E38: A Simple Mindset Secret + Less Routine, More Life

Sep 12, 2019 44m 4s 13 insights
Stephen Bartlett discusses adopting an internal locus of control for success and well-being. He advocates a "video game" mindset to overcome loss aversion and encourages breaking rigid routines for a more fulfilling life, alongside cultivating benign envy and curating social media for growth.
Actionable Insights

1. Adopt Internal Locus of Control

Believe that outcomes in your life are primarily controlled by your own actions, not external factors, as this mindset is linked to increased well-being, lower stress, greater success, and better problem-solving abilities.

2. Embrace a ‘Video Game’ Mindset

Approach life’s risks and challenges with fearlessness, detaching from irrational thoughts that professional decisions or failures will be fatal, which helps manage stress and enables bolder action.

3. Rationalize Your Fears of Failure

Bring subconscious fears of failure to conscious awareness by asking specific questions about potential negative outcomes, which helps reduce their perceived downside and makes you more risk-tolerant.

4. Clearly Define Your Life Goals

Reaffirm what you truly want from your life and why it deeply matters to you, as this clarity increases the perceived value of the reward and your willingness to take necessary risks.

5. Cultivate Benign Envy, Not Hostile

Shift your perspective from feeling inferior or wishing others ill to admiring and learning from successful people, recognizing that their achievements can inspire and guide your own growth.

6. Curate Your Social Media Feed

Make the crucial decision to unfollow fake, materialistic, negative, or superficial accounts and instead follow smarter, more intellectual people to transform social media into a free, real-time learning platform.

7. Break Rigid Routines for Life’s Joy

Intentionally introduce spontaneity, unplanned adventures, and new experiences into your daily life to foster exploration, creativity, and excitement, preventing life from becoming monotonous.

8. Prioritize Time for Family and Friends

Actively allocate quality time to your loved ones, recognizing that immediate demands can overshadow these crucial relationships, which are essential for long-term happiness and fulfillment.

9. Challenge Irrational Negative Thoughts

Identify and question automatic negative thoughts, such as mind reading or all-or-nothing thinking, that drive toxic envy or self-doubt, as these are often irrational and can hold you back.

10. Perform Internal Analysis for Growth

After experiencing setbacks or challenges, conduct an internal review of your own actions and decisions rather than solely blaming external factors, which is crucial for learning and avoiding repeated mistakes.

11. Seek Life Balance, Not Just Urgency

Actively work towards a more balanced life that integrates personal relationships and well-being alongside professional pursuits, rather than solely focusing on immediate, urgent tasks.

12. Diversify Your Information Consumption

Break habits of consuming the same media by watching different documentaries, reading new books, or attending unfamiliar classes to spark creativity and gain fresh perspectives.

13. Change Social Communication Habits

Experiment with new ways of connecting, such as sending voice notes instead of text messages, to deepen social connections and enhance the feeling of closeness with friends and family.