“Stinkin’ Thinkin'” – is it hindering your success?

Let me tell you a brief story to define it, explain why
it can hinder your success, and tell you how you can
overcome it.

During the 1990s I worked as a senior finance executive
for the Canadian division of a very large U.S.
manufacturing company with operations around the world.
My position consisted of managing staff, juggling numerous
priorities simultaneously and coping with many headaches.

Yet I achieved tremendous success in my job – I even won
the President’s Quality Award in 1997.

In order to broaden my experience with the company I
accepted a three-year work assignment with the company at
its headquarters in New Jersey, USA, effective Feb. 1,
1998.

I packed my bags, rented my house, and off I went to a
strange, new land.

Wow, what a wonderful opportunity! I’ll show those
Americans how we Canadian boys operate!

But…disaster struck.

I felt like a fish out of water. Made mistake after
mistake.

It seemed what I learned with the company in the last eight
years had gone out the window. Despite my formal training
as an accountant, as a leader, as a manager, and as a team
player, I failed miserably at the job (and off the job,
too).

How could this happen?

Only after my return to Canada did I finally understand what
really happened.

Stinkin’ Thinkin’ – it took over my ability to remain
successful.

You see, once I started making mistakes, I focused on the
negatives. I worried about things I could not control. I
stopped being creative and proactive.

It paralyzed me.

Stinkin’ Thinkin’ hinders our ability to focus beyond the
immediate, negative circumstances. It prevents us from
being open to new challenges and causes us to dwell on
our failures, rather than our successes.

It hinders our success because we operate in a negative
environment. Our creativity, longer-term thinking and
having fun get suppressed.

So, how do we overcome Stinkin’ Thinkin’?

First, you need clear, written goals. What are
they, why are they important, and by what date(s) will you
achieve them?

A good friend and mentor told me something I’ll never
forget: “Unless you know the “WHY” you’ll never last long
enough to understand the “HOW.”

Second, to BE successful, we must put on our “success
overcoat.” We must condition our mental state to become
“success oriented.”

If you want to BE a successful Internet marketer, then
think and act like one. BE that person today. Ask
yourself, “What personal attributes do I need to
acquire right now?”

Over the years I’ve worked with both successful and
unsuccessful people. The difference between them is not
intelligence, or “trying hard” or how much money they had.

Their ability to passionately focus on well-defined goals,
always keeping in mind the bigger picture, and actively
pursuing personal growth opportunities ultimately sets them
apart from others.

Recognize that Stinkin’ Thinkin’ can hinder or prevent your
success. Identify your failure habits and correct them.
Put on your “success overcoat.” And BE the person TODAY
that you long to become tomorrow.

 

Let me know your thoughts on this article – love to hear from you!