6 Brilliant Ways to Master Self-Sabotage

by vanessa | Feb 10, 2021 | personal development

6 BRILLIANT wayS TO MASTER SELF-SABOTAGE

Here are six brilliant ways you can master self-sabotage

Last year was one hell of a year. A lot of things happened. Most of it wasn’t good and yes, you had reasons for the bumpy ride. But This year should be different. We should move forward and not backward, but can we do that? How can we move past certain barriers that can keep us, prisoners? This is a good question. One that might not be as easy as it may seem.

First, let’s address the meaning behind self-sabotage. These are behaviors or thought patterns that prevent you from doing what you want. Many of us can sabotage ourselves. No one is exempt from it, and especially if you don’t know you do it. That is why this article is one of the best ones you will read because it will show you how to master self-sabotage. If you want this year to be better than last year, there are things you need to do. It won’t be that easy, but it’s important to push yourself to change your behaviors. Just like a child who has to learn to do something, you will need to master self-sabotage.

The question is why is mastering self-sabotage important. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that life is short. A blip on the grander scheme of things, and if you don’t push yourself, then you’ll always wonder why. And if you never go for what you want or learn how to do that regret will follow you around. No one wants that. No one wants to live a life of regret or to feel as indecision has prevented them from going for what they truly want. Therefore, in this post, you will read about the six ways you can master self-sabotage.

Don’t go down the comparison pit

Many of us do this. We almost believe that if we go down into the comparison pit, we will find something. But like Alice, what we find on the other side isn’t what we thought we would find. That’s the thing about comparison: it takes a lot out of you. With the rise of social media, it has become easier to compare ourselves to others. Comparing yourself is pointless because there are things we don’t take into consideration.

Let’s look at how people compare those on social media. They look at their success and compare it to themselves. How does it look? How many followers do they have? What does their life look like? That’s fine, but let’s be honest, for a second would you compare a Toyota to a Land Rover. Of course not because the cars are made differently, and their purpose is also different. I know little about cars, but if I had little money to spare, I would buy a Toyota. And if I had more money, I would buy a Land Rover. The more experienced person would make more money. Because once you learn from your mistakes, you know which direction to move in.

The best way to master self-sabotage is to stop comparing yourself. Our experiences are unique, so why compare. Our journey is unique, so why do you compare yourself. The purpose of our account is different, and therefore we should stop comparing. Once you go down the comparison pit, climbing out will be a challenge, so don’t dare do that to yourself.

Also Related: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Perfection isn’t an option

Okay, I am guilty of this. I can be a perfectionist, but this does no one any good. Another way to master self-sabotage is for you to realize perfection isn’t an option. Many of us want to make everything perfect, including the situation, and that’s why we achieve nothing.

Time runs away from us expecting everything to be perfect. If everyone did this, then they wouldn’t be Amazon, eBay, Apple, or Netflix. None of these waited for perfection. Because perfection doesn’t exist. Even if you want it to, there’s no such thing. And to push the needle forward, you got to realize that and accept it. Except that perfect isn’t an option. When I was younger, I kept waiting for the perfect timing.

I thought if I was patient enough it would come to me. I would have the perfect scenario for starting a business, and ironically it happened. The perfect timing, but it didn’t last. It was short-lived. It was then that I realized how much time I wasted waiting for the perfect timing. Hoping like a lightning rod, I would find it. Find that thing I desperately thought I needed.

Remember, there’s no such thing as perfect timing and this includes situations. Grab life by the horns to make it what you want it to be. You believe that by pushing yourself, things will work out. Once you push yourself, you won’t have to wait for the perfect timing. Instead, you will make the best out of every situation. This is one way you can master self-sabotage.

Let go of the past

The reason many of us struggle with mastering self-sabotage is not being able to let go of the past. When I was a kid, I struggled with school. The traumatic experience of consistently failing and feeling as if I wouldn’t make it made it hard for me to do anything. The past would always remind me of my failure and when I did a project, everything would rush back at me.

I would scold myself and tell myself that this was simply fate. If I couldn’t pass seventh grade, then how could I possibly succeed in life? I had to learn that the past doesn’t dictate who I am or where I go. Only I can do that. One of the hardest things I had to do was let go of the past. This is one way you can master self-sabotage by letting go of your past. The past guides you or helps you make better decisions. The lessons you learned will make you better, but if you refuse to move past the trauma, it will push you back.

It will stop you from going after what you want. If I didn’t, let go of the past, I would have refused to do a lot of things. I would have given up. Choosing that it is better to give up than going forward.

Also Related: 7 Things Holding You Back in Life

Accept constructive criticism

Most people don’t like criticism, and that is because we weren’t taught how to accept it. Often we see it as being scolded as a teacher would do. But that isn’t the case, and many of us don’t know the difference between constructive or destructive criticism. Constructive criticism shows you how you can improve in a particular area. Whereas destructive criticism gives the perception that you can’t grow or improve.

One builds you up while one destroys you. You need to learn to filter out any noise that you perceive as destructive. If someone points out what you did wrong, but doesn’t give you an insight into what you can do to improve, then that’s destructive criticism. Another way to master self-sabotage is to accept constructive criticism. Don’t see it as a sign you have failed. In high school, I attempted public speaking, and I failed at it. But because of what I was told, I could use that to improve. When I was in college, I won a trophy for public speaking.

Constructive criticism will push the needle forward and help you grow so much faster. But you have to accept it and learn from your mistakes. This way you learn much quicker. Always remind yourself that mistakes are part of the process. Those mistakes will help you grow so much faster.

Don’t let the house of cards collapse

I had to learn how to wake up early, and that wasn’t easy. I understood that waking up would help me be more productive, but they would be days when this wouldn’t happen. What normally happened because of this is I would get frustrated. It led me to have a bad day. The reason I would have a bad day was because of one moment that didn’t work out how I wanted it to.

Being hard on yourself is a sign of self-sabotage. Why? Because you are allowing one imperfect moment to let you slip into a dark place. This wasn’t a big issue, but I made it into one. I wanted to accomplish goals and because I didn’t wake up when I wanted; I refused to work on my dreams. It was as if me waking up at the wrong time was a sign the day would end on a sour note.

If you want to master self-sabotage, you got to learn to not let the house of cards fall. Don’t allow one moment to prevent you from going after what you want. You can’t allow imperfect timing or unplanned situations that wreck your mood to stop you from having a great day. This does the opposite of helping you.

Plan your day

This one I had to learn the hard way. I used to watch influencers talk about how they planned their days and I would huff. “I don’t have to do that,” I would say. There’s a reason planning your day, week, month and year are so important. It takes away the stress and frustration from figuring it out. This is the last way you can master self-sabotage.

My life is so much better and easier to manage now that I can plan my days and months. I now plan my blog posts, videos, content, and products I want to sell. Each goal has a deadline and I can work towards that. And I won’t get bogged down with information overload. Planning your day is so important for several reasons, but it will reduce the pressure. You won’t feel as if you are swimming in a pool of unrealized ideas or struggle to keep up with deadlines.

There’s a reason the most productive people use scheduling apps or any other productivity app. The most productive companies use these as well. It’s cumbersome to find the right one that works for you. You can check out the one I use below.

Free Scheduling App

How has self-sabotage impacted your life and how will you master it? Comment below

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

5 Simple Questions To Find Your Life Purpose

by vanessa | Feb 3, 2021 | motivation, personal development

5 simple questions to find your life purpose?

Find out your life purpose by asking these simple 5 questions

The first month of the new year is over. It went slower than you might have expected, but with that you might wonder about starting a new business. The beauty in starting is that you can change your mind easily. The question, though, is how do you find your purpose? For many of us our purposes slapped us in the face as children, for others it was a gentle nudge. A breeze that spoke volumes to their personality.

Whatever it is, at some point we had to ask ourselves questions to determine whether we were on the right path. Your life purpose as a child doesn’t change, it takes a unique form or if you are multi passionate it adds. Depending on what you were like as a child, your purpose will change. These questions will help you explore the avenues you can take to figure out what you should do with your life.

The key here is to take your time with every question. More and more people are starting their businesses, following their passions, and even are exploring alternative paths. This is your year to do that. Take in mind the journey isn’t an easy one, if that was the case then many people would have followed their passions. But life is full of potholes and obstacles. Why should finding your life’s purpose be any different? So, here we go.

What were your passions a child

As children, we all had things we were passionate about. I loved creating stories. I’d create worlds where knights saved princesses, where super children would save the day, and many of my stories I wrote about them. I have always been a storyteller. That was my passion. The older I grew it shifted, but I never stopped being a storyteller.

As children, we have more freedom to pursue our passions. Then we become older and it’s shunned upon as though following your dreams is taboo. For many, it is. It’s as if you are choosing to struggle. But every successful person has struggled. Their stories have given us motivation and inspired us to become better versions of ourselves. That doesn’t take away from their story, it adds to it. So, don’t worry about following your dreams. The world isn’t the same as it was two decades or a decade ago. It’s easier now to make money from your passions.

You need to ask yourself this question, because many of us still have those passions even as adults. Whatever it was a child, write it. This will give you ideas on what you should do. This is one you can find your life purposes.

What are your hobbies?

Hobbies make the world feel better. They make us more creative or more at peace. It is an affordable therapy session. Most people have hobbies and we would feel less ourselves without them. You might have more than one hobby, that is alright. What is your number one hobby? As a teen and in my early twenties, I had two hobbies. I loved writing songs or poems and stories.

At that point, I thought I would become a singer songwriter, but the older I got I realized that wasn’t what I wanted. Not really. Your hobbies shape your personality. Take for example the messy artist who is an abstract artist or the passionate guitarist who wants to become a singer songwriter or the experimental budding chef. They want to become the next big thing and open a restaurant. Often, our hobbies take form and become part of our personality. Maybe, you don’t necessarily have a hobby, but you enjoy spending time with your friends and family members. This can be helpful because you are meant to be in the service industry.

What this means is that your experience or knowledge can be used to build a business? It can also mean your passion might be harder to find than others.

If you couldn’t fail, what would you do?

The number one reason many people don’t go for what they want is because of fear. They fear failing. It’s a normal response. We all have been through it. The clutching grip of not wanting to disappoint ourselves. We all have seen what happens when that happens. It’s as if a dark cloud hovers over us at the thought of failing.

But what if you couldn’t fail? I know it seems unlikely, but it’s fun to imagine a future where you are what you want to be. Maybe a world renowned speaker or a transformational coach or an entrepreneur. They are so many possibilities. I asked myself this question when I was sixteen. I kept asking myself this question until I found my answer. I wanted to help people. Sounds vague. But my life purpose was to help others find their purposes or inspire them to do so. That’s what I wanted. Ironic how they are so many ways to achieve this in a technological world, but it is true.

Check the pages of the Instagrammers you follow; you’d be shocked to find out many of them want to help others. Either find themselves, solve a problem, or start a business. Failure stops us from going after what we want. This question will help find your purpose in life. It is easier than you might think.

Also Related: 3 Powerful Ways to Overcome Failure

What’s your dream?

We all have dreams. That is a simple fact. Many of us don’t go after what we want for many reasons. Maybe it’s financial, lack of support, low self-esteem, or it can be that you are afraid. These stop us from going after what we want. But we all have dreams and our hesitations don’t take that away.

Have you ever had a bucket list? What about an intentions list? There are things we want to accomplish, and then procrastination happens along with doubt. It pins us to the floor. Unable to make a move until something shiny comes along. And darn it, that’s always happening. When you’re about to do something spectacular, you find yourself glued to the floor. But the thought is still there. “I want to be….”

This is how to find your life’s purpose by listening to your innermost thoughts. I wanted to be a writer as a kid. But here was the problem, I sucked at English and people around me found it amusing. How could I become a writer? Here’s the truth, I worked at it. I kept working at it. Pushing myself and I never gave up. Never give up on your dreams and even when people doubt you, don’t listen to them. Don’t listen to the negative voices floating in your mind. Having a bucket or intentions list can help you find your life’s purpose.

Who are you?

Many of us do not know who we are. But the people in our lives can help us with that. And there are few things that can give insight to this question. Why do you do what you do? Why do you love listening to people talk about their relationships and why do you give them advice? Why are you great at training dogs and don’t understand why your friends struggle with it? They are things that come naturally to us compared to others. It almost seems as if it isn’t a big deal, but it is.

Here’s another important fact. How would people in your life describe how you affected their lives? What would they say you have helped them with? Unless you’re a hermit, you have helped your friends or family with a problem. It can be big or small. Who we are encompasses a lot of things, but this will help you find your life’s purpose. This simple question will give you insight to your purpose.

Here’s another thing you should ask yourself, what makes you happy or angry? What injustices do you loathe? What makes you question what you could do more? Our loves and hates embody who we are, and this will point you in the right direction. This will give you a stepping stone and help you understand who you are better.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

What is your takeaway from the blog and what are your favorite questions to find your life purpose? Comment below

3 Powerful Ways to Overcome Failure

by vanessa | Dec 23, 2020 | personal development

3 powerful ways to overcome failure

These are the three powerful ways you can overcome failure.

Overcoming failure can be a hard thing to handle especially when you put your all into something. How do you move past the feeling of being stuck or when you aren’t motivated? Failure is a hard thing to overcome. Many of us have no idea how to move forward because failure can take a chunk of our heart with it. When I wrote my first book in 2017 and published it, I believed that it would be successful. I had followed a lot of the advice I read.

I spent numerous days and weeks reading articles on anything related to book marketing. But it flopped. Months of working on the book and weeks spent of studying book marketing came to a stall. I had no idea what I did wrong. Maybe, if I had published it years prior this wouldn’t be happening. Time surely wasn’t on my side. Here’s the thing though failure is hard especially when you believe your product will be successful. If we were honest with ourselves there’s a 90% chance that whatever you do won’t be successful.

That might be harsh. But think about it, how many stories of breakout stars, underdogs, rags to riches stories do you hear. The reason why we love these stories because the person overcame failure and obstacles to get to where they wanted. If dreams were easy to accomplish then we all would be successful by simply thinking about it. The rags to riches story would be broadcast on our television every week. And we wouldn’t care because of how many times it happens. Life would be easier. Nothing would be worth a pint of gold. And we all would have want we wanted. But would it feel as if it was worth it? Would we cherish what we have if we could simply wish for something and it happened? Life is meant to be a journey. Overcoming failure is one way that makes life more enjoyable. As we wind down the year, I wanted to write a post on powerful ways to overcome failure.

Acceptance

Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement – C.S Lewis

To become successful, you need to fail. And you got to do it many times. Why? Because that is how you understand what it takes to do things the right way. I was once told they are many ways to do something, a lot of them are the wrong way. Many of us want to be successful like yesterday. But it doesn’t happen like that. And when it doesn’t, we feel like a cosmic joke. One thing I want you to understand is failure is a part of life.

Another thing I need you to realize is when you don’t accomplish what you want, that’s alright. Accept it. Many of our problems are because we don’t accept what has happened. After my colossal failure, I didn’t want to publish another book. I had to accept I failed, and I got something wrong. If other people were publishing books and they were successful, clearly there was something I did wrong. I had to figure that out, and it wasn’t a straightforward thing to do. One of the powerful ways to overcome failure is acceptance.

You need to accept you have failed to move forward because when you don’t, you’ll always make excuses for why something didn’t happen. It was wrong timing. You didn’t have money, or you didn’t have access to certain resources. These are all-plausible excuses, even so, you can do something at the right time and fail. Success doesn’t follow the same rules many of us do.

Accept you failed and move on from there. That’s the only way you can process things the right way and also grow from your experiences.

Change your thought patterns

When many of us fail, we believe we’re failures and that isn’t the case. Failing is a setback, it doesn’t define who you are. Think about the failures you experienced as a child. The first time you were rejected. The time you failed an exam or a project you were working on. How did you react to it? What did you do after you failed? What was your next move?

Many of us had to push ourselves harder. We studied more. Asked for help and practiced getting better. As children, we are pressured to do more and become better versions of ourselves. As we grow up, we allow our thoughts to take siege of us and we decide not to go forward. This is a big mistake. Because it becomes the defining point for our lives. When you choose to throw in the towel, even if it’s minor, you always do that. A powerful way to overcome failure is to change your thought patterns.

A setback takes nothing from you. We all experience setbacks and that’s a good thing because amid a storm, that’s the only way you can grow. You need to change your thought patterns so you can overcome failure. This is a powerful way to beat failure.

Also Related: What’s Holding You Back in Life?

Tell someone

Keeping failure, a secret doesn’t help you. Because it makes it seem as if it’s shameful. Maybe that’s what you believe, that you should be ashamed of your failures. But you shouldn’t. No one should. You failed. So what? How many people have failed at things to become successful? Sylvester Stallone was told he was too ugly to be an actor. Walt Disney was fired because his editor told him he lacked imagination. Albert Einstein failed 99 times. It was on the 100th time he was successful.

Many of us can’t imagine failing that many times and never give up. Yet he did it. When we hear stories of successful people, often they hide the fact these people failed. They make it seem as if on the first try they were victorious yet, that’s not the case. Tell someone so you can not only accept it but move forward as well.

How will you overcome failure? Comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

The 10 Best Business Models for 2021

by vanessa | Dec 16, 2020 | Entrepreneurs, Side-Hustles, Success

the 10 best business models for 2021

These are 10 ways you can improve your life in less than 30 minutes.

If you asked me when I graduated college, I would start my company. I would have laughed at you. The strange thing is that the world has forever changed and so has entrepreneurship. Back in the early 2010s, it was something people did in their spare time. And very little was known about blogging or how to be successful at it.

Flash forward to 2016 and there was a tremendous surge in people who started their companies. Many bloggers became instant sensations and started their blogging empire. There were also other entrepreneurs who became influencers. Hard to believe that was four, nearly five years ago. This year has hit many of us hard. And another boom is about to going to emerge. Many people who lost their jobs will start a company or two.

And maybe you want to be part of that. And you have no idea how to start or what business models will intrigue you. I wanted to talk about the ten best business models because many business models might be outdated or hard to start in this climate. For instance, starting a brick-and-mortar business won’t be as easy to start as it was. So, that option is out of the window.

Who doesn’t know about franchises? But unless you have a rich uncle or aunt who will give you money, then it will be tricky getting a bank to give you the money. And with what has happened this year, there’s no guarantee that next year this business model will be as profitable. A lot has changed for the way the world looks and functions, so when you are choosing a business model, you need one that will work for you.

What this means is you need to pick a business model that won’t cause you a financial hassle. You want a business model that you can start with less than $500. Yes, that is possible. But it all starts with understanding business models and being cautious. So, without further ado, let’s get into the meat of this article.

What the heck is a business model?

If you learned business in high school, you might have captured the basics of a business model. What you learned is still relevant today. A business model is the structure of your business.

What are you selling?
How are you selling it?

That sounds too simple. But this is exactly what a business model is. The reason you need one is you need to know the direction you are going into. Most businesses started from one business model and then as they grew, they added more. So, if you are mulitpassionate or you are worried you won’t be satisfied with one, that’s alright, you can pick one then pick more when your business grows.

This is for simplicity. We want to make your life as easy as it can be. These business models range from easy to hard, but it all comes to what your experience is. We will get into that with every business model, so you aren’t stuck with options.

Also Related: How to Start A Business in Just 3 Months

1. Services

Yup, you guessed it. Services are one of the 10 best business models for 2021. It will always be relevant regardless of technological advancements. We are always looking for people to help us with a problem. You trade your time for your client’s money. This is simple to set-up because you don’t need to be technological. However, it requires a lot of time to do this one. Because you are trading your time for money, you won’t make as much money as you want to. Writers, coaches, yoga teachers, make-up artists, graphic designers, virtual assistants, wedding co-coordinators etc fit well into this category.

2. Products

This is one of the best business models to set up for 2021. There are hundreds of articles on how to set up a profitable product-based business. When you sell jewelry, Ebooks, courses, printable, wine or cupcakes, you have a product-based business. As you can see from the list above, you can sell either physical or digital products. The reason this business model is easy is that it is clearly defined. You need to sell a physical or digital product to become profitable. I suggest selling digital products if you are starting out because you won’t require a lot of money to start your business. However, if you want to sell physical products just remember you need to have saved enough money for equipment, fulfillment and other incurred expenses.

3. B2B (business to business)

This is one of the best business models for 2021 because companies will always buy from other business. This is what B2B is. One company sells to another company instead of an individual. Take for example Apple buying phone chips from Samsung or any other company that buys from another company. This is how they stay afloat. Another simpler example are event companies. They might not buy a product, but could rent it. They rent space, chairs, equipment and buy food from catering companies. They are a lot of examples of B2B.

4. B2C (business to consumer)

This is one of the best business models for 2021. B2B and B2C business models will continue to exist because they will always be businesses that need to buy from other companies and they will always be businesses that sell to consumers. This is what B2C is. Businesses create a product to meet an individual’s goal, and then they sell it. Think grocery stores, bookstores, or any other store or company that you walk into. Maybe it’s your Netflix subscription or the furniture store or even the hardware store. Just like B2B, there are several examples of B2C.

5. SaaS (software as a service)

In the last decade or so, this has become increasingly popular and will continue to increase in popularity with technological advancement. Therefore, this is one of the best business models for 2021. They are a lot of software as a service business model out there, you just have to look at the apps you have paid for. The calendar apps you already use. On a broader spectrum, it’s the website builder you use or the email marketing service that you pay for sending emails to your audience. SaaS comprises all the work and home-related tools that you use in order to increase productivity or get work done.

6. P2P (peer to peer)

If you have never heard of this business model, you aren’t the only one. In recent years it has become overwhelmingly popular and it is one of the best business models in 2021. Two individuals create value by coming together to create a service or experience that can both profit from. Uber, Airbnb, HouseTrip, Craigslist, Freelancer and Etsy. They are several other companies that fit under the bracket of peer-to-peer. Whenever a transaction happens between the people connect, that’s when they make a commission. These people can be guests, drivers, hosts, job sites, marketplaces, etc.

7. Content

Content based business models are one of the earliest business model. It’s been there since people understood the importance of entertainment and news. Of course, the delivery has changed, but it has stopped content-based business models from being popular. That’s why it’s one of the best business models for 2021 because more people are going online. They are dozens of examples of content-based business models. YouTube channels are one example, but so are podcasts, blogs, news channels and magazines. As long as you are delivering content to your audience on a weekly basis, then it fits under this category.

8. Ecommerce

This list wouldn’t be complete without including Ecommerce as one of the best business models for 2021. They’re many people who have become millionaires from ecommerce and it continues to expand as more websites help people sell their products. There are several ways you can do ecommerce. You can create t-shirts and sell it on Amazon Merch. You could do accessories, outdoor gear, jewelry, cell phone cases, home equipment and other stuff. You can sell it on one of the largest ecommerce websites, and that is Amazon.

Ecommerce that they are other business models that fall under it. One of them is POD also known as print on demand. This allows anyone to customise a product, but it is only shipped when a transaction is made. Think of selling t-shirts, sweaters or pants that are POD. Drop shipping is another method of ecommerce. This where an online store sells a product to a consumer, but the product moves from the wholesaler to the consumer without being handled by the seller.

9. Subscription business

You pay weekly for a particular service. That can be Blacksocks, Birchbox, GeekGearbox and Justfab. There are more examples of subscription businesses. This is another old business model. It’s been there since the 17th century. The model was pioneered by book publishers who sort to deliver periodicals of books. People would pay a monthly fee to get to read the periodicals. Next year subscription businesses will continue to grow exponentially, and that is why it’s one of the best business models for 2021. If you want to start a subscription business but have no idea on how to start from. There are a lot of ideas you can try out. Here are a few art supplies store, cleaning supplies, community delivery service, courier service, gift baskets, fashion and grooming service, candy and snacks box, deodorant and perfume subscription, grocery store and online magazine.

10. Influencer

The world has changed that now being an influencer is a business model. Thanks to the rise of content-based platforms such as TIK Tök, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube becoming an influencer has grown in popularity. There was a time when only famous people could be influencers, but now anyone who will step out of their comfort zone and deliver one can become an influencer. Brands pay influencers a fee for promoting a product. Often these influencers then create their products. The significant thing about this business model is that you can combine any of the other business models as your popularity increases.

Which business model do you want to try out for 2021 and why? Please comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

6 Habits of People Who Thrive in a Crisis

by vanessa | Nov 25, 2020 | motivation, personal development

6 habits of people who thrive in a crisis

Here are six habits that will help you thrive in any crisis.

This year has been hard on all of us. The start of this year they were a lot of things I wanted to do. For one, I wanted to travel and release my new book. That was at the back of mind, but that didn’t work out. My father used to say to me when I was younger, “don’t worry about what you can’t change.” As a kid I didn’t understand this, and I always used to worry about every little thing. From people’s perception of me to whether I could change someone’s mind.

The older I have got; I have realized most things are out of our control. We can’t change everything, and we can’t change the way the world is. All we can do is change our perspective and pivot from what has happened this year. Pandemics and crisis aren’t new. If we were to look through the history books, they were filled with them and yet people survived. But they are a few that thrived. In 2008, a lot of entrepreneurs emerged, and that changed the dynamic,

It changed the way the world works and runs. It’s as if a light was switched on and a flood of entrepreneurs came out of one of the most trying periods in recent times. If you want to thrive in a crisis, these are a few of the habits you need to have in order to achieve that.

Your story

We all have a story we want to tell. One that will inspire and encourage. But the story we tell isn’t as important as the story we tell other people. What is your why? Simon Sinek spoke about this in his book. But to thrive in a crisis I need you to ask yourself what is your why? Knowing your why is important for you to thrive in a crisis.

Who do you want to be? It’s important to ask yourself this question because this is one habit that will help you thrive in a crisis. This habit will help you understand who do you want to be? Your future you. Regardless of what many of us have believed, your personality isn’t set in stone. You can change who you are. In 2018, I was defensive. I had built walls around me to protect myself, but it took me working on my business to work on myself.

I realized if I was going to be successful; I had to stop letting criticism affect me. It wasn’t a bad thing. My perception of it was what was bad. As soon as I changed the narrative, I knew who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do with my life. Who you are today won’t be the case a year or two from now? Our experiences shape who we become. It’s important to note that.

Growth mindset

Another habit of people who thrive in a crisis is a growth mindset. You need to have a growth mindset in order for you to move in the right direction. What exactly is a growth mindset? I didn’t know what a growth mindset was two years ago. I had to figure it out. What I discovered is that a person with growth mindset will push themselves to get where they want to go. Regardless of what obstacles that are in their way, they accept they will make mistakes so they can achieve the results they want.

It’s a belief that you can change anything as long as you work through it. Whether those are your limiting beliefs, lack of confidence, finances and your surroundings. Having a growth mindset anything is possible. That is what a growth mindset is. It’s a habit that’s extremely important for you to survive in a crisis. Why? Because whenever a crisis happens, it leaves you stuck.

Everything shifts from what you are used to, and then you face what’s next. What move do you make next? What do you do next? It’s then that you have to ask yourself whether you can move forward. But with a growth mindset you might fall, but you will pick up yourself up. Having a growth mindset is a habit that will help you thrive in a crisis.

Also Related: Is a Success Mindset Still Key to Success

Embrace the unknown

In 2018, I was planning on moving to a new city. I have always had nomadic habits; I should have been used to moving to a new city every couple of years. Still, I didn’t know what would happen. I wasn’t just moving to a new city; I was going to move in with a relative.

The uncertainty of it all was terrifying. But one habit you must possess to thrive in a crisis is embracing the unknown or discomfort. A simple reason is that there are no guarantees. There’s no guarantee ensured in life. You can’t go to a store and give back the hurdles of the challenges you faced. There’s no return to sender when you face hiccups. So, the only thing you can do is embrace the unknown.

You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Sure, they are certain things that will work out. There are certain things that won’t out, but you don’t know what will happen. Just like I did not understand what would happen when I moved to a new city. Next year we do not understand what will happen. If you don’t embrace the unknown, it will haunt you and you will be too terrified to step up your game.

Step up the game

This year the one term I heard more than most was, “learn to pivot.” I did not understand what it meant, but now I do. Now, I realize how important this term is. One habit that can help you thrive in a crisis is you need to learn to step up your game or pivot. What this means is you need to change your routine. Change what you are doing in order to survive.

If the method you used to use doesn’t work, then change it. If you are losing customers, find out what you are missing. If you are struggling to get someone onto your email list, then try alternative methods to do it. If you were fired, find out how you can make money while you find another job.

For every problem there’s a solution, but you just need to look for it. That’s an important factor. Finding a solution for the problem is how you thrive. Those who thrive in a crisis have learned this habit is important. Every successful person has had to do it. Steve Jobs had to do this to improve his sales for Apple products. If you look at any business, they all have this one trait. They step up their game. Whether it is the way they approach business or people or how they sale. Stepping up your game is important for you to thrive in a crisis. It will help you solve your problems quicker.

Also Related: How to Face and Overcome Obstacles

Clear vision

Your vision has to be clear. What does this have to do with thriving in a crisis? A clear vision is a habit that many of us struggle with. But it is important to thrive in any crisis. When you are stuck what helps to get you unstuck. Years ago, when I was in a rut, I would stay that way for months.

Not sure what to do next with your life. And now that’s not the case. Now, I realize a clear vision will help you understand what your next steps should be. It will also give you the motivation to zero in on your goals. There’s nothing you can do about what happens around you. Still, that should never stop you for going for what you want. A clear vision should push you into the right direction. This is one habit many of us don’t focus on enough.

A clear vision defines a strategy for you. It also gives you direction. Let’s say in the beginning of this year you wanted to start a business. But you weren’t sure what kind of business to start. Many of us get overwhelmed with life that we put our dreams on back burners, but it is easier to do that when your vision is clear. But if your vision is clear, then you are most likely going to keep moving regardless of the challenges you face.

Be kind to yourself

Failure is inevitable. You will make plans and they won’t come through. You will face another set of challenges and you might fail to work through them. That’s okay. Be kind to yourself. I struggled with that. Loving yourself in a stormy period isn’t easy, but need to love yourself to heal.

I had to be gracious to myself when hardship struck. Was it easy? No. But this habit is important for you to thrive in a crisis. Many of us forget how to love ourselves in the storms and when we fail. We forget by being kind to yourself it’s empowering and not a weakness. Belittling yourself when you fail won’t help you at all. It will do the opposite. It will cause pain and then comes the doubt. Limiting beliefs stop us from going after what we want.

It prevents us from pushing ourselves. Because to protect ourselves, we tend not to put ourselves out there. But to thrive in any crisis, you must put yourself out there. However, you also need to be kind to yourself. Focus on this habit in any part of your life and you will thrive in any crisis.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

What is your takeaway from the blog post and how will you thrive in a crisis. Comment below