5 Signs You Have A Mental Edge Over The Average American
Certain mental mindsets set individuals apart from everyone else.
Jeffery Erhunse | Unsplash What separates those with a mental edge from those who struggle with mental strength? While it’s not always obvious, certain behaviors and mindsets set individuals apart, especially when it comes to mental acumen.
Some big-picture concepts or responsibilities you might associate with a mental edge in adulthood include paying the bills, finding a career path, regulating your emotions, and figuring out your purpose in life. Some people also define mental edge by several simple activities that some people probably do every day.
Here are five signs you have a mental edge over the average American:
1. You imagine life as a dream
The weird thing is that life is a dream, according to science. We think our minds work like cameras, taking in our surroundings and dealing with the pains and stresses that life throws us.
But this isn’t how it works. Our minds are more like projectors. We project our reality from our mind, through our thoughts on the cinema screen of awareness.
Knowing this, we realize we create everything. Just like a dream. Now, where was that need to take everything so seriously?
2. You finish projects
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A trap I’d often fall into was this: I’m not loving this new project. I’ll drop this and start a new one because that shiny thing over there is juicy and novel and interesting! Yes, that’s more me!’
But what happens? I just ended up with nine different unfinished projects and no success. How to succeed? Make the most of your current avenues. Do this by infusing fun into what you already have. Do more with less through enjoyment. Enjoyment is a choice.
The primary disadvantage of never finishing a project is the persistent feeling of incompleteness, which leads to increased stress, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts about the unfinished task.
A 2018 study published in Thinking Skills and Creativity explained that this often causes individuals to procrastinate on starting new projects due to the lingering burden of the incomplete one. Our brains tend to remember unfinished tasks more readily than completed ones, creating mental pressure to resolve them.
3. You do more, try less
Note, that there’s a difference between ‘trying‘ and accumulated effort. I am a big proponent of accumulated effort. The more you do, the more feedback you will get, and the more success you will see.
Do more. Be prolific. Work hard. Learn to love the hustle, yes. But stop trying. Most of us are scared of uncertainty.
As such, we overcompensate by overthinking as we take action. We think we need to have the ‘right mindset‘ to succeed, for example. But this just weighs us down.
When you stop ‘trying’:
- You turn into a productivity maniac.
- You become more confident.
- You get into a flow.
Stop trying, let go of the need to know it all, or do anything in particular, lean in, and just DO. Relax into your not knowing. Your inner guidance system has your back.
4. You're completely comfortable without company
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Being calm and collected in public is one thing. But how about staying calm in the theatre of your mind when you’re alone? It’s easy to let the mind wander when no one is watching.
It’s easy to grumble and complain to yourself quietly. But it’s these moments that train your mind to be okay with complaining. That invites more misfortune. If you can care less when you’re alone, you will care far less when you’re around others.
Being comfortable with solitude can offer several advantages, including increased self-awareness, improved creativity, better stress management, enhanced decision-making abilities, and greater personal autonomy. 2023 research concluded that this allows individuals to recharge and better connect with themselves when they do spend time with others.
5. You don't rush for the sake of rushing
Most of us rush around like clothed chimps, then wonder why life is going so fast, and we’re always stressed. Newsflash: you’re making it harder for yourself because you’re trying to get through it faster. You talk faster, move twitchy, run through your projects — heck, even breathe faster.
Speedy movements even decrease your perceived status — both to others and to yourself. Be the lion. Assume the crown.
Slow down. Drop your shoulders. Slow your breathing. Now things become easy because life isn’t moving at you at 100mph. You have time. to. process.
That is an unfair advantage barely anyone in this caffeine-addled world gets. See you on the other side.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.