cream, and ice cream) increase your risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory.

Eat More Fruit and Vegetables - Produce is packed with antioxidants, substances that protect your brain cells from damage. Colorful fruits and vegetables are particularly good antioxidant "superfood" sources.

Drink Green Tea - Green tea contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that protect against free radicals that can damage brain cells. Among many other benefits, regular consumption of green tea may enhance memory and mental alertness and slow brain aging.

Drink Wine (or grape juice) in Moderation - Keeping your alcohol consumption in check is key, since alcohol kills brain cells. But in moderation (around 1 glass a day for women; 2 for men), alcohol may actually improve memory and cognition. Red wine appears to be the best option, as it is rich in resveratrol, a flavonoid that boosts blood flow in the brain and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Other resveratrol-packed options include grape juice, cranberry juice, fresh grapes and berries, and peanuts.

For Mental Energy, Choose Complex Carbohydrates - Just as a racecar needs gas, your brain needs fuel to perform at its best. When you need to be at the top of your mental game, carbohydrates can keep you going. But the type of carbs you choose makes all the difference. Carbohydrates fuel your brain, but simple carbs (sugar, white bread, refined grains) give a quick boost followed by an equally rapid crash. There is also evidence to suggest that diets high in simple carbs can greatly increase the risk for cognitive impairment in older adults. For healthy energy that lasts, choose complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, lentils, and whole beans. Avoid processed foods and limit starches (potato, pasta, rice) to no more than one quarter of your plate.

When you think of food, you probably think of that dreaded four-letter word: DIET. Or maybe you think of fuel for your body... Or a source of happiness (or frustration!) in your life. What you probably don't think of is a powerful influence that affects your emotions, your personality, the quality and quantity of your memories, and even WHO you are as a person. But surprise: What you eat directly impacts all of the above. This may sound hard to believe, but it's true. Let me explain...

Your Brain: A Calorie Hungry Machine

Your brain represents only 2 - 4% of your total body mass, which is about 2 - 4 pounds for the average person. However, your brain also consumes about 20% of all the energy from your food. I'll say that again: Your brain consumes 20% of the food energy you consume. Plus, the type of fuel you give your brain through food and supplements has a critical influence on how you think, feel and experience life. You-and your entire human experience-actually ARE what you eat. As Dr. Fotuhi put it: "What you eat will re-shape your brain... for better or for worse". So, once again, we need to put our brains first when it comes to improving our health and happiness.

Which nutrients does my brain need... And how much? There are certain nutrients your brain absolutely needs, some you can consume in higher doses to increase performance... and some nutrients your body absolutely doesn't want. Let's start with what your brain absolutely needs each day: Fuel. To function properly and consistently repair cells, your brain needs the energy you get from food. This is a no-brainer (ha ha, pun intended). However, if you go on an extreme calorie restricting diet, not only are you restricting the fuel you're giving your body- you're also restricting the fuel you're giving your brain. Why is this dangerous? While your intentions may be in the right place, you may effectively be starving your brain, which leads to brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, slower and more difficult learning, feeling unmotivated, etc. And most dangerously, malnutrition over prolonged periods can even physically shrink your brain. Calorie restrictive diets are NOT the way to go.

Let's say you're on a strict calorie restrictive diet that limits you to 70% of the actual caloric fuel you (and your brain) need on an average day. This means you're not getting 30% of the vitamins, minerals and energy you need just to operate at baseline... which equates to about 6% direct malnutrition to your brain.

Starving your brain makes you angry, short tempered, dull and emotional. And frankly, it never gets you to your goal. Do you know where the willpower comes from to stick with a healthy practice? It comes from feeding your brain the right fuel in the right amounts to stay strong.

I want to focus for a moment on one particular killer that is extremely dangerous for your brain: Sugar. WebMD even asks the question: "Is sugar worse for you than say, cocaine?" When up to 80% of all foods we can buy in a grocery store contain sugar, it can feel like a losing battle.

Not only is sugar proven to be highly addictive-meaning the more you eat, the more you want to eat-we're finding that over time, sugar can contribute to the shrinking of your hippocampus (the memory sector of your brain), which is a hallmark symptom of memory problems.

How Does Sugar Affect Your Memory? Research out of the University of California, Los Angeles, suggests that sugar forms free radicals in the brain and compromises the nerve cells' ability to communicate. This can have serious repercussions in how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and manage our moods, says Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, Ph.D., author of the UCLA study. In the short term, you've probably seen how sugar can mess with your emotions and adrenaline surges, a.k.a.: the stress hormone. So something to consider: Your memory issues may NOT be age-related. It might be what you're eating. What happens when you eat sugar?

When you eat sugar, your insulin spikes, which briefly increases your dopamine levels. (Think of dopamine as the "happy chemical.") For a short period, you feel happy and energized... perhaps a little hyper.

But this high quickly wears off (i.e. NOT a stable source of energy), and eventually you come crashing down. This familiar "sugar crash" produces the stress chemical adrenaline, which can leave you feeling anxious, moody, exhausted and even depressed in the aftermath.

The USDA recommends staying under 10 teaspoons (40 grams) of added sugar a day. This is about the equivalent of a bagel or one cup of your typical non-fat yogurt-which has a tendency to be surprisingly high in sugar. (Check the label of the yogurt in your fridge and see what I mean.) Now don't worry: This daily sugar limit doesn't include natural fruit and vegetable sugars in their pure forms like an apple. But DO avoid those mocha lattes at all costs.

Personally, I think sugar is the real reason why gluten-free diets tend to work so well for many people in terms of improving overall body and brain health. It's not because they're removing the gluten. (Only 1% of the population has Celiac disease, in which case the body can't tolerate gluten). I believe it's because most foods that contain gluten also contain a lot of added sugar: Breads, baked goods, etc. Removing the sugars alone can have a massive impact on your mood, memory and clarity of thought.

We also know though countless studies that obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes can shrink the size and performance of your brain. So if you want to cut the risk of memory loss, the first and fastest thing you can do is educate yourself on brain-healthy foods vs brain-shrinking foods- and immediately remove the dangerous foods from your diet.

What are the WORST Foods For Your Memory and Cognition?

Salt can be a big culprit, mainly due to excess. Salt is an essential mineral we need to survive, however the USDA recommendation is just 1,500 mg a day. The average American eats 3,400 mg/day, primarily because our culture tends to consume a lot of processed and packaged foods. These are the worst when it comes to unknowingly consuming extremely unhealthy doses of salt-which by the way, also increases your risk of stroke.

Trans fats are also dangerous to brain health. Typical trans fats are often found in fried foods, margarine, shortening, non-dairy creamers, ice cream, cake mixes, microwave popcorn, ground beef, frozen dinners, cookies and crackers.

The BEST Foods For Your Brain

To boost your memory, mood and cognition, you want to focus on a "healthy brain" diet. This involves eating foods that support the growth of new brain cells, as well as taking a quality daily supplement with the right quantities of specific nutrients, to give your brain the building blocks it needs to stay sharp. One of these nutrients is called DHA, found in Omega 3 fatty acids, which helps reduce inflammation in the brain. Many researchers have found that people with behavioral problems, children with ADHD and people suffering from Alzheimer's disease have lower than normal DHA levels.

For example, in Gothenburg, Sweden, scientists conducted a study on over 9,000 students. They found that children who ate one serving of fish per week (a great source of DHA) did 15% better than students who ate less than one serving of fish per week. I recommend you aim for 1,000 mg of DHA each day through your food and/or supplementation.

Best Diets For Memory & Learning

As an overall eating style packed with healthy brain foods, most scientists recommend the Mediterranean diet as a great plan to give your body and brain the best quality foods, even if you're trying to lose weight. For more tips, I also highly recommend following trusted food gurus like Mike Geary, aka: "The Nutrition Watchdog." Need motivation? Here's a fun fact for you: Those who follow a healthy diet combined with exercise have a whopping 65% LOWER chance of getting Alzheimer's disease.

Here's a Good List of Delicious Brain-Healthy Foods: Olive Oil, Garlic, Peas, Blueberries, Green Tea, Kale, Nuts and Seeds, Fatty Fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, Tomatoes, Pumpkin Seeds, Blackcurrants, Broccoli, Sage, Eggs.

All of these foods are great for children and adults; for studying, improving memory, and just feeling great all-around.

I am a Nutritionist specializing in Brain Health. I work with a company named "Simple Smart Science". Our mission is to identify areas where big leaps in performance in every area of your life can be achieved and then give you products that take you there.

We spend hundreds of hours researching different scientific case studies from around the world to discover the ingredients which we use. They have to be double blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies for us even to read them because these are the only methodologies accepted in the scientific community.

We only use dosages that are clinically proven to work at optimal results, use premium ingredients from trusted sources, use the top rated manufacturing facilities and use a third party testing facility to test our products over and over at every stage in the formation.

Every system in your body - from your nervous system to your digestive to your immune system - is controlled by your brain. Your overall health is controlled by your brain. This includes your emotional state as well. When your brain is healthy and performing your overall health is improved.

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