It’s a brand-new year, and last year was unique to say the least.  We dealt with brand new challenges while simultaneously living our lives.  Dealing with the pandemic meant something different to everyone.  It looks like it’s going to take several months to get back to normal. However, I want to give you the mindset that you need to get through these times and put yourself in position for success after we get through this period.

 Dealing with a pandemic is like dealing with a broken leg for a couple of months.  Your goals should be to heal while also fulfilling your personal and professional obligations.  Last year and a good chunk of 2021 is a glorified version of having a broken leg.

Mindset is simply the way we live our lives, go about our goals, deal with challenges, or even how we go about our day.  I developed Sourena’s 5 Keys to an Amazing Mindset as a guide to help anyone develop the mindset needed to be successful.

1.   Rewrite your narrative.  We all have a narrative about life.  This is our opinion on almost everything from how to achieve our goals, the role of money in our lives, the role of others in our lives, the fairness of life, how we see race, and basically, our opinion on almost everything.  Specifically, with the pandemic, it’s easy to wallow in the narrative that this happened to you or at any minute your life can be upended.  This narrative has the potential to cause you to be timid or skeptical.  If you’re not careful, this narrative can hurt you, and it can cause you not to be aggressive.
2.   Habits. Habits are the engine that fuels your life.  What you do repeatedly leads to the life you have.  If you want an amazing life, you must improve your habits and routines.  During the pandemic some people had to develop a new process of going about their goals.  What are the habits needed for you to succeed In 2021?   This is the question that must be asked and answered. Taking the easy way out by slipping into victim mode will negatively impact your habits.  Instead of just waiting for the pandemic to be over, taking action and develop the habits you need to at least put you in position to succeed.  This may mean improving your skills, learning something new, and not abandoning your goals. Whatever it is for you, make sure your habits are optimal.
3.   Dealing with challenges.  Challenges are a part of life.  There are challenges that are with us during our whole lives.  There are challenges that are associated with taking on a new goal. There are even challenges that pop up seemingly out of nowhere.  Let’s say… I don’t know… a global pandemic.  Whatever your challenges are, they are a part of your life and very few actually disappear. Learning how to deal with any challenge and working around them is crucial.
4.   Engage others. We are all going through this pandemic together.  One way to aid in this process of achieving our goals is to engage others and help each other get to our goals.  This can be building a team.  This can be leaning on your friends.  Keep in mind that you can engage others by finding a way to serve them better or find new ways to serve in general. As we start to get back to normal, people want to engage with businesses who make their lives normal again.
5.   Clarity.  When times are unusual it’s easy to lose focus. When times are tough it’s easy to go into survival mode or victim mode.  In order to make 2021 amazing, you must define what you want to do, why you want to do it, the tools you need, the people you will engage, the habits you need to implement, or the challenges that you face. The clearer you are on all these factors, the more likely you are to find success.

 Although we are in trying times, we will go back to a normal life.  This too shall pass.  When it does, I want you to be in control of your life, be in position to succeed, and not feel like or act like a victim.  Go be amazing.