1. Adopt a growth mindset over a fixed mindset.

A fixed mindset is the belief that you cannot grow, change or develop much more than where you are currently. A growth mindset includes not only the belief that you CAN grow, change and develop, but also, and more importantly, the belief that challenges, obstacles, and failures are opportunities to LEARN. 

Someone with a fixed mindset looks at where they are in their business and doesn’t see the need to do more. Because they see others who are getting lesser results, they assume they have reached success. Someone with a growth mindset looks at others who are seeing greater results than they are as inspiration and an opportunity to do better in their own business.

2. Focus on process instead of outcome.

To tactically implement a growth mindset into your systems, you need to stop focusing on the outcome and focus instead on the process. For example, rather than aiming to post a certain number of videos to earn new mortgage leads, work toward becoming better at creating videos. Or rather than trying to determine how many 1-on-1 conversations you need to have with referral partners to get leads, spend time getting better at having those conversations and asking questions. 

When you focus on the process and not the outcome, you develop into a person for whom those key outcomes come easy. Focusing on the process of becoming better at the activities that drive your goals can yield more results – and the results are often more long-term and sustainable. 

3. Understand the difference between motivation and drive.

Once you set yourself up with a growth mindset and start focusing on the process, you can tackle another hurdle: understanding the difference between motivation and drive. 

Motivation is a feeling, an emotion, that comes and goes. It’s a willingness to do something; it’s a thought. Motivation can lead us to take action; however, the action stops when the motivation fades away. Drive is a planned effort to accomplish something; it’s an action. Motivation can be the spark of drive, but when it fades away, drive pushes you to take action even when you don’t feel like it! Drive is what will sustain you. 

"The most important thing you can do at any level of business is decide that you want to succeed."

The most important thing you can do at any level of business is to decide that you want to succeed. The gap between where you are and where you want to be is nothing more than a decision to do the work. As Tom Landry said, “Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”

Use the knowledge you acquire and implement it in your business. If you have the wrong mindset, take action and create some momentum. If you have trouble taking action, focus on what drives you and use that as fuel.

For more from Phil Treadwell on mindset, watch this 60-minute Mindset Matters webinar.

The opinions and insights expressed in this blog are solely those of its author, Phil Treadwell, and do not necessarily represent the views of either Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation or any of its parent, affiliates, or subsidiaries (collectively, “MGIC”). Neither MGIC nor any of its officers, directors, employees or agents makes any representations or warranties of any kind regarding the soundness, reliability, accuracy or completeness of any opinion, insight, recommendation, data, or other information contained in this blog, or its suitability for any intended purpose.