Mindset For Business
Your mind is your secret weapon for business, and also the biggest reason we don’t achieve our goals. When it comes to hitting your business goals your mind is both the solution and the problem! The good news is that you can harness your brain for business success, and just like any other muscle you can train it.
Here are 5 easy ways to start training your brain for success that won’t take up lots of time, perfect for busy equestrians.
1. Practice Gratitude
Being grateful for everything you DO have in your life and business puts you in a much stronger place to grow your business. It is easy to focus on what we don’t have, but that doesn’t fuel growth.
Practicing gratitude has an array of benefits to an individual. Research suggests that grateful people are happier, more resilient and calmer, enjoying more satisfaction and better relationships.
The idea might sound a bit fluffy, but overtime you can be grateful for both positive and negative experiences, and which keeps you more grounded and in the moment.
You can start today by being grateful for having a smartphone or device that is enabling you to read this article. You have more than many people in the world already. Likewise waking up in a warm comfortable bed, in your own home and taking a second to appreciate that each morning is an amazing way to start the day. It is easy to start a new day thinking “I’m tired” or “I have so much to do”.
Being grateful for a seemingly negative experience might also sound strange, but focus on the idea that “rejection is protection”. Have you ever been disappointed when a client didn’t rebook? Or an inquiry didn’t turn into a booking? It might have been for the best!
2. Self Talk
The most powerful words are the ones we say to ourselves, but so often these aren’t the most helpful words either.
Do you ever find yourself beating yourself up for not being further along in your business journey or for not getting everything on your to do list done?
Most people are quite mean to themselves!
Self talk has been well investigated in the world of sport, and unsurprising research finds that positive self talk leads to positive outcomes and increased performance on the sports field.
Why not listen to how you ‘speak’ to yourself over the next few days? Whether you literally speak out loud to yourself, or the words rolling around in your head, are they kind, supportive and positive? Would you speak to a friend like this?
If not, try talking to yourself like a friend would to you. If you approached a friend with an issue or a problem they would listen and give you some practical suggestions for tackling the block – so start doing the same to yourself.
3. Positive Influences
Try using existing pockets of time, rather than stressing about carving out an hour of new time in your day. You can access so much positivity throughout your day with just a bit of thought and planning.
There are so many positive influences that you can easily slot into your day as you muck out, drive, cook dinner, workout and so forth. This could be audiobooks on business or marketing, inspiring podcasts or listening to videos. When you do lots of driving, how lovely to reach your destination knowing something new, rather than listening to news and a bunch of adverts.
If you are a music lover, create a playlist of songs that motivate and inspire you to listen to.
4. The Power Of Pictures
Your mind sees in pictures, and an easy way to start training your brain for success is to see what you want to create. This could be a new client, or a longer term vision or dream like developing your own rehab centre or barn, or store.
Focusing on the image of what you want to achieve helps switch on the RAS (Reticular Activation System) in your mind. This clever part of your subconscious then looks for ideas and opportunities that fit what you want, just like using a search engine online.
The more you mentally visit your goal then the more you confirm to your mind that this is happening. This gives you certainty, generates motivation and helps you take more action in the direction of your goal.
Why not start by focusing on this image right before you fall asleep each night? This is a great time to tap into your subconscious and means that it can be processing this information as you sleep. Like any new skill it gets easier with practice, so preserve if you find it a little strange at first.
5. Get Off Your Phone
Technology is amazing, and makes running a business much easier for sure. BUT your phone is not helping you develop a mindset for success.
Most people reach straight for their phone on waking, scrolling through social media and messages or emails before they are even fully awake. Whilst you might feel like you are getting a head start on the day you can’t control what you see. You might see a post that makes you feel rubbish, or receive a less than positive email or message.
The first and last hour of the day matter for mindset work. At these times your brain is in a different brainwave state and it is easier to train your brain. Let these be times for positivity and growth, not comparisons and negativity which we can easily get from the news, media or social platforms.
Try leaving your phone downstairs, or deleting apps such as email or messenger at the end of the working day. It is your business after all, you just have to set and enforce the boundaries.
Combining business strategy with an unshakeable mindset for success is how you build a business that you love. Strategy without belief doesn’t really work, nor just thinking happy thoughts! You need both. Happy brain training!
Nicola Kinnard-Comedie (Msc, BHSAI Int. SM)
is the owner and founder of NKC Equestrian Training, delivering horse care training to horse owners and business and mindset coaching to equine practitioners.
Nicola is a qualified riding instructor and has over 20 years industry experience, and now uses her coaching skills to assist equine practitioners. Nicola decided to combine her experience of equestrian science, sales and marketing, and teach this to others. Nicola works with veterinary physiotherapists, massage therapists, osteopaths and other equestrians across the world to help them build their dream business. Nicola's work focuses on harnessing the power of your mindset, together with cutting edge marketing strategies to support equestrian business owners to realise the business of their dreams.
You can find out more about Nicola here: www.nkcequestrian.com
This article is from the August issue of Equine Business Magazine
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