Lili Balfour: How to Think Like a Winner When You Feel Like a Loser

This post originally appeared on www.atelieradvisors.com/think

A winner is a loser who was relentless in his or her pursuit of success.

Life is hard. Eighty percent of companies started today will fail. As entrepreneurs, we must constantly arm ourselves with the tools needed to maintain our sanity and thrive. We must constantly remind ourselves that the darkest hour is just before the dawn. We must think like a winner when we feel like a loser.

When We Think Like a Winner We See The Opportunity, Not the Obstacle.

A winner prepares his or her mind and body for success:

Meditate -- Thoughts create actions, actions create reality. Begin each morning focused on gratitude for what you currently have and visualize the world as you would like to see it. Winners are grateful, not resentful. Winners pour their energy into the good in their life and visualize all the possibilities the world could potentially offer.

Tip: Meditate for (at least) five minutes every morning or whenever you need a mental reset.

Connect -- We become the people we spend the most time with, so select your circle carefully. Surround yourself with inspiring people. Kindly eliminate negative people from your life.

Tip: Build a circle of people who inspire you to be your best and provide a platform for you to honestly express your fears and concerns about life.

Exercise -- Exercise helps to clear the mind and stimulate creativity. If you are stuck on a difficult problem, take a walk. New ideas will flow through your mind, your energy level will increase and you will be more productive when you get back to work.

Tip: Find time to exercise, whether it is walking or biking to work or visiting the gym during lunch or playing sports in the evening.

Laugh -- Laughter is proven to decrease stress and increase your immune system. Try this right now: smile. A smile turns into a laugh. A laugh distresses your mind and energizes your body. In fact, a doctor in India, Dr. Madan Kataria, created laughter yoga to combine two powerful tools -- laughter and stretching -- and people around the world have incorporated his approach.

Tip: The next time you are feeling tied down to your computer, take a second to read Buzzfeed and stretch.

Eat -- Food can give us energy or take it away. The opposite of a food coma is a well-fed, active mind. Develop an eating plan based on foods that stimulate your body and mind. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grain, and water are a good start. Reduce or eliminate; sugar, alcohol, fried and processed food.

Tip: Utilize free tools, such as MyFitnessPal, to analyze your food intake.

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Stress, depression, and anxiety are normal parts of life. When handled correctly, they are harmless. If left untreated, they can lead to self-destructive behavior including substance abuse and suicide.

According to a study completed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration in 2004, approximately 10 percent of Americans were dependent on alcohol and/or drugs. Nearly a decade later this problem persists as people turn to prescription drugs and alcohol to solve their problems, leading to an increase in drug overdoses and alcohol related deaths.

The Ugly Truth

The World Health Organization conducted a study in 2009, concluding that the current average world suicide rate was 10.07 per 100,000 people, while the U.S. rate surpassed this rate with 11.10 per 100,000 people. To put this in perspective; Peru held the lowest rate at .85 and Belarus claimed the highest rate at 36.8. An elementary understanding of each culture makes the contrast crystal clear. Existing in a system with excessive stress and limited resources leads many to deep despair.

Image courtesy of Chartbin

If you're feeling stuck, please know that you are not alone. It is natural to feel overwhelmed while you are building a company. You are not the first person to feel this way.

• There are 20 failed suicide attempts for each successful attempt.
• Every 40 seconds somebody dies by suicide.
• Worldwide suicide rates increased by 60 percent in last 45 years.

There are several organizations that can guide you through a rough patch. I've listed the most well known below. Feel free to add any I have missed in the comments.

http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
http://twloha.com/

https://www.save.org

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Follow Lili Balfour on Twitter: www.twitter.com/atelieradvisors

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lili-balfour/how-to-think-like-a-winne_b_2920018.html

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