Would you like to think like a champion--someone who wins in life? Would like you like to consistently achieve the best results in your relationships, finances, health, and mental well-being? Now, you can by following 3 simple tips derived from positive psychology and the laws of habit formation.

1. AVOID THE LITTLE BADS: We may not realize it, but we often say negative phrases to ourselves--“little bads”--that become a part of our psychological makeup: “I don’t have enough time.” “I don’t have enough money.” “Life is difficult.” These small, pocket-sized samples of negativity become ingrained in our minds, and before we know it, we start to feel bad, negative, and drained of energy. The key to defeat the “little bads” is to transform them into “little goods”--simple words of encouragement and positivity that we repeat to ourselves, in our daily thoughts. Now, you say to yourself, “I have all the time I need,” “There is an abundance of money,” and “Life, with positive belief, is easy.” As you begin to speak differently to yourself, your attitude will brighten, and you will have far more energy, motivation, and desire to accomplish your goals.

2. START WITH THE EASY: Many times we want to do something in life--start a new career, relationship, or lifestyle--but we think doing so is too hard; it requires too much effort. The solution is to begin with an easy step, something you can complete in a short period of time, without much effort. If, for example, you want to start a new career, go online and read a couple of articles about people who have been successful in that field. If you want to write a book, start with the first sentence, with the first idea--just write down the first few phrases that come to you. If you want to get in shape, decide that you’re going to go to the gym for only 20 minutes the first time. As you take these small steps--in psychology, they are called successive approximations to the goal--you begin to build momentum to take bigger steps, and accomplish bigger goals. You build on the earlier successes for future successes. Now, the online search leads you to a mentor you want to learn from. The early sentences lead to more writing and longer paragraphs. The 20 minutes at the gym become 30, then 45, then 1 hour, and you start to see the results in your physique and physical health--which motivate you to work out even more. The first early easy steps toward your goal have now led you to a higher level of accomplishment that further propels you forward.

3. JOIN A MASTERMIND GROUP: It is said that where 2 or more are gathered, great things can be accomplished. A Mastermind Group is a union of like-minded people who meet regularly (weekly or monthly) to exchange ideas, support each other, and help solve mutual problems. If, for example, you want to start a business, find 3 or 4 of the best business-minded people you know, and get together regularly for coffee or lunch. Bring your notepad or tablet, and let the ideas flow. In the first stage of idea gathering, the rule is that no one in the group critiques the ideas that are presented. The first phase of the group process is to simply generate ideas--as many as possible. Later, in the group meeting, is the cooling stage, where you help each other edit and critique the ideas, and come up with the best ones. This Mastermind process can work for any topic you are interested in--from raising children, to being a good cook, to inventing something to make a difference in the world. The important ingredient of the Mastermind Group is that you regularly meet with like-minded people who share your values and vision, and who sincerely want to help you reach your greatest goals (as you feel the same way toward them).

To summarize, here are the steps to think like a champion: 1. Avoid the Little Bads: Build up a reservoir of positivity, and strong, success-producing thoughts, in place of the defeating, nagging little negative thoughts. 2. Start with the Easy: Begin with what you can do with little effort: Generate momentum--a flow of energy and power--that leads you directly to your ultimate goals. 3. Join a Mastermind Group: Unite yourself with like-minded people in a weekly or monthly group in which you come up with ideas, and help each other reach your goals. With these three steps as your guide, you are now ready for Success Living--the life of a mental champion who achieves and contributes to society at the highest level.