As we all know, times are rough.
As soon as you turn on the news or search the internet, you are bombarded with all kinds of reports and stories about war, unemployment, civil unrest, protests, climate change, skyrocketing prices, travel alerts, and the energy crisis, etc.
How Do We Battle This Negativity?
It takes a strong character and a positive mindset to take on life's challenges and to see the light in the opportunities around us. However, it's difficult not to let the negative news and people cloud our minds and cast a shadow that distorts our view on life.
Once you know your worth, understand your passion, and have figured out what makes you happy, you will automatically get out of bed every morning, charged and driven with the motivation to go after your dreams.
Having a sense of purpose will help you lead a more proactive life and help eliminate bad habits and actions that rob you of your time and resources.
It is important to remember that time is your most valuable resource. The clock is ticking for all of us, and some of us will have already recognized that we have less time ahead of us than we have behind us. So use your time very wisely.
Thinking Outside The Donut Hole
Setbacks and failures are only temporary. They should be viewed as learning experiences so they don't poison your attitude and bog you down with unnecessary negative thoughts.
Too many people tend to focus on the hole in the middle of a donut rather than the deliciousness of the donut. Others have found a way to market that hole by creating "donut holes", which incorporate the deliciousness and provide value to the obvious hole.
That type of "thinking outside the box" creates opportunities where others see a lack. As a result, many of today's fortunes are made by people who found a way to fill that lack.
The Recipe For Your Donut Holes
Listening to motivational podcasts and audio programs and reading inspiring books written by successful entrepreneurs and life coaches will elevate your spirit when feeling down.
Let them inspire you to unleash your potential, even more so if you should be doubting your capabilities. Being motivated will affirm that you are on the right path to personal success.
The lessons taught in these types of programs can be used as a roadmap to guide you through the tough times and teach you to persevere. You only have to be willing to learn from others' mistakes.
This is where the hero's journey comes into play.
The hero's journey is a common narrative pattern found in literature, mythology, and storytelling. It's a tale of transformation and growth where the hero goes on a quest, faces trials and tribulations, and ultimately emerges as a stronger and wiser version of themselves.
Joseph Campbell, a mythologist and writer popularized the hero's journey concept and outlined its various stages.
Furthermore, the hero's journey is about external triumphs, inner growth, and self-discovery. It also involves facing your fears, embracing your strengths and weaknesses, and developing resilience and perseverance.
The authors usually take you on their hero's journey on which the protagonist leaves their comfort zone to venture out into the world. Then, face challenges, overcome them, and return home to live a fulfilling life.
The hero encounters many setbacks and suffers blows to their ego, causing their self-confidence to falter and wane. These defeats often lead them to the brink of giving up.
However, there's still a key ingredient missing. It is the moment when massive change starts to take place. This is the point where the mentor comes in.
Encountering A Mentor
A mentor is someone who believes in the hero and their abilities. They know how to draw the strength out of the hero to overcome their challenges. They serve as a guide and coach, helping the hero find their path again.
The mentor usually achieves this by drawing on their own experiences of their personal hero's journey or failing to fulfill their initial quest. This story serves to re-strengthen the hero's confidence and belief that they can achieve their goals and complete their journey.
The hero will still encounter adversaries and be confronted with dragons to slay, which often appear as negative self-talk inside their head.
However, by following the hero's journey, they cultivated a growth mindset and shifted their focus from the obstacles and failures to the opportunities and learnings that come with them. Still, they have learned to create value in their donut hole through those experiences.
They are able to do this by viewing their mentor's journey and then asking themselves questions like:
- "How did they view the challenge?"
- "What solutions did they get to choose from?"
- "What mental strengths did they draw from?"
The hero strengthens their possibility thinking by reviewing their mentor's path and asking themselves the same questions.
Applying Possibility Thinking
Possibility thinking allows you to create a change in your mindset, which will help you refrain from your so-called mindset performance cycle.
This is where your mindset affects your attitude, which determines your behavior, motivates your actions, and generates certain results.
These results are the key to your future performance, which further supports your mindset or causes a change in it.
We all have a choice to make in life. We can go for the donut, give in to our obstacles, adversaries, and dragons, focusing on the hole, or we can utilize possibility thinking to convert that donut hole into our strongest asset.
In conclusion, keeping a positive mindset is essential to achieving success in any aspect of life, including entrepreneurship.
By learning from the hero's journey and seeking guidance from mentors, you can develop the right mindset to overcome challenges and stay focused on your goals.
So, keep your eye on the donut, and embrace the journey!
I recommend doing that because otherwise, it's a difficult hole to escape.
