5 Ways to Keep a Forward-Thinking Mindset

I am often accused of being overly optimistic, always looking for the silver-lining. I am a glass is half-full person. When I approach life from this lens, I can see more opportunities than roadblocks and it keeps my entire team moving forward.  

Being an optimist takes focused effort and self-awareness, there are many ways we can get tripped up and fall into a negative thought pattern or let fear stop us from achieving what we are reaching for. Imposter syndrome is one of those roadblocks that can stand in our way.  

In case you have never heard of this concept before, the oxford dictionary defines imposter syndrome as the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills. 

Despite evidence to the contrary many people feel like they are faking it, and they wonder when they might be exposed as a fraud. People who are battling imposter syndrome have a hard time accepting compliments and recognition at face value. They may procrastinate on things where they think they may fail and miss out on opportunities.  

Professionals may experience this feeling at different flection points in their careers. Some of it comes from being in an environment that lends itself to a more critical and competitive culture which can fuel feelings of imposter syndrome. Other examples come from lived experiences where you may have been told your skills weren’t transferable or implicit biases exist such as being told that government employees don’t work hard. 

Does any of this sound familiar to you? 

Here are 5 Ways to Keep a Forward-Thinking Mindset While Staving off the Imposter 

1. Stay focused on a plan

Having a plan to focus on is the first step. Whenever we create strategic plans for our clients, we call them “living, breathing documents” because plans sometimes need to shift. But the focus remains on the goals.

Take a strategic approach to your work and align your plan with your core values and purpose. Think of where you are going in 1, 3 and 5 years from now. 

This will give you a guide and roadmap to measure your own success against. And provide the tool needed to stay focused on opportunities and move past the roadblocks.   

2. Lean on industry and peer-to-peer networks

There is no better time to lean on your network than when you’re feeling lost, uncertain or overwhelmed. our network will help you stay positive and focused on the future. Networks can help you stay positive and beat the imposter only if you and the people in your network are willing to be vulnerable. Reach out with the tough questions, share what your challenges and your successes.  

Vulnerability is one of the magic bullets for beating imposter syndrome, when colleagues tell their stories with an open and honest perspective others realize that they are not alone. 

Find mentors who will lift you up, who are willing to share vulnerably with you and who will encourage you on your path. 

Lean into discomfort and be vulnerable because this is where growth happens. 

3. Control your news feed

The old adage “like attracts like” applies to your thoughts and attitudes as well. It’s the law of attraction that states our thoughts “attract” corresponding experiences into our lives. Likewise, when we are feeding our thoughts with negative information we will attract negativity into our lives. If we consume positive content we will attract positivity into our lives. Choose the news and information that you consume carefully. The more you can fill your feed with positive news, forward-thinking inspiration and silver linings, the more of that you will attract into your life. 

Look for proof points and track your wins. Focus on your strengths and not your weaknesses. Just because something comes easy to you does not mean you should discount its value. Consider what might come easy to you as a superpower and celebrate it.  

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

-Maya Angelou

4. Find the energy in others

As a leader, I know how important it is to lead with a forward-thinking mindset. My energy directly impacts my team and the energy that I bring every day energizes them. Likewise, I get my positive energy from my team. I seek out those moments that energize me like watching a team member’s passion for a new client they are working with or recognizing those growth moments when they learn something new or witnessing the power of our high-performing team when they are all in sync. Look for those moments, take time to recognize the little wins. They will add up to a big amount of energy once you start taking them all in.   

While you can get energy from others, watch out for the comparison trap. Make sure you show up on your own path and journey. Measuring your success against others is a trap because you can never really know their whole story. Seek out your own measurements of success. 

5. Be self-aware and practice self-care 

Be in tune to yourself and adopt a curiosity mindset. Self-awareness includes managing your self-talk and knowing when you may need to be talked off the ledge. Take a beat and keep it simple.  

When your self-talk starts to spiral into a negative pattern, check your self-care. When was the last time you took a beat, or unplugged, or simply got up and went for a walk. Remembering to take a break, midday or at the end of the day – or both – will make a huge impact on your spirits. You need to recharge. If you are tired, it will be easier to succumb to the pull of negativity. To stay positive and protect the forward-thinking mindset, we must re-energize. Find your perfect getaway and commit to it. For me it is a combination of exercise, walking, being outside and breathing in the fresh air. What do you do to recharge? Identify it and commit to it! 

Instead of feeling unsure or hesitant, we can view these times as opportunities to innovate and reinvent our path forward. A forward-thinking mindset is key to seizing the moment and building a stronger future.