In The Mind Of A Great Leader

How many times did you hear a true champion speak with doubt? How often did you hear a professional boxer say, “It will be a tough fight; we will just have to wait until Saturday and see how it all works out.” Never, because doubt will knock you out before you even begin.

If you let self-doubt enter your mind, anxiety is sure to grow. Once you start to doubt whether you are capable of winning, you’re on your way to disaster because the mind can only hold one thought at a time. You are either thinking of winning, and visualizing what winning will be like, or you are worried about what happens if you don’t win. You can only hold one picture at a time. Sure some athletes waver back and forth, but at any given time, you can only be containing one thought that you focus on.

There’s no doubt that great leaders have impressive minds. They can think on their feet, make quick decisions, and stay calm under pressure. But is it something that you can learn? Or is it a natural gift? It turns out that it’s a little bit of both. You don’t need to be born with a “leadership mind” – you can develop one. It’s all a matter of how you train your brain. The phenomenon of neuroplasticity allows our brain to change depending on what we continually fill it with.

What the mind sees, feels, and thinks, it works towards. Where your focus goes, your energy flows. The mind needs to be given direction, and then it works towards making that given destination a reality. The mind is constantly working towards results; the trouble is what directions are we giving the mind. When you learn how to control your mind, greatness is achievable—learning how to think like a winner is the first step towards becoming a winner. What you consistently think about is what you begin to manifest.

Muhammad Ali once said, “To Become a champion, you must first look and act like a champion.”

You can’t control what comes into your mind, but you can control what you do with it. So when a negative thought enters, drown it out with a flood of positive images. Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. Focus on winning, not on not losing. Begin to daydream; make this daydream the ideal outcome. Famous author and speaker Denis Waitley said, “It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you are not.”

Here are three tips to think like a great leader:

1) Feed Your Mind Healthy Thoughts

Just like our bodies need specific healthy nutrients to function optimally, so our mind needs healthy doses of positivity. You can’t allow your mind to feed on negative junk that will destroy it. Negativity is like eating snickers for dinner; it may seem right in the moment but will ultimately make you sick. Make sure you are giving your mind bursts of life-giving content and opportunities to make you stronger.

2) Look At The Opportunity, Not The Obstacle

Whenever you’re faced with a challenge, look for the good. Every challenge brings with it an opportunity for growth. This isn’t some cliché concept…this is truth. Most people are so enamored with the obstacle they can’t see the opportunity. Great leaders always look for the diamond in the coal. They are driven to turn problems into possibilities. Coach John Wooden said, “Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.” Spoken, like a great leader.

3) Surround Yourself With People That Will Challenge You

Great leaders do not live like hermits. They open themselves up to accountability and feedback. You rarely get better on your own. We need others to help bring out the best in us. Truly we are better together. You must have an inner circle that has the authority and responsibility to challenge your thinking. You must be humble enough to receive feedback, even when it’s tough. However, ensure you have people you trust and who care for your success so you can truly be vulnerable with them.