Strong-willed people think in 14 ways that others don’t.
The majority of us, regardless of our background, career, or social class, are plagued by the same anxieties and phobias. Uncertainty, rejection, and judgment are the things that we all struggle with at some point in our lives, and no one is exempt. In this manner, we’re pretty similar to one another in terms of personality. However, what distinguishes strong-minded individuals is the manner in which they navigate through their worries.
The following list covers the many ways in which individuals with strong personalities think. On the one hand, it provides a generalized portrayal of the personalities of such individuals. The other hand, it may be used to examine a certain option that you may be contemplating making in the future.
However, it is critical to provide a clear disclosure. Considering that you are reading this, it is safe to assume that you are, for the most part, a determined individual. You would not have been here if that had been the case!
Those of us who are overachievers may easily get carried away with checking every box and bombarding ourselves with criticism, forgetting that we are not capable of being great on all fronts. However, this is not a location where you must check off every box at the same time as possible. Although not severe guidelines, they are gentle reminders of important concepts. The list is not intended to serve as a representation of who you are not, but rather as an invitation for you to embody who you currently are in this moment. Let us continue with the assurance that this notion provides.
1. People with a strong sense of self First and foremost, go first.
Starting a simple conversation with someone we admire or introducing a new idea at work are all examples of situations when we would rather someone else take the initial move. Simple fear of rejection is the driving force behind our default behavior of waiting for a green signal from the other side.
Strong-willed individuals are comfortable with the prospect of rejection and like the uncertainty that comes with being the first to go. They are only paying a natural price for not requesting permission to act in their own best interests.
Understanding what imagined cages you’ve put yourself in is the first step toward learning to go first. Obtaining authorization in the areas of personal development is an example of what falls within this category. There is a possibility that you will not need a green light to come out since you will not be required to remain inside.
2. The Experiment with Strong-Minded People
For the most of our life, we prefer to be secure by following a road that others have previously successfully navigated. Education and professional development are wonderful examples. We prefer to avoid experiments because we are concerned about the irrevocable harm that the unclear outcomes of an experiment may cause. Quitting our jobs in order to pursue our own interests may seem enticing, but what if we run out of money and are unable to return to our previous positions? As a result, we never do it.
The ability to set up an experiment, whether it’s a year-long sabbatical or merely a new sales technique at work, is something that strong-minded individuals possess. They recognize that doing things differently for the next stated length of time may or may not result in the desired outcomes, but that doing so will almost certainly result in experiences that cannot be obtained any other way in the future. And, if an experiment does not go as planned, they are willing to take a few steps back to correct the situation.
Accepting that the linear upward-sloping life trajectory is a myth is a prerequisite for experimentation. Whatever we choose to call it, we are on a winding road. Instead of aimlessly stumbling over such twists, you may as well design them yourself via experiments, no matter how little they may seem at the time.
3. Individuals with a strong sense of self Failures should be cherished.
Through our upbringing and schooling, the majority of us have been deeply conditioned to believe that failure is a negative thing. Because we were punished for making errors in school, we want to keep them hidden at all costs in our adult life. We believe that a failure is a reflection on our moral character. So, following a setback, we do all we can to get back on our feet and move on to the next thing.
Strong-willed individuals are not immune to the emotional agony that comes with failure. Their discomfort at being in the same place with bad feelings that may result from digesting a failure, on the other hand, is quickly overtaken. The lessons it teaches are just too vital to ignore! In order to avoid painful retrospection they take their time and only then bounce back, stronger and wiser than they were before.
In the event that you put a failure in a faraway mental box from which you will never retrieve it, you are going forward misinformed and prone to repeating the same errors. Instead, engage in a courageous face-to-face confrontation with a failure you’ve worked so hard to forget. What abilities does it provide you with? Look below the unpleasant emotional mask to discover the one-of-a-kind insight hidden inside, and maybe for the first time, appreciate your failure for its wisdom.
4. People with strong minds are not motivated by immediate gratification.
In today’s fast-paced society, we have conditioned ourselves to do tasks quickly. As a result of having easy access to people and resources, we tend to want rapid satisfaction, whether it’s receiving a dress from Italy within 24 hours, receiving input from a team in a foreign time zone, or gathering more views on a newly published blog post.
Strong-minded individuals see that rushing for instant satisfaction is a route that leads to a great deal of stress and disappointment. Wanting things right now contributes to inferiority complexes since there is always someone who has it quicker, larger, and better than you do.
Deferred gratification, on the other hand, does not make it easier to make comparisons between things. It cultivates patience in individuals with strong personalities, whether they are marathoners who equally distribute their energy or sprinters who patiently wait for the right moment to start running at full speed. It works for everyone.
It is possible to determine the causes of your everyday anxiety drowsiness by seeing where you go for fast fulfillment. Starting by limiting the number of times you check social media and the number of times you speak with individuals through instant messenger may be a good place to start cultivating patience. Hearing the “ding” of gadgets in your immediate vicinity may be enjoyable, but it may also be an illusion that you are really getting things done.
5. People with a strong sense of self Instead of thinking in terms of limitations, consider possibilities.
As pragmatic individuals, we have a tendency to see flaws in almost everything we encounter. The self-protection system we’ve built is incredible for as long as it helps us to recognize concealed risks as we go ahead in our journey together. Finding difficulties, on the other hand, more often than not merely hinders us from taking any action at all.
People with a strong sense of purpose think in terms of possibilities rather than challenges. They recognize that there will be constraints when they begin on a new endeavor, but they do not make them the focal point of their attention as they start off. Opportunities, which exist both in spite of and as a result of limits, are what motivates people to go ahead in life.
Every time you leave your comfort zone in search of new chances, take note of whether you construct limits that are not there and if you use limitations as justifications for returning. You’re the one who’s driving with your breaks engaged! That’s right, only by letting go of the brakes will you be able to genuinely explore unknown territory, where anything and everything becomes conceivable.
6. People with a strong sense of self Dealing with Others in a Flexible Way is important.
It is common for us to adopt an uncompromising stance while dealing with other people in order to show our significance. We will battle until we are the last one standing in order to accomplish this. It manifests itself in our negotiating, our teamwork, and our interpersonal interactions. Our urge to constantly win makes us feel powerful, yet we fail to recognize how suffocating this ambition is for us.
When interacting with others, those with strong personalities prefer to be adaptable rather than rigid. They are well aware that being too inflexible would prevent them from taking advantage of many possibilities. Furthermore, since they are open to new possibilities, they do not conceive in terms of a zero-sum game, in which one must lose in order for the other to win. They make concessions in order to find solutions for everyone to improve in the long run.
Being flexible begins with letting go of the urge to always be right, to always know everything, and to always be in command of the situation. Consider how many times you’ve had the impulse to grab for one of these weapons. You are rigid more often than not not because you are concerned about the issue of the discussions, but rather because you want to demonstrate that you are important.
Recognize that you are important, regardless of the result of your interactions with others – and you will be on your way to seeing additional chances that being flexible may bring about.
7. People with strong personalities are steadfast in their beliefs.
Our choices are guided by the principles that we hold dear. However, we often find ourselves in circumstances when our ideals are jeopardized or even violated. It might be a partner who engages in marketing that is borderline misleading; a customer who disregards our business interests by altering terms on the fly; or a colleague who accuses us of being less prepared for a meeting than he was himself. We choose to tolerate because we are frightened of losing the respect and trust of these folks.
Strong-minded individuals are adaptable in their interactions with others, yet they are also steadfast in their beliefs. They are aware of the distinction between the two. When a relationship does not support their ideals, strong-minded individuals are prepared to walk away from it. They are well aware that surrendering one’s ideals is a type of dishonesty. No matter how appealing a business idea seems at first glance, if it is not built on solid principles, it will eventually fall under its own weight.
Whenever you find yourself in a relationship where your principles are being ignored, ask yourself if accepting it is worth it to continue. What makes you think that a small period of uncertainty produced by walking away is scarier and more dangerous than the animosity that you have within when you choose to stay?
8. People with a strong sense of self Say “No” to a plethora of opportunities.
Most of the time, we mix being open to opportunity with saying “Yes” to everything that comes our way. We are grasping hold of everything is in our path, only to find ourselves stretched when what we really want appears. The fear of missing out is quite intense!
People with a strong sense of priorities and concentration. In order to do this, it is necessary to say “No” to many things while also conquering the scarcity attitude. Strong-minded individuals do not operate from a position of fear that a better opportunity will never show itself; instead, they believe that a better opportunity will present itself when they are ready.
Think of life in terms of addition, and you’ll find it simple to strive towards accumulating as many experiences as you can along the way. That, on the other hand, simply serves to exacerbate the discomfort produced by the possibility of losing out on other potentially pleasurable experiences. In contrast, if you view of life as a product (multiplication) of the things you do, where everything has an impact on everything else, adding more may unexpectedly reduce the total outcome of the experiment. Something being removed, on the other side, may result in an improvement in the overall quality of one’s life. Saying “No” becomes lot easy when you adopt this frame of mind.
The Gentle Art of Saying No is a piece of advise from Leo Babauta that is unlike anything else out there.
9. People with strong personalities are enthusiastic about whatever they do.
Every time something positive occurs in our lives, we are used to reminding ourselves, “Don’t get too happy.” As though being enthralled made one more susceptible to a potential harm in the future. Because we are anxious that something awful may happen to ruin our happiness, we restrict the occurrence of heightened emotional states to just rare instances.
Individuals with a strong sense of purpose approach whatever they do with a sense of joy. It transforms into a source of energy that may be used to transform a regular routine into an experiment.
Excitement is understandable since, when saying “No” to a lot of things, only the most interesting ones are allowed to remain. And it is not about pretending to be happy for the sake of others. Excitement is a manifestation of their actual authentic selves for persons with a strong sense of self.
Try reminding yourself the reverse of the customary mantra, “Don’t get too enthusiastic!” the next time you find yourself becoming overexcited. This excitement will not only allow you to appreciate what you currently like more fully, but it may also enable you to convert an otherwise uninteresting day into a thrilling experience as a result of your efforts.
10. People with a strong sense of self Doing Things with a Sense of Purpose
In today’s society, we encourage people to be busy as a way of demonstrating their worth. In a bunch of overachievers, there is no other complaint that elicits greater compassion than “I’m so busy these days!” It’s no surprise that we have a strong desire to fill our calendars in order to feel as if we are not missing a beat. And we seldom pause to consider the reason for what we do.
Strong-willed individuals prioritize the goal of an activity above the urge to be active. They are aware that the constant movement between jobs may lead to a false impression of advancement. What seems to be progress is really a meaningless gyration carried out in an effort to mute uneasy thoughts and a sensation of being lost in the world around you.
People with a strong sense of self-worth do not utilize activity as a solution for self-doubt. Every action, or even inaction, they do is motivated by a specific goal that is founded in their core principles.
Whenever you have the impulse to be busy, stop and consider why you are feeling that way. It is a poor sign of your value to have a full calendar. While a day spent doing one activity that gives it purpose is undoubtedly worthwhile, a day spent doing nothing is not.
11. People with a strong sense of self There is no need to prove anything.
The need to show one’s worth is one of the most potent motivating impulses available. It has an impact on many facets of our life, from how we choose our professions to how we promote ourselves on social networking platforms. The difficulty with this is that it makes us more susceptible to manipulation. We will sprint to the location where the question “Do you have what it takes?” is posed, merely for the sake of demonstrating that we are competent, worthy, and significant.
Strong-willed individuals do not pursue a goal just for the purpose of proving themselves.
They are unconcerned about what other people think of them. And although it is natural to want to be perceived in a positive way, “proving them wrong” is a result rather than a goal for a person with a strong sense of conviction.
The next time your desire to be noticed causes you to jump through hoops simply to demonstrate your abilities to others, remember that other people’s perceptions of you are not representative of who you really are. Forget about the people you need to prove incorrect, and realize that you are already sufficient in your own right.
12. People with a strong sense of self Allowing Theirselves to Be Distinctive
Throughout our lives, we are strongly encouraged to conform to social norms. This is the method through which we create friends at school. This is how we advance our careers in corporations. Fitting in allows us to connect with one another. Our individuality, on the other hand, is what causes others to point their fingers at us. As a result, we learn to conceal them.
Strong-minded individuals are not afraid of being different. They do not conceal, defend, or invent plausible explanations to explain away their distinctive characteristics. They are just representations of them.
Strong-minded individuals, free of the need to prove themselves, do not see differences as a hindrance to their advancement; rather, they see them as a source of inspiration to forge their own path.
The act of allowing oneself to be different does not include shaving your head and protesting topless in the main square of your town (unless that is what you desire!) It takes a high degree of self-awareness to understand how your particular upbringing translates into your abilities, rather than the other way around. Leaning in to connect with people and using those abilities to your situation, you may realize that you do not actually need to fit in to find a place where you belong.
People with a strong sense of self Pay Attention and Interrogate
Everywhere we go, we prefer to project a confident, know-it-all demeanor on others. It gives us a lift in our ego and makes us feel better than others. We can’t wait to show off our intelligence while gently avoiding the issues that we aren’t familiar with or interested in. More than anything, we’d rather spend hours figuring things out than seem weak and incapable of contributing.
Strong-minded individuals are OK with the fact that they are not experts in everything. They listen in order to comprehend rather than to reply. In their minds, seeking to know everything is like waging a battle they will never be able to win. As a result, rather than feeling inferior, kids ask intelligent questions and obtain relevant knowledge. For them, a question is not a sign of weakness, but rather a weapon via which they may satisfy their curiosity.
Next time you feel the want to move a discussion to a subject where you can shine, just attempt to be silent and listen instead. Consider appreciating the chance to learn something new right then and there, rather than reminding yourself of what you lack.
14. People with strong personalities are honest with themselves.
Taking time to focus on our sentiments is a luxury that is becoming more difficult to find in today’s fast-paced world. Because we are so busy, it becomes necessary to conceal our feelings in order to maximize our effectiveness. We’d rather keep our emotions bottled up within and continue with “business as usual” than let anything we’re not ready to deal with to come out into the open.
People with strong convictions do not try to suppress their emotions in order to look more tough than they really are. On the contrary, for them, vulnerability may be a huge source of strength.
Strong-minded individuals pay attention to what others have to say, as well as what they have to say to themselves.
In order to cultivate self-acceptance, they devote considerable effort to examining their feelings. Their intellect is heavily influenced by their knowledge of themselves.
Whenever you have the want to conceal an emotion because it is an unnecessary distraction, look into the root of the feeling. Only when you are completely aware of your deficiencies can you place your bets on your strengths. Knowing how to be courageous can only come about after you have come to terms with your worries.
Concluding Remarks
Other than a few simple daily habits that you may include anytime you like, there are other tools available to assist you in developing a strong-minded approach to decision-making.
You’re looking for some ideas for experimenting with your lifestyle design? Take a deep dive into the work of Tim Ferris!
