Any time you find yourself thinking something negative about yourself or your abilities, take a step back and question where that thinking comes from. Ask yourself what proof you have that you will fail at the task at hand, and you’ll quickly see that self-doubting thoughts do not have any foundation in reality. You’ll never know if you can succeed or not unless you try. Think of it as an experiment - you cannot reach an accurate conclusion without first collecting data, and each situation requires its own set of data. [4] X Research source
Recognize that everyone has strengths, talents, and abilities, including you. [6] X Research source Identify areas that you can change, rather than dwelling on your faults or perceived weaknesses. [7] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Exercise positive self-talk. A good way to start thinking more positively is to refrain from saying anything to yourself that you would not say to another person. [8] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Any time a negative thought enters your head, try to respond to it with an acknowledgement of something good about you. [9] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Specific - be clear and unambiguous with yourself about what it is you hope to accomplish. [12] X Research source Measurable - make sure that your goal’s outcome can be quantified. You want to know by the end that you’ve accomplished your goal. [13] X Research source Achievable - don’t set yourself up for failure by desiring a goal that cannot possibly be accomplished. Make sure your goal is something that you can reasonably achieve, given your current or soon-to-be-acquired knowledge and skills. [14] X Research source Results-focused - make sure your goal has an endpoint, and isn’t just an endless series of activities. Again, it’s important to know that you’ve accomplished your goal at the end. [15] X Research source Time-bound - your goal should be structured within a realistic timeframe. Your timeframe should be realistic enough to allow for the necessary work you’ll have to put in, but also have some sense of “urgency” (like a self-imposed deadline) to prevent endless procrastination. [16] X Research source An example of a SMART goal would be to work towards finishing a manuscript and submitting it to publishers by a self-imposed deadline, rather than simply hoping to get a book published and never finding the time to finish writing it.
Most daily events aren’t explicitly good or bad, but if your unconscious mind has prompted you to be in a bad mood, you’ll probably see those events as significant burdens. But the opposite is true, too: if your unconscious mind has set you up to be in a positive mood, you probably see even somewhat unpleasant events as mere inconveniences. [18] X Research source
Even minor changes in your day-to-day routine can have a big impact in how you interact with the world around you. You’ll force your subconscious mind to engage more with your environment, which is how you’ll eventually train your mind to focus on and engage with your goals. [20] X Research source Try taking a different route home once in a while, or changing up your at-home routine when you get home from work. Little changes like this can make a big difference in how your subconscious mind interacts with your surroundings.
As an example, perhaps you want to break into a new field of work but you can’t make any connections with employers. Rather than allowing yourself to be too intimidated to network with others who might be able to help you achieve your dreams, force yourself to talk to people. Get out of the house and go to networking events. This may open up new opportunities for you, and at the very least it will change the way you think about networking and pursuing job opportunities.
Rather than just hoping to be a world-famous author, devote yourself to writing one book. Make it the best book you could write, and devote yourself to finishing that project. It may help to make your desired outcome a sort of mantra that you can recite to yourself in order to stay on track. Any time you start to doubt yourself or your abilities, simply recite the mantra to turn your attention back to your goal. [23] X Research source
Some experts suggest that your subconscious mind can only break out of problematic behaviors and thought patterns if you are passionate about your goal and devote a lot of time and energy thinking about your ability to achieve it. [25] X Research source To continue with the example of publishing a book, imagine your book being in the hands of a reader, or picture your manuscript in the hands of an impressed publisher. Imagining your success may give you the confidence to perform better, no matter what field you’re working in.
As an example, instead of doubting that your book will ever get published, you’ve silenced your inner critic and developed a great deal of confidence. But now you need to actually write and revise your manuscript and submit it to a publisher. Without action, you’re left with wishful thinking - which is important, but it’s not enough unless it’s combined with work and action. [27] X Research source
