Some people are good at what they do. Some others are outstanding. Then, there are people who can be defined unstoppable; they seem to excel in every area of their life. You continuously see them reach new goals and grow. Many of us often wonder how those people can have so much energy and achieve so much in life. Do they have a secret formula? Were they just born like that? When it comes to succeeding in what we do, everything depends mainly on two things: our beliefs and our habits.
Beliefs
Our beliefs have been defined as the “guiding principles in life that provide direction and meaning in life.” In particular: “Beliefs are the preset, organized filters to our perceptions of the world (external and internal). Beliefs are like ‘Internal commands’ to the brain as to how to represent what is happening, when we congruently believe something to be true.” Our beliefs influence all areas of our life. If we have limiting beliefs, we tell ourselves stories about who we are that hold us back from becoming who we potentially could become. As Tony Robbins explains, “If we have healthy, positive beliefs, we deeply believe that we are capable and deserving of success, we’re able to tap into that potential. This drives greater action, which in turn drives greater results.”
Habits
When we talk about “action,” we talk most of all about habits. Our habits, are all the things we do regularly, and through them we can basically define and shape our future. Our habits depend on our beliefs — for example, think about those who work out every day; they do it because they believe it will help them lose weight. However, if you think about it, our habits also influence our beliefs: if we work out every day and start seeing results, we reinforce the belief that working out helps losing weight or simply staying in shape. If we smoke and drink alcohol for decades and we see that we don’t have health problems (yet) we can erroneously believe those habits are not harmful. Through our habits we can even create new beliefs — positive or negative. It’s an endless circle — that we can use in our favor, if we want. Unstoppable people have an effective system of beliefs and habits, and they learned to use it to support their success. They not only choose the habits that give them the results they want, but they also choose those habits that have a positive impact on their beliefs — and consequently, on all the areas of their life. What follows are four strategies you can steal from unstoppable people, that can have a positive impact on all areas of your life.
1. Be Unstoppable by Choosing One “Priority Habit”
It’s great to have a set of healthy habits that help us become more productive, work smarter, and reach our goals. However, let’s be real. There are days when it’s impossible to do all the things we promised ourselves we would do. And it’s totally fine. This is why on these days, what we need to do is choose one habit we will stick to, no matter what. Let’s call it our “priority habit.” Let me give you an example. Let’s say you work out 30 minutes every day, you write an article per day, you read self-improvement content 20 minutes per day, and you also write down a gratitude list each day. Also, let’s say that among all those habits, working out is the most important habit to you, because your goal of losing weight is what matters the most to you right now. On those days when you are particularly busy, your priority habit will be to work out, no matter what. Choosing your priority habit will not only simplify your life when necessary, but also influence your belief system in a positive way. Expecting too much from yourself on your busiest days can create the limiting belief that you’re not good enough, that you’re not able to stick to all your daily habits. Instead, being compassionate towards yourself, understanding that some days are busier than others, and choosing one priority habit, can help you feel good about yourself and believe that you are actually able to stick to your most important habits.
2. Start Your Day Working Out
This might sound obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Working out is one of the healthiest habits you can include in your list. Not just because it can help you lose weight or boost your metabolism, but also because it helps improve your mental health and mood, has a strong and positive impact on your energy levels, and has several benefits for your overall health. According to multiple research studies, the best moment to work out is in the morning, as it helps set the tone for the rest of your day. In particular, these are some of the main benefits of exercising in the morning:
Morning workouts are a great way to start each day — the endorphins your body produces in response to exercise can keep your mood elevated throughout the day;It might help you burn more fat, as exercising on an empty stomach has been proven to be more effective than exercising after a meal;It might help you be more productive: research has found that exercising in the morning has a beneficial effect on energy levels, alertness, focus and decision-making.
3. Focus on Your Circle of Influence
I’ve mentioned the Circle of Influence in other articles as well because I consider it one of the most powerful self-improvement concepts. As Stephen Covey explained in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, we can always choose between:
focusing on the things we can control and do something about and,wasting energy worrying about what we can’t control.
To better explain this idea, Covey distinguished between two concepts, the Circle of Concern and the Circle of Influence. The Circle of Concern includes all the things that are outside of our control, while the Circle of Influence, instead, includes all the things over which we have direct control. By focusing on the things we can directly control, we waste less time and energy, and can concentrate all our efforts on what truly matters, on what actually helps us go in the right direction, towards our most important goals. If you think about it, this strategy alone can have a strong and positive impact on someone’s personal growth journey. In fact, if applied, it can make anyone unstoppable. A few examples of the things we can’t control are:
The weather;Other people’s choices;The stock market.
Here are a few examples of things we can control instead:
Our daily habits;Our beliefs;The choices we make;What we eat;How we talk to others.
4. Write Everything Down
As David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, explains, our mind is meant to have ideas, not to hold them. When we continuously keep stuff in our mind, we end up being mentally exhausted, being disorganized, forgetting things, and doing less. Instead, if we write everything down, if we have what Allen calls an external storage, we simplify our life. Here are a few benefits of writing things down:
You stop forgetting things;You feel less stressed;A positive impact on your mental health;You feel more energetic and productive;You have less to worry about;And you become more organized.
Final Thoughts
Unstoppable people have in common two things: positive, empowering beliefs that drive action, and good habits. Here are a few habits that, if applied correctly, can make someone unstoppable: Photo by Judeus Samson on Unsplash Article originally published on Wealthendipity Get access to exclusive self-improvement and relationships content, subscribe to my free newsletter here.
