By Chris Felton

I was coaching a successful entrepreneur on how to make 2023 the best year yet. Most of us were taught success is all about the how to’s skills and techniques. Only focusing here can be a trap. Action and skills are crucial. However, the older I get the more I realize it’s 100% mental. This superstar was having lackluster results in a crucial area of her business. She thought she was missing a technique or skill. She knew what to do but wasn’t doing it. She was allowing her past failures to dictate her current thinking, therefore repeating more of the same. Taking action from this limiting belief created stuck. She was discouraged.

Discouragement is the biggest thief of our dreams. I’ve nearly quit my business because of it. It’s insidious. It starts small and grows over time. I’ve watched thousands quit, give up their dreams and settle into mediocrity because of discouragement. She had been discouraged all of 2022 and her results proved it. No technique or “how to” was going to change this. Staying encouraged takes work but it’s worth it. When we’re discouraged, we often retreat into our bubble of dysfunction. We’re alone with our discouraging thoughts. The solution can’t be found at the same level of thinking that created the problem.

Insight of the Week: Keys to Staying Encouraged

  1. Connect with your coach/mentor instead of retreating. Successful people are more than willing to help they just don’t get asked. At my lowest point, I reached out to several mentors.  They encouraged and re-energized me.  I wasn’t yet serious about quitting but I was beginning to take those steps.  I knew I needed to get out of my own way and call them. I almost didn’t do it because I didn’t want to look weak.  That was all ego wanting me to stay stuck.
  2. Journal on what you’re discouraged about. It’s always enlightening for me to see how ridiculous my thoughts can be.  It’s not about fixing it but being aware of when these thoughts are running me so I can shift my thinking.
  3. It’s our job to stay encouraged.  If we’re looking for the outside world to encourage us, it’s a roller coaster.  My morning routine is the key to getting me on the encouragement train for the day.  When I wake up, I am most often discouraged.  I couldn’t imagine running out the door without adjusting this attitude.  30min to an hour of reading, prayer, visualization of my dream life shifts my mindset. It’s a habit that has been transformational for me. Fill the encouragement tank before you start your day.

In the end, we all get discouraged. It’s okay to get discouraged, it’s just not okay to stay there. You’re responsible for your thinking. No one else is. Do the work to shift, it’s worth it.

One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.
–Dalai Lama