In this post I’m going to give you 18 mindset shifts to help you live your dream life. These mindset shifts will help you do 3 things:
- pay your mindset shifts "dummy tax"
- organize your intentions and goals
- take action steps to live your dream life now
I’ll explain what this tax is later on in this blog post. For now let’s start with the fact that if you avoid this tax you'll move closer to living your dream life instead of only dreaming about it.
How do mindset shifts create a dream life?
One thing I've learned is that mindset shifts require you to look inward at yourself. You need to understand your why. The “why” is the foundation for dreaming, planning and accomplishing of your goals.
I’m sharing all the concepts, strategies and tips I’ve learned to help you not waste time and energy like I did. When I share my mistakes and successes I’m helping you avoid paying the dummy tax.
David Meltzer is often associated with the phrase the “dummy tax”. David is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, best selling author, CEO…and at one point in his career lost $100 Million dollars. The mistakes he made turned into lessons learned and now teaches to others. He promotes the concept of not paying the dummy tax.
Little did I know in my twenties and thirties that I was paying this tax. Repeatedly.
As soon as I decided I didn’t want to learn everything on my own by hunting and pecking through the internet was the moment I stopped paying my dummy tax.
What is the dummy tax?
David Meltzer defines the dummy tax as,
“In the same way there is no reason to re-invent the proverbial wheel, there is no reason to pay the “dummy tax” or make the same mistakes these more experienced individuals made and are willing to share with you.”
What are mindset shifts?
A mindset is a way of thinking or believing.
When you change your way of thinking you shift your mindset. The shift occurs because of a change in your belief system about how you approach thinking of things.
Why are mindset shifts important?
A mindset shift requires action. Action is important to taking a dream from your mind or as a written goal into reality.
Changing the way you think leads to so many other positive results. The way you think has the potential to open yourself up to unlimited possibilities.
How do you shift your mindset?
Shifting your way of thinking is done with actionable steps that lead to results.
Small steps are my favorite kind of action steps. They’re manageable. Over time small steps add up to big changes without making you feel overwhelmed.
This quote by Henry David Thoreau is straight to the point and says what I feel about goals and dreams eloquently.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined!” - Henry David Thoreau
The tips I’m sharing in this blog post are meant to help you avoid paying the dummy tax. So keep reading, and learn how dream and live your version of a dream life.
18 mindset shifts to help you live your dream life
#1 Focus on strengths over weaknesses
In other words, what would happen if you focused on improving what you’re great at? Anything that you give your attention and energy to will grow. So, why fixate on the things you don’t do well? Keep learning and improving on what you do best.
#2 Believe in your full potential
Sometimes you have a block keeping you from reaching your potential. Whenever you believe in your ability to change your circumstances that's believing in your full potential. Likewise, by reading this blog post article you're taking a step toward in living up to your potential.
#3 Be clear on who you want to be
If you want to become a better version of yourself you need to define what that looks like. Realizing your dreams hinges on defining the person you want to transform into. Imagine who you'll be and how you'll act once you achieve your goals. Then start living as that version.
#4 Get crystal clear on what you want to do
Knowing who you want to become is an important step. Follow up a great start with knowing what you want to do. This may take some creativity or exploration. You never know when you’ll find “it” – or how many of “them” you’ll come across over your life. By it and them I mean the activity that you enjoy that leads you to your transformation into your best version of yourself.
#5 Know that action is required
You’ll need to create an action plan to live the life of your dreams. Start by visualizing how your dream life will look and feel. How much income do you need to support the lifestyle? Planning the steps to make your dream life a real life will be your action plan.
#6 Do the work/action in small steps
Designing the life and lifestyle you’ve always desired will go more smoothly if you break up the work in chunks. Doing what’s necessary will be less daunting by completing one part at a time. Before you know it tasks will done and you’re moving onto the next one.
#7 Always be a learner
Learning new ideas will keep you in a growth mindset. Equally important, if you stop learning you'll stop growing. Envision how robust your quality of life will be by always learning new points of view and concepts.
#8 Celebrate wins - big or small
Don’t dismiss your accomplishments even so the smallest success can be cause for celebration. Take time to enjoy achievements because it will boost your confidence!
#9 Attach feelings to the goal or intention
Emotions are about knowing your “why”. Whenever you align your actions with your motivations you've got a solid blueprint for mindset shifts.
#10 Be prepared for when bad days happen/so they don’t own you
You already know that there's good and bad days. Prepare a plan for the difficult days prior to them happening will help you get through them. Exercise, meditation, reading a book or taking a bath can help you move past the bad days.
#11 Dream confidently
You are in control of your own life as the designer, doer and dreamer. Give yourself permission for big, bold ideas about your goals. Remove limitations and go after your wildest dreams. You’ll never know what happens until you try.
#12 Be prepared for success/be ready when the right moment comes along
Preparing for a successful outcome is about the process. Lean into the journey and believe the success is already on its way to you. Envision yourself after you’ve accomplished your goal. What is the next step?
#13 Don't fear failure
Don't be afraid to fail. In order to shift your mindset it's important to view failing as just a way of learning what not to do again.
#14 See both success and failure as progress
Learning from experience comes from both successful and failed outcomes. The mindset shift helps you see them both as progress.
#15 Let go of the past
Let it go because the past doesn't define you in the present. It's okay to collect the best lessons learned along the way but keep moving, learning and growing.
#16 Write goals down for accountability
Writing down your goals and intentions is the best way to visually see them. Like Oprah Winfrey says, “When you see it and believe it, it’s a lot easier to achieve it.” Your goals will stay top-of-mind, and you’ll react to it and always work on it.
#17 Set a deadline
Goals without a due date are just ideas. Move your intentions from an idea to completion with a deadline.
#18 Organize the things you want to change into 5 categories
The pillars that make up a good life are these 5 categories: health, relationships, finances, spirit and happiness. Create a lifestyle plan to improve and sustain these pillars. As I've noted using these categories helps you organize your actions and track your results.
Conclusion
You now hold the key to living your dream life with these 18 powerful mindset shifts. Embracing these changes can ignite the spark to turn your dreams into reality.
Remember, dreams are just the beginning; the real transformation lies in experiencing them firsthand. So, take action, make those dreams come true, and embrace a life beyond your imagination.
Now, I'm curious - what does your idea of a dream life look like? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so don't hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Xoxo,Nicole