As the new year is upon us, a positive mindset on personal and financial goals can greatly affect your capability to achieve them. While it may seem simplistic, your state of mind has much more to do with your outcomes and success than you may think.

Whether you are looking to earn a promotion, invest, save money, or achieve other goals, the best place to start is with your mindset. A positive mental attitude will set you up to reach your goals with your intentions being lined up and your actions being deliberate.

“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”
― Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century

Here are some tips on how to implement a positive and success driven mindset into the new decade!

Focus on the ‘Can’ not the ‘Cannot’

When working toward a goal, it is crucial to concentrate on the things you can do to achieve success, instead of dwelling on the things out of your control. When investing, this may be making sure your portfolio is diversified, instead of fixating on a short-term market decline that may or may not occur. Putting your energy and time into reading about a market event isn’t setting yourself up for success, it is taking time away from things you do have power over. If you are looking to save money, don’t dwell on your monthly bills and expenses you cannot change. Instead, try to save in categories for which you do have control. Something as simple as eating in more often can save money and be enjoyable in the process. Treat yourself to a new cookbook and make it a goal to cook every recipe over the course of the new year. Thinking positively doesn’t have to be difficult if you intertwine things you enjoy with the goals you set out to achieve! There will always be 100 things you cannot do, but there will also always be 100 that you can. Don’t let the things you cannot do get in the way of those that you can.

Life is Continuing Education

It is easy to become frustrated with yourself when your capabilities aren’t what your expectations are. This can turn into a bad cycle of negative self-talk and hindered success. When your thoughts take a bad turn, your outcome will too. Your mind is the only thing you have complete control over in life, and only you can change your mindset. In order to become better, don’t get discouraged when you cannot complete all the things you want. Instead, use this to fuel your desires and better yourself. Throughout one’s lifetime there is always new information, technology, and skill to be learnt. If you focus on continuing your education, you’ll be more likely to achieve your goals and not give up. Whether you are wanting to learn more about the stock market or saving for retirement, start with a book. You’d be amazed what you can learn when you dedicate 30 minutes of your day a few times a week to new knowledge.

Every Situation can be Profitable

There is no situation that you cannot gain something from. Every day, if you are aware of your surroundings you will benefit from the encounters you have with others, the things you read, and the work you do. Instead of looking at something you read as a waste of time, focus on picking out one thing that you learned. By doing this you start to program your brain to look for good. With a positive mindset, those daily experiences, be it in the home, in the workplace, or on vacation, change your worldview and you grow as an individual.

While doing these things you will have time to self-reflect. You may realize your negative outlook has been hindering your success. What things do you put into the category of ‘bad’ and never think of again? What could those experiences have taught you? Becoming aware of your mindset in the past will help you improve it for the future! A positive mental attitude creates positive outcomes. Focus on the good in the new year, you’ll be amazed at the opportunity that presents itself.