“If you start with the mindset that you know nothing, you will learn a lot that nobody knew before.”
– David Moranis
What two weeks in the Midwest taught me about mindset
After two weeks in Iowa my bags are packed and I’m ready to leave. It was nice seeing my relatives, but that’s about the only good thing from my trip home.
Going back to Iowa was like re-watching a movie you’d enjoyed as a child but hadn’t seen in years. The flaws stuck out immediately.
And while I do have some complaints about the weather and things like that, my main concern was the average person’s mindset.
Positive thinking might sound corny, but it does wonders. About half the problems that I heard people whining about could have been fixed with a change in mindset.
Here are some of the biggest factors that contribute to mediocrity in the middle of the map.
Negative responses
A lot of people are (for lack of a better term) haters. Tell them you’re going to do something and they’ll try to shoot you down. It doesn’t have to be difficult either. Going to the gym, starting a business, and talking to random girls are all “impossible” and foolish endeavors.
“I’m moving to Peru.”
“You won’t make any friends and you’ll get food poisoning. Then someone will kidnap and murder you.”
Tell someone about a cool thing you learned online and you’ll be met with dismissive remarks.
I faced this one a lot as a teenage and it made me mad. Now it just makes me feel bad for the hater.
The people who try to undermine you have nothing in their own lives. They’re jealous and narrow-minded. Conforming to their worldview will make you just like them.
Victim mentality
If I run a business into the ground or make a poor choice, it’s my fault. I’ve made less than $500 for an entire month before and there was no one to blame but me.
Yet a lot of people can do no wrong. They forgot to set their alarm clock and accidentally missed class for the entire semester, didn’t know drunk driving was illegal everywhere, and keep getting tricked into buying stupid things.
Coincidentally, or not, their lives are in shambles.
Failing to take control forces you to become a slave to circumstance. You get blown around from one bad situation to another. Taking a stand is the best preventative for “bad luck.”
How to deal with a negative environment
Move. Seriously, just leave and head off to greener pastures. Asia, Los Angeles, New York City, and South America are all filled with go-getters who are starting new businesses, inventing new technologies, and pushing the limits. You aren’t going to get that same support in most other places.
When you enter an environment where people actually care about what you’re doing, and want you to succeed, your productivity explodes. When I went to Peru my writing got infinitely better. There were other people doing the same thing and I had resources. You could share ideas and grow, not defend dreams and stagnate.
Mindset matters. Go forth and grow rich with your vision.