Featured Blog- Growth Mindset by: Jeremey Palma-Vegas

When someone says I want to be successful, our mind could go in many different directions to determine what “successful” means. What makes someone successful? Some might think that it means having a lot of money and being financially secure. Others might think that success comes from having power. Power to make more choices and to be in charge instead of working for someone else’s dreams to come true. It might mean something completely different for each person that you ask. One thing is for sure though. If you ask someone what it takes to be successful almost everyone will say, in one form or another, that it would take personal growth to achieve.

Having a growth mindset is a must in the entrepreneur world because we are moving from working for someone else’s dream to come true to chasing our own dreams. Someone once told me that to achieve success, true success, we would have to develop into a whole new version of ourselves. That stuck with me and I have adopted that concept. I try to focus on a few key factors to make sure that development is a continuous part of the daily routine. The first is to know what you want and why you want it. Next is to set a plan of action and create rituals that keep you on track. Lastly, find people that are better than you in the areas you want to improve and surround yourself with those individuals.

First up is goal setting. Not having a goal is like having a bow and arrow without a target. Before you pull back that arrow you should have a destination for where you want that arrow to go. Sometimes knowing what you want could be vague, or for some, non-existent. As someone really starts to think about what they want out of something they are pursuing or just in life in general, it could be hard to really nail down a clear path until they have a strong why behind what they want. If somebody wants to be in business for themselves, for example, why? It might be because they NEED to provide for their family and that J.O.B. is not cutting it. It may be that some do not want to be told that they are only worth a certain amount of money per hour and all they could hope for is a raise or overtime hours to bring in more income. It could also be that someone wants to

be able to give back to church and charity and be able to make an impact in the world around them. Whatever the why, it should be stronger than any obstacle or challenge one might face.

Once someone has a clear vision of what they want and why the next step in my opinion is to put out a clear action plan and set a routine of positive habits to follow. Not having a plan to achieve goals is like knowing you want to knock down 10 bowling pins without knowing where the pins are. Keep in mind that the plan may have to be modified many times to reach your goal. Once you have a clear plan it is important to set up rituals to keep you on track. I was told before “that success is a bunch of small things done well”. If you look at someone that is physically fit, it did not happen simply because that person told themselves that they wanted to be that way. You better believe that person set up rituals and habits of working out regularly even when they did not want to and changing their diet when they would rather be eating a cheeseburger and a large chocolate milkshake. A ritual as small as making your bed every morning could turn into a chain reaction of achievements throughout your day.

One last focus of growth would be surrounding yourself with people that perform better than you in the areas where you want growth. If someone is wanting to be better at having a more positive outlook, they of course should not be spending time with someone who finds a negative in any situation or has a limited mindset of what achievements could be accomplished. Rather, find people that are positive and encouraging, who will not just be a cheerleader for you, but also challenge you to step out of your comfort zone. As a matter of fact, I feel that we should have a front line of coaches and mentors that we look up to who will each do something different for our cycle of development and our constant push for growth.

Having a growth mindset is important for anyone that is pursuing success. Although constantly being forced out of your comfort zone is uncomfortable, it is one of the only ways we grow! So, get excited about challenges and obstacles.

Most of my colleagues and I have the same mindset that growth, no matter the rate, is one of our biggest focal points. We look to grow at least 1% each day. I live by the phrase, “progress equals happiness.” I think that phrase is not just a catchy thing to say, but something to live by. When you do truly grow in some way each day, no matter how small, and you look back a week from now, a month from now, or even a year or longer from now and you see the growth, it is hard not to have a smile from ear to ear and want to keep going down that path of continued growth.

Check out our Vlog on YouTube for an interview Jeremey did with Kevin (CEO/ Founder, NGM) and Miriam (Sr. Operations Manager, NGM).