Hack Your Brain: How to Develop a Winning Mindset in 30 Days
Ugh, the feeling of knowing how you could be at your full potential, but feeling disconnected from that version of yourself—it’s painful. As humans, once our basic needs are met, we yearn for self-actualization—a sense of purpose and meaning in life. What if I told you it’s not that you’re too lazy or unlucky? Your brain is simply wired to look for the negative. At one point, this was a crucial evolutionary survival mechanism: those who could quickly identify danger were more likely to survive and pass down their genes. But today? It can hold us back, keeping us in a constant state of fight or flight.
The good news? Our brains are highly programmable, and it’s entirely possible to retrain them to work more effectively in the modern world.
Week 1: Becoming More Aware of Negative Thought Patterns
Start this week by identifying your limiting beliefs. For example, “I’m too old to start a new business.” Look for examples that prove this wrong: Julia Child published her first cookbook in her 50s, Colonel Sanders had his recipe rejected over 1,000 times before KFC took off in his 80s, and our current president, Donald Trump, is 78. So, it’s not age holding you back—what really is?
As those beliefs start to break down, you’ll open the path for new beliefs to emerge. Next, begin to focus on your thoughts. You’ve probably heard that your thoughts create your reality, and this is absolutely true. That’s why it’s vital to silence the “smack-talking monster” in your head. Every time a negative thought pops up, write it down. This will help you become more aware of how often you’re engaging in negative self-talk. When you review those thoughts later, start reframing them into more positive ones. Here are a few examples:
- Negative Thought: “I can’t do this, it’s too hard.” Reframe: “This is challenging, but I have the skills to figure it out. I’ll take it one step at a time.”
- Negative Thought: “I always fail at this.” Reframe: “I’ve learned from my mistakes, and each time I try, I get closer to success.”
- Negative Thought: “I’m not good enough.” Reframe: “I am constantly improving and learning. I bring unique strengths to the table.”
Finally, identify your triggers. For me, when I waste time on social media all day, I tend to get really hard on myself. So, I’ve focused on changing the way I interact with social media. Instead of passively scrolling, I create content and engage with my community, which has been far more fulfilling.
Week 2: Build the Foundation
Each day, start with gratitude. When you begin your day by thinking about what’s right in your life, you’ll start noticing more things to be grateful for as the day goes on. This shifts you from looking through a negative lens to a more positive one.
Also, I encourage you to go somewhere alone. Take yourself to a meetup or a class that interests you. For years, I wanted to learn to dance but never had anyone to go with. Finally, I went alone—and it opened up a whole new world for me. I’ve been meeting new people with similar mindsets and interests. Plus, when you do something that scares you, you prove to yourself that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to.
And last, become your own best friend. Rachel Hollishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Hollis, though controversial now, really nailed it when she said, “Be a friend to yourself. Stop waiting for someone to give you permission to be who you are, to want what you want, to be great.” We often go above and beyond for our friends, but when it comes to ourselves, we break promises, blow off our plans, and don’t give ourselves the same commitment we give to others. This has been a huge issue for me my whole life, and learning to show up for myself has been a game changer.
Week 3: Strengthen Your Mental Resilience
This week, your mindset will really start shifting. Begin by embracing your failures. What went wrong this week? What can you learn from it? We learn more from our failures than our successes, so start to appreciate (or at least accept) failure.
Perfectionism often prevents us from moving forward. So this week, I want you to do something imperfect. Make a YouTube video, write a blog post, or submit something without overthinking it. Just get started. Perfectionism is the killer of creativity, and if you wait for things to be perfect, you’ll never begin. Learn to improve as you go.
Lastly, push yourself into discomfort. Take a cold plunge, run a marathon, or simply get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.
Week 4: Solidify Long-Term Change
Using systems in your daily life is one of the best ways to create lasting change. Rather than relying on willpower, which can fluctuate, a system provides a consistent framework for success. Start by breaking down your larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks that fit seamlessly into your routine.
For example, if your goal is to get healthier, set up a system where you plan your meals each week, schedule your workouts, and track your progress. One example might be meal prepping on Sundays so that you have healthy options available throughout the week. For fitness, create a system where you work out at the same time each day, making it as automatic as brushing your teeth.
You can also set up a system to track your personal development. Consider journaling every night about your progress, what went well, and where you can improve. Consistency is key—systems build habits that, over time, become second nature. Focus on the process, not just the end result. Small daily actions will lead to significant shifts, and over time, your systems will compound to create lasting transformation.
If you are new here, I have been using Chatgpt in order to change my mindset and my life. You can find me on tiktok here to see daily updates (17)grievegrowglow (@grievegrowglow) | TikTok or read my blog here