“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Roy T. Bennett
I’ve become a strong believer that mindset and mentality are the driving force behind everything we do. I wasn’t always a ‘mindset’ person though. I was more of a planner, a dreamer, and a perfectionist in execution. I used to like to understand a vision and have a clear picture of a path to success before I tackle anything; friendships, career, or business.
What was the result of this mentality? Lots of unexecuted plans and unrealised visions. Also, I was distracted by too many flashy visions that were either unrealistic for me or didn’t fit my plans for my life because I wanted to please people or feed an already overfed ego.
Why?
I’m the first daughter. I had an unspoken pressure on me to perform well in life as a sign to my younger siblings that they too could do so much with their lives. As a result, I had to do everything cautiously and plan as perfectly as I could so that I don’t fail. Failure was a sign of poorly planned or executed efforts.
Oh! I’m so sorry to my former self. I was too hard on her. And too weak to see that I was going down a slippery slope.
All of that banging my head on the walls while I journeyed down that slippery slope led me to constant burnout, stress and exhaustion-induced illnesses that I had no business having. Thank goodness I was able to take a step back to really see things for what they were.
Lately, I’ve become more intentional about cultivating a mentality that will push me forward in every area of my life. Whether it’s tackling new projects, setting personal goals, or simply managing day-to-day challenges, the mentality I’ve adopted is the fuel that powers me. And let me tell you—it hasn’t been an easy switch, but it’s been worth every effort.
The thing about having a strong mindset as humans is that it’s not something that magically appears. It takes work, constant adjustment, and a conscious choice to keep developing it. But once you get into the groove, that mentality becomes a compass that guides your actions, decisions, and even how you perceive challenges.
I didn’t just get to this point. I worked my bum off to recognise the negative patterns and build the mental capacity to work myself out of them. So, let’s talk about the mentality that’s been driving everything I do lately, and how it’s shaped my approach to life, work, and my current growth journey.
The “Just Start” Mentality
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that waiting for the perfect moment is a trap. I used to be the kind of person who would sit around, waiting for inspiration to strike or for conditions to be ideal before I’d start anything new. But guess what I’ve learnt lately? Perfect timing is a myth. There’s never going to be a flawless moment to start that passion project, take that risk, or even change your routine.
Now, my motto is: just start. Start messy, start unsure, start without a complete plan—just start. Once I began adopting this mentality, I realised that action is what truly breeds clarity. Not planning or dreaming, or ‘vision-boarding’. Just plain action. The more I dive into something, the more I understand it, and the path becomes clearer.
This mentality has especially influenced my writing. Rather than waiting for the “perfect idea” to hit, I’ve started showing up on the page, writing through the confusion and imperfections. As long as I’m putting one word in front of the other, I’m making progress.
As a result of my ‘just start’ mentality, I’ve recognised and learnt the importance of some values that I didn’t used to take seriously before but are now the things that drive me.
The Power of Consistency
is one of such values.
I used to underestimate the power of small, consistent actions. I was always aiming for grand gestures, massive shifts, and huge wins. But over time, I’ve realised that success—whether it’s personal or professional—is built on consistency, not one-off breakthroughs.
It’s like working out. You don’t go to the gym once and suddenly see results; it’s the cumulative effect of showing up regularly that leads to progress. The same principle applies to everything I do now. I’ve made peace with the fact that growth doesn’t happen overnight, and I’ve embraced the grind.
I mean, it’s easy to start anything. But success lies in continuously working at that thing you’ve started. So, my thing now is to focus on small, consistent efforts as I’ve begun to see tremendous changes in my writing, my health goals, and my personal development because of my consistency in pursuing them. Of course, there are days when I don’t feel like I’m moving fast enough, but I remind myself that consistency compounds—and that’s where the magic happens.
Another value that I hold dear now is to:
Embrace Failure as Feedback.
I’ll be honest: failure used to terrify me. It felt like a personal attack, like a verdict on my abilities or worth. But over time lately, I’ve learned to shift my perspective on failure and view it as feedback. This mentality has transformed how I approach new challenges. Instead of fearing failure, I now see it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
The moment I accepted that failure is part of the process and not a sign of my weakness or unintelligence, I became a lot braver. Whether it’s writing something that doesn’t resonate, launching a project that falls flat, or making a misstep in my personal life, I’ve learned to take it all in stride. My failure at anything doesn’t mean the end; it means there’s room for adjustment, growth, and trying again with more knowledge.
This shift has empowered me to take more risks and pursue opportunities that I might have shied away from in the past. It’s a liberating feeling when you stop worrying about perfection and start focusing on learning.
Another thing I’ve been focusing on lately is:
Staying Grounded in Gratitude.
In the whirlwind of life, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s next—what’s the next goal, the next milestone, the next thing to check off the list? But I’ve found that one of the most powerful mindsets that can be impactful in my life is to stay grounded in gratitude, no matter where I am on my journey.
I used to feel like other people whose lives inspired me had achieved success on the same path as I was on a shorter timeline while I was still grinding. Why was my success in my career, in my writing, and in my business taking so long to achieve? I put so much pressure on myself by comparing my journey negatively. When I started looking at my little wins from a place of gratitude, I stopped thinking ‘Why not me?’ and instead started being grateful for the milestones, no matter how small.
Now, gratitude keeps me focused on the present moment, reminding me to appreciate the progress I’ve made rather than fixating on how far I still have to go. It’s easy to fall into the trap of constantly striving for more without acknowledging the wins along the way. But I’ve learned that by practising gratitude daily, I stay connected to the things that truly matter.
This mentality has also helped me manage stress and avoid burnout. It’s become my tool for slowing down and reminding myself that it’s okay to pause and reflect. When I appreciate the small things—like a well-written paragraph or a quiet morning to think—I’m reminded that success isn’t just about the big milestones, but the everyday moments that add up.
The last value that I will be talking about today is the power of:
Leaning into Curiosity and Exploration.
Curiosity is one of the driving forces behind everything I do as a creative. It is what fuels my ideas, and even my writing. It is what has led me to achieve some success in previous businesses that I have worked on and I’ve come to realise that staying curious—about people, ideas, experiences, and even challenges—keeps me engaged and eager to learn. When I lean into curiosity, I approach life with an open mind, willing to explore new perspectives and try new things.
Curiosity has helped me break through creative blocks, start new projects, and stay excited about the unknown. It’s also allowed me to embrace growth as a constant process, rather than something that has a clear endpoint. I’ve learned that the more I explore, the more I discover about myself, my capabilities, and what’s possible.
If I were to summarise everything I’ve said above, it will be that the mentality driving everything I do now is one of growth, resilience, and optimism. It’s a mindset that says, “Keep going, keep learning, and keep showing up, even when it’s hard”. It’s about embracing the journey, learning from failures, and staying grounded in gratitude.
Most importantly, it’s about believing that anything is possible if I approach it with the right mentality—whether that’s writing the next great piece, building a new career, or simply navigating the challenges of everyday life with a smile on my face.
That’s what keeps me going, and that’s the mentality that will continue to drive everything I do.
Do you have any questions about learning to write better? Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
