Success Yourself by Jenni Ellsworth

Breaking Barriers

Like many of you, I have been embracing the longer days that Spring has brought forth. From getting outside for more walks and exercise, to starting plans for spring cleaning and new garden beds, a feeling of excitement and renewed strength is in the air!

  • Photo by Aniket Bhattacharya

All of this planning and ideation is fun, and the results are certainly within reach. If you’re anything like me however, once the real work begins it’s easy to quickly begin feeling overwhelmed. Perusing through Pinterest boards and magazine covers at your favored emblems of perfection, you start to question how you’re ever going to get there (or if you are even worthy of such a feat!).

I’m sure you already know I’m going to tell you it’s possible. I’m going to tout those infamous phrases that “you can do it”, or “you have the strength to move mountains!” This is all true. What you really need though is real advice to break it down to actionable steps. I’m going to help with that too.

Great ideas start with a strong mind.

When we think about strength, we tend to put all our focus on our bodies. However, our minds are another muscle that need to be strengthened and flexed on a regular basis. One great way to do this is through the practice of creative thinking and expression.

Many times when you are working on a task and end up stopped in your tracks, it’s not a lack of motivation that’s the problem. You just need to get those creative juices flowing again! No matter what you’ve been told or how you measure yourself up, most of what sets us apart from creative genius is our subconscious filters and fears we’ve built up throughout our lifetime. With the right tools, you can unlock your own amazing capabilities.

You wouldn’t believe what is inside just waiting to come out!

  • Photo by Ameen Fahmy

I had the pleasure of attending a workshop with innovation expert Josh Linker. I learned the incredible impact of making small adjustments to your environment and creative thinking process. Being immersed with positive thought (not allowed to reject initial ideas) and challenging your habitual way of thinking (what if you were someone else and had all the money in the world?!), were just some of the methods he teaches to get you thinking outside the box.

These activities turn off your “this will never work” signal, and allow you to be free to explore true innovative ideas. Eight terrible ideas and one amazing one later, we had real solutions that were established in a matter of minutes!

The best outcomes are a product of hard work and inevitable failures.

A concept I’ve really honed in on lately is the acceptance of failures. Those perfect landscapes, clutter-free spaces, and summer bods we are envying are not the effortless work of extraordinary super-human beings. Just like you and me, it took a lot of trial and error to get to these final products, and we learn valuable lessons by allowing failure. Let’s be reminded too, the only part you see seems perfect; the imperfections are just behind the camera.

Josh just came out with a new book, Big Little Breakthroughs, where he really breaks down these barriers and connects us to real icons that started out as your average Joe (or disadvantaged at that). I cant express how much I recommend that you give it a read. He shares straightforward techniques and inspiring ideas to unleash new thought patterns and acts in all of us… I am already excited to get started on my next project!

Here’s a few takeaways from the book, some of which we’ve already touched on:

  • Remember that all big breakthroughs came from numerous failures first. You have to test and try out ideas often, and not be afraid to make mistakes along the way… it’s all part of the process. Create a “test kitchen” to see which ones are worthy of slingshotting to the next step.
  • Most of our lack of creative thinking comes from a “filter” we’ve put up for self-regulation, fear, and impulse control. Studies have shown that when this barrier is removed, imagination flourishes! Just like Jazz musicians are able to improvise a melody, we too can train ourselves to turn this filter off.
  • Our brains are wired to follow routines (they keep things predictable and safe), but once accustomed to something, our happiness wanes; this explains why we get so excited about a new purchase, and then tend to lose enthusiasm shortly after. Instead of going after something new, reengage those feelings of happiness and boost your creativity by finding daily ways to break your routines. Drive a new way to work, try wearing your watch on the other wrist, or switch up your morning routine or reading material.

I hope you get a chance to try out some of these methods on your own as you work toward your endeavors. You can take this quiz too if you want to get an idea of where your creativity stands today. No matter where you are currently though, the best time to start is now.

Break through your own mental barriers and unleash your creative self!

Jenni Ellsworth
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