Change is inevitable. However, accepting it and learning to anticipate it, is a whole different ball game.
Developing a growth mindset requires a set of small mindset shifts. This includes believing in the ability to grow and change, seeing challenges as opportunities, focusing on progress instead of results, prioritizing learning over seeking approval, and rewarding yourself for your effort and not just the outcome.
Understanding that is a major mental hurdle for entrepreneurs as their businesses, customers and market shift over time.
But you can actually train your brain to get better at handling change through some simple mental exercises, from imagining your company’s demise to learning how to meditate.
While It’s not always pleasant, it is possible. Listed below are 7 tips and tricks to shift your mindset whenever you have to.
1. Learn to meditate
Your mindset is a muscle that can be strengthen and improved upon. One way to improve your mindset and embrace change in your life is to learn the exercise of meditation. There are thousands of videos online that can guide you in your meditation journey. Coupling this with exercises like yoga will help to ease the process for you, especially if you are a beginner.
Meditation has been linked to better work performance, high positivity and attitude.
2. Prioritize personal development
Taking the time to work on your own development can be incredibly challenging as an entrepreneur. But, it is the only way to embrace change and manage the inevitable stress and ups and downs that come with growing a company. Whether it is mediating, yoga, a spiritual practice or just self-inquiry, intention about your own growth and path will let you learn to embrace change.
3. Track your progress
Create a practice of noticing and even writing down three changes a day that have had a positive effect on people’s ability to do business. For example, email vs. mailing correspondence, rotary phones vs. Skype calls with your remote employee in another country, etc. By making the effort to recognize the positive effects of change for business, you will retrain your brain to see change as an opportunity for growth.
With social relationships, filter out which people you feel happiest with, introspect on your own character and response to other people. Filter the good from the bad, then make a decision to make yourself better, or surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.
4. Focus on your long-term vision
Change is often uncomfortable, but it’s necessary if you want your business to grow. You must embrace this fact and look beyond the present conditions to your long-term goals and vision.
Write down your personal goals. Set SMART goals and bridge them with smaller, short-term goals to hep you get to where you want, but always keep your eyes o the prize.
5. Listen to trusted outside perspectives
Business-wise, build your high-level team. Hire a CEO so you can step back into a presidential role. This forces you to be more open about changes because the CEO has their own ideas to grow the company. And they’ll have ultimate decision-making power to make changes. If you’re unwilling to do this, then form an advisory board you will allow to override you by vote.
In your personal life, try out coaching to get professional help in seeing yourself from another angle. Ask your closest friends and or family on your not so nice characters, and work on building that to your intended level.
6. Accept that change will happen with or without you
Do not beat up yourself over things that are outside of your control. Not everything good or bad that happens has something to do with you.
Accept three things: life is short, time is precious, and your ego is always in need of a shot of humility. Every idea has a life and an evolution. Change is a natural and a necessary part of that evolutionary cycle. The change will happen with or without you, so do not get in your own way.
7. Make yourself vulnerable to others
As we evolve, it is the path of least resistance, but not always the best path, to form anything new based only on our current understandings and skill sets. Being in a position of power, others get dragged into our processes. But if we make ourselves vulnerable to accepting the thoughts of others, we may not only positively shift our mindset but also become better people.
When you feel overwhelmed or exhausted, give yourself a time off. Practice breathing exercises and reset before going back. Literally give yourself a break.
Remembering these perspectives and adopting a humble mindset will allow you to influence others to become more successful, and it may even carve the path for others to view you as their own role model for success.