If You're Struggling, Challenge Your Perspective

All of the success in my life seems to have one thing in common—a shift in perspective. When I switched from "getting motivated" to Mini Habits, I stopped thinking about my actions as giant leaps. My challenges shrunk, going from impossible to easy, allowing me to make a lot of compounding progress.

I wasn't any more capable, I just changed the way I viewed my goals. And the difference changed my life.

As my recent article/video explained, I quit drinking and gambling without willpower. I wasn't any stronger than I was previously when I thought about quitting and never did. I simply changed my perspective of what alcohol and gambling were. In my mind, they went from fun and rebellious to costly and unattractive.

Struggling Is a Sign of (Perspective) Dysfunction

If you're struggling in an area, it generally means there's dysfunction. For example, health struggles are a dysfunction of the body. Financial struggles are often a dysfunction of your career and/or spending habits. Behavior change struggles are a dysfunction in your approach.

Most struggles are a result of your current perspective. You can change it.

How many times do we struggle and see it as normal? How often do we accept struggling as "the way it is?" Too often! You can usually correct these situations and thrive!

When your struggle is from a dysfunctional perspective, it's fixable. Examples:

"I can't get myself to exercise. I'll always be overweight."

Perspective dysfunctions:

1. Assuming exercise is never fun, and something you'd choose for that reason
2. Seeing exercise as a necessary evil for health
3. Assuming that exercise won't get (much) easier over time
4. Assuming your actions won't affect your results
5. Assuming significant action is required to start

This is a common defeatist attitude for someone struggling with fitness. It's riddled with inaccurate assumptions, creating an imaginary wall between you and your desired outcome. It's this imagined wall, and not reality, that prevents this person from breaking through.

"I can't get on top of my finances."

Perspective dysfunctions:

1. Failure to recognize that many people just like you have recovered from great debt and bankruptcy to become financially stable.
2. Likely narrow-minded about your career options. The variety of things you can do today is staggering. Learn new skills!
3. Assuming that your current lifestyle and spending is necessary. For example, I always thought I needed the "action" of gambling. But I have more fun now without wasting that money. I've also started making more meals at home, which is cheaper and healthier than eating out. I saw gambling and eating out as lifestyle needs. I was wrong.

Here's the process to follow:

1. You're struggling with something.
2. Identify all of your beliefs and assumptions about that struggle. Write them down. This list represents your current perspective.
3. One by one, challenge each assumption and belief. Dig deep and ask yourself if you truly believe it. Even if you do, ask yourself if you'd be willing to experiment, proving your assumption right or wrong.

The thing about human struggles is that none of them are new. If you're going through it, someone else has already been through it. Not only that, someone has conquered it. And the difference between success and failure is most often perspective. The person who believes in themselves or a proven process will see it through. The person who doubts every solution and never tries anything new gives themselves no chance to succeed.

Whatever you're struggling with, give yourself a chance. I promise you, you'll surprise yourself!

Cheers,

Stephen Guise

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Resources

• Subscriber Treasures: Read the first chapter of Mini Habits, download the set of 40 free focus wallpapers, read my full anti-stress eBook, or check out some great focusing tools. They're all here and they're free for you!
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My Books

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• The Magic of Momentum: My newest and highest rated book! (SALE: Currently just $2.99 on Kindle and $11.99 in Paperback)
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• Mini Habits: My international best-selling book details the strategy that has changed hundreds of thousands of lives (including mine)!
• How to Be an Imperfectionist: Discover 20+ creative mini habit solutions to overcome perfectionism and get things done!
• Mini Habits for Weight Loss: Finally, an alternative to dieting that works. Mini Habits for Weight Loss will show you how to make dietary changes in a sustainable, permanent way that doesn’t trigger biological or neurological resistance.