A Better Mindset From Incremental Change

Tiny changes bring about large results.

Do you want to be better? A better person, a better parent, a better boss? And how about being better than you were last year or even last week? It’s possible. It just takes the right mindset and goals. I call it the mindset of better.

Did you know that only eight percent of people reach their goals? Yep, that's right! The other 92 percent fail within weeks or months. They want to do better, and it’s not their mindset at fault. According to research, what separates the two comes down to one simple thing: setting detailed and challenging goals.

The first step is to open your mind and embrace change. We, humans, are wired to resist any changes that disrupt our routines and habits. Unless you beat inertia, you’ll never be able to transform your life. Relax and be ready for whatever comes. Big dramatic changes won’t necessarily produce big results. Sometimes, it’s the small things that matter.

However, this doesn't mean you should dive in and do everything at once. Trying to do too many things is often a formula for failure. Instead, if you want to go big, you must think small. Not just small, but minuscule. Break those large goals into smaller goals, then make them tiny and begin there.

What's so wrong with “Thinking Big?”

People might have told you that you can accomplish anything you want, whether it's saving the world or becoming a prima ballet dancer. Unfortunately, that's unlikely to happen. Sure, you could do it, but it will take years of challenging work and discipline. For this reason, it's so important to take baby steps toward your goals, so you don’t become burned out.

The truth is what you need to do is think big in detail. It's essential to have detailed information, plans, knowledge, and skills for your big goals to become a reality. That won't happen overnight. It takes tiny steps, consistently performed day after day.

A big idea doesn't guarantee success. Anyone can have ideas, but only a few people will bring them to life. When thinking big, it's easier to miss the smaller details and make costly mistakes. If you fail, you'll feel disappointed and have a tough time beginning again.

For example, many people dream of running a marathon. However, they haven't yet put on their shoes and run to the end of the driveway. To succeed, think big in increments. Focus on getting out the door and around the block for a week. After that week, begin adding additional distance to your routine. Soon you should notice that your consistency is making it easier for you to get out that door and become a better runner.

How to leverage incremental change.

Since trivial things can have such a significant impact, you can use incremental change to your advantage. Think of what you want to accomplish and then narrow your view. The narrower your focus, the more you will see and experience.

Focus your efforts on taking small baby steps toward your goals, you’ll be more precise and get better results. Your attention to the minute details makes it easier to pivot if or when necessary, as opposed to the challenge of changing all the moving parts in a large goal.

Apply these principles to all areas of your life, whether it’s your career, family, relationships, or health. Each day, do one thing that supports your goals. Build on it the next day. You are looking for a cumulative effect. It doesn’t have to be something big – remember, slight changes have the biggest impact overall.

Changes in your behavior can change your life.

Whether you want to become the next Steve Jobs, launch a successful project, or learn a new skill, you need to begin with baby steps. Exchange any behaviors that hold you back for actions that move you forward.

Let's say you have a tough time following through on your goals. Lately, you always find excuses to skip your piano lessons. By doing that you'll never manage to learn the fundamentals and without them, you will never learn to play well.

Commit yourself to your lessons. Take them seriously just like you do with your job or family time. Schedule practice time as well. Start tiny with 5-10 minutes every day in the beginning.  What you’re doing is incrementally building a new positive habit. The key is not to become overwhelmed and give up.

Stick to the changes you’ve made. Don't jump from one thing to the next. Be consistent and take small steps toward your goals. For instance, if you begin meditating, practicing yoga, or playing the piano, do it every single day. Your goal is just to get better one day at a time.

Think small to go big, and the results will follow!

 Why do small things matter?

Ever heard of the Butterfly effect? According to the chaos theory, insignificant things can have major effects on the world around us.

Want another example? Think about the soda you drink every day. One 12-ounce container has about 150 calories. That's an extra 4,500 calories per month and 54,000 calories per year. It takes just 3,500 calories to gain one pound of fat. If you drink a can of soda daily, you'll pack on an extra fifteen pounds a year unless you burn off those calories.

There are plenty of examples of minuscule things that have had a great impact - and the same applies to your daily life.

My final thoughts.

You can have an influence on your life in small incremental ways. Remember, it’s the mindset of better. Something as simple as reading a book can lead to a major career shift or an aha moment in how you relate to your family. Tiny steps taken day by day accrue like interest in the bank. You won’t see a big change next week, but just give it a couple of years.

For more information, check out this post.

Why Small Goals Are the Secret To Success.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with people you love.

Your Mood Impacts Your Behavior

Some people always seem moodier than others. You could say it’s in their nature. This wouldn’t be a problem but for the fact that their mood is bad or negative. No one ever says, “hey, beware of what you say to Henry, He’s in an excellent mood today.” So, it’s obvious, while we all have good and bad moods, it’s only the bad ones that label us as being moody.

Let’s look at the psychology of moods and what can be done to improve your moods.

Do moods affect our psychology?

It's that feeling you get when you realize you just ran out of coffee. Or that discouraging feeling of stress when you discover some disappointing news. No matter the situation at hand, there is a strong, biological force manipulating our behavior.

What's this mysterious force you may ask? It's none other than our mood.

Neuroscientists and researchers have spent a great deal of time analyzing how our moods impact our behavior. While they've made accurate strides, there's still so much to be learned about why our emotions impact our mood and vice versa.

Are emotions and moods interchangeable?

While many conclude that emotions and mood are the same, interestingly, they aren't. The theory of emotions states, "emotions are patterns of firing in large groups of neurons that integrate neural representations of situations, cognitive evaluations of those situations, and physiological changes."

Put simply, your emotions are based on preconceived patterns, beliefs, and personal goals associated with thoughts and feelings. For example, if you were passed up on an opportunity at work, likely you'll be disappointed; maybe even angry. Why is that?

You're programmed to believe that if you don't receive the acknowledgment, you're automatically a failure. While extreme, this conditioning of patterns influences how you perceive your day. Because of this letdown, you may categorize your entire day as being, 'bad."

While your emotions may impact how you view your day and overall behavior, your mood controls something completely different.

Moods and feelings

One author eloquently stated, "moods are dispositions to have emotions. Salt has the disposition to dissolve in water, and glass bottles have the disposition to break when dropped."

So, how does your mood compare to your overall emotions? According to science, your overall mood "produces" the emotions you express. Let's go back to the job scenario. If you were in a relatively good mood before the news, your emotional reaction to the situation may be balanced. You are naturally disappointed, but you aren't lashing out or engaging in activities you'll regret.

By contrast, if you were in a bad mood before hearing the news, your emotions could send you into a tailspin. Thus, engaging in words or actions that you could later regret.

When considering how your mood impacts your behavior, one must recognize that mood and emotions are interchangeable in a comparative sense. For example, if you're excited about getting a new job, likely your mood is going to reflect that. If you're frustrated about your morning commute, that negative energy could affect the rest of your day.

Although your mood and emotions utilize different neurons and chemical processes, they're still quite similar when it comes to how your behavior is impacted. Regardless of your emotional state, your mood is always going to be impacted by your feelings and vice-versa.

Positive coping mechanisms

Because the two are so closely related, it's prudent to learn positive coping systems that can help you control your mood when consuming emotions occur.

While this is no easy task, many people have found that through professional help, medication, or deep breathing exercises, they have been able to control their emotions in a way that doesn't impact their mood.

Some examples of this are practicing mindfulness. This involves allowing emotions to filter throughout the body without judging or controlling them. You're able to maintain your balanced mood, even in the face of extreme stress.

Other coping strategies can be normal activities that have a calming or decompressing component to them, such as cooking, gardening, or playing with your pet.

You needn’t be a victim of negative beliefs or situations. Developing your own set of positive coping systems and receiving the help you need will help you learn how to effectively deal with your emotions and control your overall mood.

Along with the emotional benefits of a good mood, there are also health benefits. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Health benefits of feeling joyful

Joy is the feeling of enormous contentment, appreciation, and happiness. It takes on a mystical meaning when applied to your everyday life. Many people, no matter their race, class, or nationality, experience joy even in the face of numbing situations.

Many individuals experience joy when they choose to ignore the negativity in their life and concentrate on the positive. That's why the phrase "choose joy” has achieved popularity over the years.

While being joyful influences your attitude, it also plays a key role in keeping you healthy. Believe it or not, your emotions have a lot to do with your relationships, productivity, and even life expectancy. If you're looking to improve your health, start with the mind. Let's consider a few health benefits that come along with choosing to be joyful.

Increasing your happiness

Individuals who choose to be in a joyful mood experience an overall increase in their happiness. Developing this optimistic view helps them cope effectively with daily challenges.

While joy is centered around recognizing the bad, yet searching for the good, joy doesn't disregard negativity. Joyous people embrace what has happened to them headfirst.

Instead of drowning in their sorrows, they act. Their joy affords them the clarity to make mindful decisions that could improve their position.

In addition, when negative circumstances arise, they're able to handle their emotions without doing something they'll regret. This keeps them from taking damaging actions that could ruin their lives.

Decreases depression

While depression is considered a chemical imbalance, people who choose joy, suffer less depression and anxiety. How so?

As mentioned, they recognize their emotions and develop strategic ways to solve their issues. By staying "busy" in this regard, they're able to ward off depressive or anxious thoughts.

However, this isn't to say that individuals who suffer from depression and anxiety aren't joyful. Instead, it's only meant to showcase the statistical side of choosing joy.

Reduces your risk of heart failure

When you subject yourself to a lot of negativity and stress, this has an enormous impact on your heart. Over time, your heart will experience serious complications due to this constant negative stimulus.

Individuals who choose joy have decreased cardiovascular problems and an overall healthy body. By choosing to rid themselves of negativity and instead focus on the positive, they're preserving the health of their heart.

Improvements to motivation and proficiency

Happy people are more likely to get things done and have the energy to do so. Have you ever heard the saying, "this activity is exhausting"? People say this when referring to crushingly negative projects that drown their happiness.

When you feel happy, you're more productive, social, and imaginative. You're able to create fresh ideas and have the energy to execute them. Because of this, people with creative jobs are required to take time off for their self-development. This helps them cultivate additional mental clarity when handling their daily tasks.

A good mood enriches your relationships

Being in a good mood makes others want to be around you. They aren't bogged down by sad stories or negativity. Therefore, people who choose to be joyful are more likely to have a wide range of contacts to choose from.

In addition, your romantic and interpersonal relationships are healthier when you're joyful. You're able to connect with your partner in a solution-focused manner as opposed to trying to win. This is crucial for keeping your long-term relationships healthy.

Choosing to live a joyful life makes you happier, more productive, and easier to get along with. These perks alone should inspire you to home in on your happiness. By doing so, you'll feel an inner peace like no other.

My final thought

Just as it improves so many other things, gratitude can improve your mood. Gratitude for what you have allows you to brush off negative feelings that affect your mood. I think of gratitude as being the ultimate positivity.

For more information, please read the following posts.

Create A Better Mood For Yourself

Mind Body Connection How Your Emotions Affect Your Health

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope you will share it with someone you love.