Mindfulness isn't just important to a successful career, it's important to living a happy and fulfilling life. In 2018 I committed myself to becoming more mindful in all aspects of my life. Like many of my peers, I was caught in the hectic entrepreneur lifestyle and was more focused on earning money than being the person, father and businessman I really wanted to be.
They don't put your closing bank account balance on your grave, after all. For some reason, fortunately, this hit my like a ton of bricks one day.
Does this sound like you at all? Do you struggle with mindfulness and focus? Can you dedicate 3 minutes each morning to becoming more mindful throughout each day?
Keep reading...
To help myself develop a habit of mindfulness, I created and fine tuned a list of 19 mindfulness prompts that I read first thing in the morning. I've always been good at physical habits like going to the gym, feeding my dogs at the same time each day, washing my face each morning, etc. so I knew that adding a physical aspect to the abstract concept of mindfulness would help me remain consistent.
Corny? Maybe.
Effective? Definitely.
Reading this one page every morning greatly improved my productivity, performance and overall sense of personal satisfaction in my work and life
I know that if you give this method a try, you will likely see the same results as I did.
- More focus
- More grit
- More motivation
- More fulfillment
The 19 prompts below are affirmations of the person that I want to be, how I want to treat people and how I want to handle situations in my life. These are particularly applicable to entrepreneurs.
Reading these daily will make you much more mindful of the choices you make and how they will impact your life.
I believe that a great majority of our daily missteps and lapses of productivity come as a result of forgetting our goals and losing sight of the person we want to be.
How to Use These Prompts
STEP 1. Print out the 19 prompts
STEP 2. Remove, add or modify any steps to fit your life and goals.
STEP 3. Read them morning within the first 30 minutes of waking.
The print out of the prompts is in a word document. That was intentional. I want you to feel free to edit these as you feel fit. Customize them to your liking. The key is to get into the habit of reading YOUR mindfulness prompts each day. They may be different than mine.
You're of course welcome to just use mine if they resonate with you. Most of mine are universal "ideals" that most ambitious people would like to be reminded of each day.
19 Mindfulness Prompts for Entrepreneurs
1. Life is short. I will not wait until tomorrow to improve my life, grow my business and love those around me. I will approach each day with focused intensity.
2. Not all tasks are created equal. I will ensure that everything I do today is the best use of my time and is getting me closer to my goals.
3. My body is a catalyst to my success and performance. I will fuel my body properly and I will ensure I remain in peak physical condition through diet and exercise. If I achieve my financial goals, it means nothing if I can’t enjoy it in good health (physically and/or mentally).
4. I will do everything in my power to mindfully resist distractions. If I give in to distractions, I will refocus as soon as I become aware.
5. I will ensure that my business revolves around creating massive value daily. There is a direct correlation between how much success I achieve and how much value I provide.
6. I will not succumb to negativity. I will remain positive and strive to see the good in all people and situations. I will adopt an attitude of gratefulness.
7. I will not compare myself to others. My personal achievement will be measured only by my growth and improvement over time. I will be happy when those around me achieve success and will not judge myself against them.
8. I will not let my personal relationships suffer because of my business. I will find symbiotic ways to improve my relationships and businesses simultaneously without ignoring either.
9. I will remember that problems are inevitable but things are never as serious as they seem in the moment.
10. I will think before I speak and remember that people perceive things differently.
11. I will be quick to praise and slow to criticize. This applies not only when I’m speaking directly to someone but also when I’m speaking about someone to others.
12. I will focus on the needs and desires of others rather than bore them with my own. I want people to know I care about them and that I make them feel good when they are around me.
13. I will work to build a business that grows exponentially over time. I will continuously work on improving my processes and workflows to maximize output and personal satisfaction.
14. I will ask for feedback and accept it without defensiveness. No one is perfect and feedback is essential to growth.
15. I will be honest and ethical in all business dealings. My business success and personal fulfillment require me to hold myself to the highest ethical standards.
16. I will not avoid difficult tasks. If I don’t want to do something, it is often a sign that I need to do that thing most.
17. I will regularly reflect on my daily decisions and progress and make changes to what isn’t working and do more of what is working.
18. I understand that I will occasionally lose motivation and forget my goals but I will not allow myself to fall off track because of these inevitable setbacks. If I make a mistake, I will learn from it and not allow it to derail my growth.
19. I will remember that I can always push harder. I will not slow down at the first sign of boredom, stress, pain or fear.