I once heard someone say “it is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than have an opportunity and not be prepared for it.” To the winner, the world is full of endless possibilities and opportunities and to the loser, the world is full of obstacles and set-backs. Don’t be a loser, set yourself up for the win from the moment you wake up. 

Your mind is designed to control and inhibit you, therefore it will try and immobilize you when all your basic needs are being met. 

Thousands of years ago when we lived in caves, if you had enough food and water your mind would try and immobilize you so you would not get eaten by a predator. The fear and anxiety you may feel in the morning during a job search or the fear you feel before you call a CEO and ask for a meeting are also imagined and deep rooted in your DNA. Use this acronym when dealing with your fear; (F) False, (E) Evidence, (A) Appearing, (R) Real.

Fear by its very nature is imagined. It only exists in so much as you imagine an unfavorable future outcome in your life. It does not exist but only in your mind. It is an artificial construct designed by the mind to control you and limit your risk exposure by stopping you from participating in things which may cause you harm. The fact is that we do not live in the wilderness anymore and so this mental function is often ill-applied of your mind in a way that limits your success in life. Any change you make in your life will be met with a fear response. So be mentally prepared for that and overcome it.

A job change is one of the biggest changes you can face and is listed as one of the top five stresses you can get through in life by the American Psychiatric Association. If you are feeling anxiety and fear and perhaps some depression during your job search, this is a very normal symptom of the human mind going through intense change. So, make a clear definitive step to tackle your mental state first thing in the morning. 

When you wake up the first person you need to sell on your value is yourself. Create a vision for yourself and visualize yourself in your new job, with your new salary and your new boss. Winners see opportunity everywhere they go, so wake up excited about the opportunities you will uncover and dress for your dream job. Make a decision now that the rest of your life will be the best of your life. 

 “He who believes he can, and he who believes he can’t are both usually right” Confucius

Remember the first person who must believe you is you. If you want to earn over a million dollars a year than you have to believe you are worth over a million dollars a year before anyone else does. See yourself earning the salary you envision; then make sure everything you do is in line with that vision. Speak and write in the business formal language and use the language that is familiar to your industry. Make sure all your written communication and appearance are of the highest professional standard and congruent with a top performer. Make a pledge to yourself to reach your true potential in life and echo that in everything you do. Whether you realize it or not people are interviewing you every day. Your neighbor, your colleague, your family, and friends. Will they recommend you? Are you giving them the impression that you are a high performing employee who gets results? If you follow the steps discussed below, you would be their recommendation of choice, ending up only one step away from your personal or professional success.