I am not a fan of fear. I’m guessing you probably aren’t either.

For most of us, the only purpose it serves is to hold us back. To edit the actions and goals our true selves want to accomplish and to ruin our experiences.

Fear can serve a better purpose though. It can be a great motivator.

The challenge comes when fear is the only emotion you feel. It’s nearly impossible to move past it unless you have other emotions propelling you along.

When you plan to accomplish something outside your comfort zone, plan for fear.

In other words, plan to put fear in its place.

Whether you have to make a public speech, have a difficult conversation, or jump from an airplane today—use fear to your advantage.

Among the emotions you might also feel in any of these situations are excitement, anticipation, focus, confidence, and/or fun.

If you let fear take up most of your emotional space and push the experience of these other emotions aside, how do you think your day or experience will go?

Let fear play the only good part it can play—to motivate you but not freeze you into inaction or control to you the point of ruining your experience. Place fear where it will serve you best.

You control fear, fear does not control you.

When has fear served a positive purpose in your life? I want to hear the story. It might get included in the next issue of Noteworthy!

What’s the one thing you need for success at anything you try?

The right connections?
Luck?
Karma?
1 million dollars?
Kismet?

Nope.

What then?

The right mindset. (Oh jeez. There’s that word again.)

I know, I know. Mindset, mindset, mindset. It’s everywhere right now. Or at least it seems that way to me. But it’s for good reason because…

It is the single-most determining factor for success at anything. And I do mean ANYTHING. Successful relationships, weight loss goals, learning to speak a new language, traveling the world, and yes, building your business.

I know from whence I speak on all counts. And I have not been successful on all counts. Almost exclusively because I had the wrong mindset.

There are two types of mindsets, Fixed and Growth. We learn our mindsets from our parents first and then our coaches, teachers and even our friends. Your environment and who you hang with absolutely has a bearing on your initial mindset. But you do get to choose what mindset you move forward with (and who you hang out with).

Most people never get out of the fixed. It’s comforting and easy. It’s predictable. It’s proven. Growth is hard, as we all know. But growth is oh-so-worth-it!

Here’s a little about what these different mindsets look like:

1. The Fixed Mindset
The fixed mindset is an internal dialog that is fundamentally based on judging. Not just others but ourselves as well.

No matter how “woke” you are, there is some form of fixed mindset in all of us. The degree to which it exists is the variable. The first step in retraining your brain for a more growth-oriented outlook is to be able to acknowledge the fixed when it’s happening.

A fixed mindset looks like this:
I’m a loser.
I’m naturally gifted.
My partner is selfish.
I am superior to my coworkers.
I’m simply not good at math.
I will never be able to dance like that.
I’m stupid.
I’m not flexible enough for yoga.
I don’t have the time.
My level of intelligence is inherent.
I’m special.
I strive for perfection.
I’m a better person that he/she is.
I’m smarter than most people.
Nothing ventured, nothing lost.
My personality is what it is.
Talents are inherent.
Other people and things validate who I am.
Failures are setbacks.
I can’t.

Most of us have thought a lot of these things, if not all of them, at one point or another in our lives. They are easy things to think. They are ingrained in society. First step to a growth mindset: stop the fixed mindset thought as soon as it rears its ugly head.

2. Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is about believing people can develop their abilities and potential. It is truly as simple as that. Change is possible and you have the power to make change happen. If you want to.

A growth mindset looks like this:

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I’m always learning.
I am determined.
I am focused.
I am capable.
I am not afraid of hard work.
I can develop talents.
Effort is a positive, constructive force.
I’m inspired by the successes of others.
With effort and hard work I can master anything I choose to.
Failures are opportunities to learn.
You have to start somewhere!
The bigger the challenge, the more the stretch.
Try, try again.
Success doesn’t happen overnight.
The harder it gets, the more determined I am.
What’s a comfort zone?
I can.

If you had to choose which would it be? Loads of validation and success or lots of challenge and opportunity for growth?

Your mindset will change the meaning of failure and the meaning of effort. It will change your outlook on life. It can change your life.

So can a mindset be changed? Absolutely!

The world is not divided into the weak or strong, by winners or losers—it’s divided by learners and nonlearners. A change in mindset is an educational process. Always be learning! Because you live in a world where you can.

I’m off to spend the weekend selling more furniture and appliances, packing up the garage and the upstairs and measuring our new downtown dwelling to see how much furniture I cram in it. I hope your weekend is way more fun!