Mindset Strategies That Actually Work (And How To Make Them Stick)
You can have the best goals, the perfect plan and all the resources you need. But without the right mindset, it’s like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on.
The problem is, “mindset strategies” often get packaged into vague clichés like “just think positive” or “believe in yourself”. And while those sound nice, they don’t help much when you’re in the thick of it dealing with stress, self-doubt or the feeling that you’re going around in circles.
So today, I want to share real mindset strategies. Specifically, the kind I’ve seen work with clients, colleagues and even in my own life. Strategies that feel human and not robotic. Strategies that you can actually use.
Why Mindset Matters More Than Motivation
Motivation is like a sugar rush. It feels great in the moment, but it fades.
Mindset, on the other hand, is the steady heartbeat that keeps you going even when the initial excitement wears off.
I’ve worked with people who came to me saying, “I just need to feel motivated again.” But what they really needed wasn’t motivation. It was a shift in how they thought about themselves, their challenges and their capacity to change.
Here’s an example.
One of my clients, was convinced she was “bad at making decisions.” She would delay choices for weeks, overthink them and end up feeling paralysed. Instead of focusing on giving her a burst of motivation, we worked on the mindset strategy of identity reframe.
She stopped labelling herself as indecisive, and started saying: “I’m learning to make decisions with the information I have now.”
It sounds small, but it completely changed her approach. Decisions stopped feeling like high-stakes tests and started feeling like opportunities to move forward.
That’s the thing about the right mindset strategies. They don’t just pump you up, they rewire the way you approach life.
Strategy 1: The “Zoom Out” Perspective
When you’re stuck in a problem, it’s like having your nose pressed against a painting. You can’t see the whole picture. You can only see the messy "blur" in front of you.
Zooming out is a mindset strategy that forces you to step back and see the bigger picture.
Ask yourself:
Will this matter in a month? In a year?
What would I tell a friend if they were in my shoes?
How will I look back on this when I’m 80?
A young man I once coached was on the verge of quitting a job because of a difficult colleague. His stress levels were through the roof. When we “zoomed out” together, he realised the job was actually giving him valuable skills for his long-term career, and this conflict was just one chapter in a much bigger book.
The situation didn’t magically become easy, but it stopped feeling like the end of the world.
Strategy 2: The “One Brick A Day” Rule
When you want to build a new habit or reach a goal, it’s tempting to picture the end result. That shiny “after” moment. But the truth is, big goals are built one small action at a time.
The One Brick A Day mindset strategy is about shifting your focus from the finished house to laying just one brick. That’s it.
One of my own habits - writing - used to feel impossible when I thought about producing an entire book. But when I committed to just 200 words a day, it suddenly felt doable. Those small bricks add up faster than you think.
What's more, is on most occasions, I ended up "getting into the flow of it" and writing many, many more words. (And whilst we are on this note, if you are interested in the book I went on to publish, it's available on Amazon and is called Isolated Chaos).
If you’re working on building confidence, improving resilience or learning a skill, stop asking yourself how far you have to go. Instead, ask: “What’s my one brick today?”
Strategy 3: Rehearse The Win
Here’s something I was once told that athletes know, that most other people don't: your brain doesn’t know the difference between imagining success and actually experiencing it.
That’s why visualisation is such a powerful mindset strategy.
If you’ve got a presentation coming up, don’t just prepare your slides - rehearse the win. Picture yourself speaking confidently, handling questions with ease, feeling proud afterwards.
I used this with a client, who dreaded networking events. Instead of just telling him to “be confident,” we walked through the entire evening in his mind beforehand. From arriving, to introducing himself, to leaving with valuable contacts. When the real event came, it felt strangely familiar… because in his mind, he’d already been there.
Strategy 4: The “Data, Not Drama” Approach
When something goes wrong, it’s easy to take it personally.
You miss a deadline - "I'm useless.”
You make a mistake - "I can’t do anything right.”
The Data, Not Drama strategy is about separating facts from feelings. Instead of spiralling out of control, you ask: “What does the data say?”
For example, if you didn’t meet a target, the drama version says, “I’m terrible at this.” The data version says, “I need to adjust my process or timelines.”
This shift takes you out of self-blame mode and puts you into problem-solving mode. It’s a skill that can transform not just your work but also your relationships, your health and your confidence.
Strategy 5: Anchor Into Who You Want To Be
Every day, you make choices, and those choices shape your identity.
A powerful mindset strategy is to anchor your actions to the kind of person you want to become.
If you want to be someone who’s resilient, ask: “What would a resilient person do right now?”
If you want to be someone confident, ask: “What choice would confident me make today?”
This removes the guesswork and stops you making decisions based purely on mood or fear.
Mindset Strategies Aren’t About Perfection
Here’s the truth: you will still have bad days. You’ll still have doubts. You’ll still make mistakes.
Mindset strategies aren’t about becoming perfect. They’re about becoming better at responding when things aren’t perfect.
I’ve seen clients go from being frozen by self-doubt to leading teams with clarity. I’ve seen people who thought they “weren’t good enough” become confident in their own skin. The common thread? They didn’t wait for the fear to disappear. They took action with the mindset strategies they had.
How To Make Mindset Strategies Stick
Pick one at a time. Trying to implement five new strategies at once is overwhelming.
Write it down. Keep your chosen mindset reminder visible. Perhaps set it as your phone background, pop it on a sticky note or put it on the calendar.
Practice in low-stakes situations. Build skill in everyday moments before you need it in big ones.
Review regularly. What’s working? What needs adjusting?
Your Next Step
Mindset strategies only work if you put them into practice.
If you’re ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start building real confidence, my Elevate Your Self-Esteem session is a focused 90 minutes that gives you practical tools you can use straight away. For those interested in self-development across multiple areas of their lives, the Your Starting Point session will certainly get you moving in the right direction.
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. You just need to start laying one brick at a time. Start today.