Mindset Shifts for Long-Term Success

You know what most people hate? Being bad at something. You try something new, thinking you’ll crush it, only to realize it’s way harder than you expected. Your first instinct? Convince yourself it’s not for you. But why? If it’s your first go, why expect to be a pro right out the gate?

I used to fall into this trap all the time, especially when I started running. I’d see experienced runners flying by and feel like I didn’t belong. That’s when I realized: comparing myself to those who are light-years ahead of me was killing my progress. You’ve probably heard that bumper sticker wisdom — comparison is the thief of joy. It’s true, whether you’re eyeing someone’s career who graduated the same year as you or watching a gym bro lift double your weight. Focus on your journey, not theirs.

Letting go of comparison allows you to focus on your wins and relevant efforts without feeling shame or disappointment for not performing at the level of someone farther along than you. It provides no benefit to compare yourself to anyone else unless it’s to inspire your future self. If you run a 5K and finish slower than your friend, don’t punish yourself mentally. You freaking ran a 5K. The majority of people can’t say they can do that.

Picture your own progress instead. Visualizing goals — like crossing the finish line of a race or hitting a new PR — can be a powerful tool to stay focused. It creates a mental blueprint and edge, boosting motivation and helping you align consistent daily actions with your big dreams. But obsessing over the end result can backfire, leading to anxiety, self-doubt, or paralysis when the goal feels too far away.

Visualizing success without obsessing is necessary for long-term success. When I first started swim training for my half Ironman, I completely stressed myself out. I mean, complete stress fest. I couldn’t freestyle swim correctly, gasped for air after 50 meters, and kept telling myself in 6 months’ time I’d have to swim 1.2 miles in open water with flailing hands and feet kicking me.

My easy choice was to quit. And I’d be lying if I said the idea didn’t cross my mind. I could make up an excuse, exaggerate an injury, blame my self-doubt on a family-related situation, but that made me feel like an imposter. Could I look myself in the mirror and be proud of who was looking back? Absolutely not. This struggle and fear I was feeling was the exact challenge that I signed up for.

My problem was I was fixated on a race that was 6 months out. It’s helpful to keep my race date in mind to train with intent, but my obsession turned into self-doubt and anxiety that prevented effective workouts. I flipped it: focus on what I can control. Focus on tiny wins. Don’t stress about 1.2 miles, instead focus on being able to swim 100 meters. After all, we all had to crawl before we could walk.

This is why it’s so important to see setbacks as chances to learn. Struggling to swim 100 meters wasn’t a failure — it was feedback. You must reframe failure as feedback.Something was off, but those tweaks got me ready for 1.2 miles. Every stumble shows you what to adjust.

Taking a step back helped me see what was wrong with my swimming. My breathing was mistimed, my kicks were weak, my hips sank too low, my arms stayed too close to the water. Sounds overwhelming, doesn’t it? You can’t fix it all at once. Start with one thing, like breathing right, then tackle the next. That’s how I got better.

I’ve played piano since first grade, and every time I learned a new song, I couldn’t play it at full speed right away. It was pointless to try. My fingers didn’t know the notes yet, let alone the tempo. Instead, I broke it down measure by measure. I wouldn’t move on until I mastered one, then I’d combine them, step by step. The same principle applies here.

Next time you try something new and expect to be great, don’t beat yourself up if you’re not a pro on day one. If you’re tempted to quit, don’t. Ask yourself: Have I asked for help? Did I slow down my training? Am I visualizing success or obsessing over mistakes? Am I thinking I’m failing or learning what not to do? Am I making tiny improvements or comparing myself to those lightyears ahead? If you haven’t tackled those questions, I’m not letting you quit. New things are hard. That’s the fun in the journey. Pick one small step this week and keep pushing.

Have a great week!