{"id":33285,"date":"2015-05-23T20:51:43","date_gmt":"2015-05-24T04:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=33285"},"modified":"2015-05-27T21:11:37","modified_gmt":"2015-05-28T05:11:37","slug":"mental-scouting-key-achieving-success-driven-state-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/mental-scouting-key-achieving-success-driven-state-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Scouting: The Key to Achieving a Success-Driven State of Mind"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cIt\u2019s not how long you live; it\u2019s how you choose to live your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

These were the words that my mother passed on to me and my brother during her struggle with a rare disease called amyloidosis, and it was in the face of this painful challenge that she unleashed her positive attitude and taught us the importance of mental resilience.<\/p>\n

Often, she would get a call from her doctor telling her to come to Boston for another round of painful procedures. As a single mom, she knew that she had to lead her sons by her own example in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n

So she made the conscious choice to turn the medical trek to Boston into a fun family trip. She knew we liked Chinese food, so we visited Chinatown. She knew we loved bowling, so that was part of the trip, too.<\/p>\n

My mother decided to find the positive (even if she had to create it) rather than focus on the negative elements she couldn\u2019t control \u2014 even in the face of her own death from a rare disease with no cure. It was through her amazing actions that I learned that we all have the power to reframe a negative situation to discover the positivity within.<\/p>\n

The Power to Reframe<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all heard this saying before: Mind over matter.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of the first rules of sports psychology, and it involves the understanding that athletes cannot perform at their highest levels based on natural talent and physical training alone. There must be a mental toughness if they\u2019re to get back on their feet following failure or push their bodies beyond what would otherwise be possible.<\/p>\n

This principle can be applied to pretty much anyone, and it can be especially useful for entrepreneurs or anyone trying to make a positive impact on the world.<\/p>\n

With the ability to reframe negative situations, a positive mindset, and mental toughness, we\u2019re able to unleash our true potential. The process of developing these characteristics can be difficult and even painful.<\/p>\n

You Get What You Expect<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a principle in psychology called \u201cexpectancy theory,\u201d<\/a> which states that people are motivated by the outcomes they want. So if you focus on the positive because that\u2019s what you expect, you get more positivity; it\u2019s the same with negativity.<\/p>\n

As in sports, your success in life is determined by your ability to get up more than you\u2019re knocked down. It starts with your ability to choose a positive mindset in the face of adversity. Here are a few tips to get you started:<\/p>\n