Success and Failure are Nothing But a Mindset

Success and failure are nothing but mindsets

Tim Connor

The outcomes of failure = frustration, discouragement, negative emotions, loss of courage, lower self-esteem, uncertainty and a loss of optimism.  More of these – certainly.  And the outcomes of success = encouragement, feelings of control, happiness, well being, passion, faith, desire and risk taking.

So what’s the real difference?

Both are outcomes based on previous decisions, actions, behaviors, thoughts and mindsets.  Both are neutral when it comes to their consequences – their role is not to punish, get even, reward or accommodate – they are neutral circumstances which gives each of us the choice of how we react to them and respond.

So, are there any commonalities in both?  Yes on the one hand - one seems to be negative while the other positive, but in the end the responses are the result of perceptions, attitudes and mindsets.

If you have a failure mindset don’t be surprised when you fail and if your mindsets are positive don’t be surprised when you succeed.  Your mindsets control every element of your life including these two vital issues.

A mindset - a set of beliefs or a way of thinking that determine somebody's behavior and outlook.  It’s this simple but the real questions are – why do we allow negative mindsets to rule our lives and where did they come from.  Let’s start with the second question first, where do they come from?

There have been thousands of books written in the past that all explain the contributors to attitudes and beliefs.  Simply put – as we live our lives day to day from the very first day of our life – we are programmed by our environment with its prejudices, beliefs, shoulds, should not’s, how too’s, when too’s etc. As a result of this programming from the world (parents, teachers, friends, relatives, bosses, churches etc) we have formed an inner picture of ourselves and who we are and what we believe.  If your mind was filled with negatives during your years and you responded to them with withdrawal, aggression, acceptance and so on, your mind is fertile ground for more of the same.  But more than this, your mind now accepts even attracts more of the same with ease, comfort and justification.

You simply reinforce the negative programming you received with daily reinforcing thoughts and behaviors.

The opposite of all this is also true. 

None of us when we were children could control the programming we received but we can choose later in life to re-examine this programming and its impact on our present life.  Unfortunately this takes a great deal of courage, contemplation, time and inner integrity which unfortunately most people lack - one or all of these – so the game continues even though we don’t like or are unhappy with the outcomes.

Why do we allow these mental habits that are not in our best interests now or in the future to rule our lives?  I could go on for pages – the simple answer is that it’s easier to do this in spite of all of the drama, pain, discouragement and stress than go through the trouble of changing.

Success is a mindset.  If you have it – nurture it, observe it in action and stay on this positive path and don’t let others – that’s anyone or anything folks that would try and derail you – steer you in another direction.

Failure is a mindset.  If you have it -ask yourself a simple question – what would be more painful for the rest of my life – staying with this approach that that just isn’t working or dealing with it, facing it, overcoming it and taking charge once and for all the quality of your life and stop turning it over to the government, the economy, your spouse or any other external factor.