5MR#35 - How Successful People Think.

John argues that despite the diversity present among successful people, they have one thing in common: their mindset or how they think. The question of the day is – what makes them more successful than you? And if there’s a formula to it, what it is?

This isn’t a metaphor but a literal interpretation of what predicts success not only in the workplace but overall. So, how to become a better thinker? Is it just one’s own innateness that determines the level of creativity or is it something one should fight to attain?

Albert Einstein on one occasion also implied that “thinking is hard” that’s why so few succeed. But what kind of thinking is he referring to? Do you need to be critical or focus more on creativity as a means to achieve prosperity in your domain of authority.

There are a few things one must do in order to change its thinking habits:

1. Exposure to new ideas
2. Connect with extraordinary and smart people
3. Choose your path
4. Act upon the good thoughts swarming into your mind
5. Make your emotions in tune with your mindset
6. Rinse and Repeat

In all honesty, it’s okay if the process outlined here arouses suspicions regarding its applicability. Nonetheless, it’s your job not to put all your eggs into one basket and keep plugging away despite the odds. Finding the best spot for contemplation is one of the first things you should begin with. Some people prefer the shower, others in front of a big open fireplace.

The bottom line is, regardless of your preferences, a person really needs to find that special place where he/she could dive deep into thinking. In other words, the sacred place we were just talking about should help you shape your mindset. In the meantime, you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself, your urges and bad habits which keep you down.

And yes, it always starts with the mindset, because we tend to compare our bad habits of today’s self, with someone’s self that has been morphed by good habits.

According to John Maxwell, the shaping process embodies:

Humor: The thoughts which don’t seem to work, should be transformed into a comic interpretation

Humility: The beautiful moments of establishing a connection with the Divine

Excitement: It signifies the elation before a thought is put into action

Creativity: When you veer off course and indulge in adopting a visionary approach

Fulfillment: When the bond with God has reached a satisfactory level that yields fruits

Honesty: When an idea goes into the implementation phase, a person becomes aware of its genuine motives

Passion: When a thought storms into your mind, you get an aerial perspective of the mindset you wish to nurture

Change: The good stuff is a direct result of the changes made through life

John even presents a formula that acts as a proof of how crucial your environment is in the pursuit of prosperity:

The Right Thought plus the Right People

in the Right Environment at the Right Time

for the Right Reason = the Right Result

Should we discern the difference between “good thinkers” or is it just one thing? To some extent, this expression indicates that a person of high IQ, falls into this category, but according to others it might be a person capable of creative thinking. Literally there are many interpretations, and none of these should be taken for granted.

Good thinking or productive thinking is similar to solving a puzzle. Even if you are a master, you cannot solve it without having all the missing pieces at your disposal. It’s impossible to act in your best interest if your abilities are limited.

John C. Maxwell points out in his book that those missing links, can be further exhibited through the 11-skillset program one should strive to possess:

1. Seeing the Wisdom of Big-Picture Thinking
2. Unleashing the Potential of Focused Thinking
3. Discovering the Joy of Creative Thinking
4. Recognizing the Importance of Realistic Thinking
5. Releasing the Power of Strategic Thinking
6. Feeling the Energy of Possibility Thinking
7. Embracing the Lessons of Reflective Thinking
8. Questioning the Acceptance of Popular Thinking
9. Encouraging the Participation of Shared Thinking
10. Experiencing the Satisfaction of Unselfish Thinking
11. Enjoying the Return of Bottom-Line Thinking

If you take a critical view of this methodology, you’ll come to the conclusion that the big picture, is more important than short-term achievement. Big-time achievers are learning-machines, to say the least. They are never pleased with the knowledge they have, and they strive to learn as they go.

An extraordinary method of expanding your horizons is nurturing the habit of listening. If you plan on making strides towards excellence, you should really consider the fact that you don’t know everything. The expertise of others can be of particular use to you if you’re open-minded.

Big-picture thinkers recognize that they don’t know lots of things. They frequently ask penetrating questions to enlarge their understanding and thinking. If you want to become a better big-picture thinker, then become a good listener. Intuitively, you probably recognize big-picture thinking as beneficial. Few people want to be closed-minded.

How should leaders behave?

Generally speaking, there are a handful of big-thinkers who are not labeled as leaders, and many leaders who don’t deserve to be marked as big-time players. In fact, a proficient leader is capable of doing several important things on behalf of the organization:

1. See the big picture before the people do
2. Take into account multiple factors and all variables
3. Have a sense of where the team should be heading
4. Understand how the future connects with the past
5. Gain momentum and seize the moment

With this in mind, many ponder about the possibility of absorbing the big picture. It sounds nice and everything, but the reality is a far cry from the actual truth.

The first element a big-thinker has or possess is that he/she embraces the whole risk-taking thing. Don’t get this the wrong way – it’s not cost-effective to gamble but to take calculated risks. They welcome diverse ideas and neglect certainty as a meaningless concept.

Next up, you have to be willing to give up on a lot of things in order to get to a certain point of success. You can’t do it on your own, and you have to accept diversity in terms of ideas and beliefs.

In doing so, you’ll probably fill in the gap for not being well-rounded with regards to having the expertise to do everything single-handedly.

Key Lessons from “How Successful People Think”

1.Become a successful thinker - Like most other things, that’s easier said than done, but it’s achievable if you understand the concepts presented here. First and foremost, a person needs to be aware that change is inevitable. Afterward, you can try to set in motion the way of life you deem appropriate. It’s a battle; everyone has to endure in order to get on the other side.

2. Start listening; there are a lot of smart people out there - As you may have guessed it, you are not the most knowledgeable person out there. Your prowess in a given area, must not become your limit. You ought to adopt a broader approach, and practice “listening” as a way to incite growth and prosperity. Even the most lucrative profession, is not going to make it up for lack of motivation.

3. Read, read, and read some more - It comes as no surprise to anyone that successful people are masters at time-management. By making the most out of their time, they can focus on things which are essential to their cause. Also, their ambition is backed by a constant thirst for more knowledge, which can never be quenched by no stretch of the imagination. In so far as their methodology is put under scrutiny, most of them prefer daily reading.