Why Mindset Mastery Is Vital to Your SuccessHow you think directly affects the outcomes you produce.

ByKarima Mariama-Arthur

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

The single most important factor influencing a person's success -- whether personal or professional -- is mindset. What you think about consistently has a direct impact on your behavior, and not the other way around. So, it's important to get this fundamental ingredient right.

A seemingly small thing that makes a huge difference, mindset accounts for the primary distinction between those who succeed and those who do not. And, if you are serious about achieving success in any area of your life, you must learn to master yours.

Here are five key reasons why.

1. Developing healthy self-esteem

To successfully accomplish any worthwhile feat, a person must first feel capable of achieving it. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Self-esteem is born of an internal dialogue that informs how we perceive and evaluate our worth, positively or negatively. It also frames our self-concept (the comprehensive view we have about ourselves).

Mindset -- a strong and positive one -- is essential to developing healthy self-esteem. It is an important tool that affects our daily self-dialogue and reinforces our most intimate beliefs, attitudes and feelings about ourselves. So, become the gatekeeper of your mind and plant seeds of positivity and inspiration rather than criticism and doubt.

Related:10 Mindsets That Will Radically Improve Your Business

2. Formulating a winning perspective

When it comes to success, there are few things more valuable than perspective. How we choose to attach meaning to events and circumstances has a profound effect on whether we view our glass as half full or half empty.Tony Robbins以他对这个主题的看法,并指出,"Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning [we] give it."Touché.

The truth is that mindset has everything to do with perspective. Our foundational beliefs, attitudes and biases naturally affect the way we process information and experience the world around us. Having an optimistic mindset increases the likelihood of formulating a winning perspective and achieving long-term success.

3. Harnessing drive

Drive is the unwavering determination to achieve an important objective. It includes the process of developing a vision for success and engaging in sustained effort over time. Without drive, achieving most goals would be difficult at best.

Mindset is critical to drive. With the power to direct focus and encourage commitment to higher purpose, it can easily urge someone to challenge the status quo and push past comfort zones. People with drive are self-motivated and strive to accomplish more. They don't waste time complaining about their circumstances, but instead work with conviction to improve them.

Related:7 Mindsets That Guarantee Enduring Success

4. Facing adversity

No matter what goal you seek to achieve, the path to your success is bound to include some degree of adversity. If you want to get through the rough patches, however, you will need to develop thick skin and learn to face each challenge head on.

This is where mindset plays a critical role. Adversity tests one's mettle to the core. After facing an extreme hardship, a person may feel justified in succombing to defeat. For them, it can feel like an easy road. Yet, the capacity to move through the fire, get knocked down and not knocked out, is a true testament to the power of a resilient mindset.

5. Achieving the underlying goal

Goal-setting is a multi-faceted process, with achievement being the most obvious indicator of success. Nevertheless, without the proper mindset, you may not get that far. An undertaking that easily eludes even the most well-intentioned individuals, achieving a goal requires more than a mere lukewarm desire to succeed.

Mindset is where the rubber meets the road. Taken a step further,mental toughnessis what determines whether someone will dig deep and work through hardships to succeed, or simply claim defeat. It includes exercising courage, sustaining effort over long periods and leveraging self-talk to move through each pivotal phase, before ultimately accomplishing the underlying goal.

Are you ready to command your results? If so, make a conscious decision to master your mindset and reach for greater success in the new year and beyond.

Karima Mariama-Arthur

Founder and CEO of WordSmithRapport

Karima Mariama-Arthur is the founder and CEO ofWordSmithRapport, an international consulting firm located in Washington, D.C. that specializes in professional development. She trains, coaches and consults for individuals and organizations on the dynamics of complex communication and high-performance leadership competence.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Celebrity Entrepreneurs

Magic Johnson, Shark Tank's Daymond John and Other Celebrity Entrepreneurs Share Unfiltered Advice for Business Success

Celebrity entrepreneurs reveal invaluable lessons they learned as business owners and key advice for aspiring entrepreneurs rising up the ranks.

Living

61 Books Elon Musk Thinks You Should Read

The billionaire entrepreneur is also a prolific reader.

Money & Finance

Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.

企业家是不能过度指雷竞技手机版望太多a company exit for their eventual 'win.' Do this instead.

Science & Technology

How AI Can Revolutionize Our Broken Supply Chain

Supply chains have become increasingly fragile — but technology can help humans forge new strength.

Business News

This Ghostwriter Made $200,000 Last Year Writing Tweets for Venture Capitalists

One man's side hustle makes him more money than his day job, and only costs him five hours a week of his time.