How High Achievers Use Feelings to Achieve Their Goals

High achievers you say.  Sounds fancy and might even feel a bit icky to some of you. A lot of high achievers don’t recognise themselves as such. That is actually because they are such high achievers that they assume that their behaviours are the same as for everyone else.  And they aren’t!  In this article, I discuss how high achievers achieve their goals by using their feelings.

So what IS a high achiever then? Dispelling a myth here – it’s not only 6, 7 and 8 figure business owners or leaders who can call themselves high achievers. Sure, sales revenue, turnover and impressive profit might indicate a high achiever but it runs much deeper than that.  High achievers set goals, have big ambitions, dream big , set high standards for themselves and their teams and are very focused on making progress and taking action. This often presents not just in business but in all aspects of their wider life.  And yes they get frustrated by others who seem to drift, who don’t challenge the status quo and don’t press on! 

So let’s assume you might like to become more of a high achiever. Or perhaps you’d like to hone your high achiever ninja skills, (because high achievers are like that!).

Here are 5 ways that High Achievers stand out from the rest by using their feelings to achieve those big goals in business and in life.  

High Achievers Nurture A Growth Mindset

High achievers have a growth mindset all the way.  Have you heard of fixed versus growth mindset? Essentially those with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is static. This tends to present in them avoiding challenges. Giving up easily, seeing effort as fruitless and can often present in them being threatened by the success of others. 

Those with a growth mindset on the other hand believe that knowledge and intelligence can be learned whatever the stage or however the perceived difficulty. This leads to a desire to constantly learn and improve yet with an expectation of bumps along the way.  

They embrace challenge, persist despite setbacks and see effort and persistency as the path to success and mastery.  Very importantly they are willing to learn from others and from their mistakes (and they DO expect to make mistakes along the way).  These are your life long learners. Learners who are inspired by the success of others and make it their business to soak up knowledge wherever they can. All of my high-achiever private coaching clients are passionately curious! There isn’t a week that goes by that we’re not exchanging a podcast, book, feature or event learning. 

To read more on growth mindset take a look at: 

Dr Carol Dweck: Mindset – Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential 

High Achievers Are Able To Move To ‘Future State’

We’re often told to embrace the present moment and seize the day. I absolutely subscribe to that advice. HOWEVER, where do high achievers stand out?

Not only can they embrace the present but they are able to move to future state and have a strong connection to their goal and importantly can move forward clearly to truly believe, see and feel that goal and outcome happening. They can put aside present moment concerns or fears and move to that future state to help them overcome hurdles or get to where they want to go.  They know that the feelings of desire for their future state are stronger than their feelings of fear or limitations in their present. 

Consider this – you know you need a fresh brand shoot for your business. Your imagery is out of date and not screaming you and your story. But, you’re nervous about putting a new you out there. You’re anxious and nervous about going in front of the camera. About presenting yourself for the world to see and critique.  That could be a blocker for procrastinating or not going ahead at all.

A high achiever will feel all those things (they aren’t immune). But will be able to take themselves to the point in time when their new imagery is created, they are getting amazing feedback, opportunities and new business because of this up-levelling. 

A high achiever can move into that future state of pride, of confidence and take the steps to make it happen. In spite of nerves, in spite of perhaps not knowing the process. In spite of not loving being in front of the camera. And perhaps also in spite of not being sure that the financial investment in a great brand shoot will reap the rewards. 

High Achievers Listen To Their Gut

Did you know that we have 3 brains in our body? The heart brain, the head brain and the enteric nervous system or gut brain. The head brain is the one that gets all the attention and we tend to put our belief and trust in to give us the right sensible answers (and society generally teaches us this). But, the enteric gut brain also has a great deal of power.

High achievers are in tune with and listen to their gut or their intuition to help them reach their goals.  That intuition might be a voice, might be a feeling or literally a movement or sensation in their stomach or gut.  You know that feeling you get when you are putting a proposal or pricing together for a potential client and your gut is telling you that it should be higher that you may be undercharging for the job in hand.

High achievers listen up to that feeling! They go with what their gut brain is telling them rather than stick to the comfort zone, the safe existing pricing. High achievers get to avoid the level of immense frustration of working with that client at the lower price and everything that can entail sometimes for months ahead. 

High Achievers Run An Eternal Feedback Loop 

In line with having a growth mindset, high achievers are constantly running a feedback loop with the actions they take and the cause + effect equation.  They see everything as a chance to seek feedback, to build up their data and knowledge. They will try something on for size to see how that makes them feel. Perhaps they want to feel that again, perhaps they don’t. Therefore they will build that all into their internal feedback system and plan their next (usually bold) steps from there.  

One of my high-achieving private clients gets the question very often from me in our sessions when she takes her brave moves into the unknown.  “And what did you learn from that?” – that’s where the magic happens. 

High Achievers Are Persistent And Consistent 

These two are difficult for all but high achievers to live by. Continuing to take the steps when nobody seems to be paying attention. When times are tough, when you’re unsure. Or when you’re getting a negative reaction and times when you just don’t feel like it. 

The never giving up mantra is over-used. But, high achievers are dedicated to it and are persistent with their action taking and going towards their goals. They take feedback and change up their actions. And, they continue action take no matter how small is at their core and is a non-negotiable. 

One of my favourite reads on consistency –  on the magic of just going for it, (even when you really don’t feel like it) is ‘The 5 Second Rule’ by Mel Robbins

So tell me then does the high achiever tag fit you like a glove? Or are you ready to become it?

And the best bit?  Our brains have neuroplasticity. This means that our brain has the ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural pathways throughout life. The neurons or nerve calls in our brains adjust their activities in response to new situations or change.  Being high achievers and taking on these traits is available to us all. We just have to decide and make the commitment to change. 

If you’re looking for support to move your life or business to the next level then you can work with me in the following ways: 

A 90-minute one-off coaching session to power you up with clarity and direction for the rest of the year 

A private super-charge day of coaching in-person including 30 days of support

This feature was originally commissioned and written by Kelly Chandler for Brand You Magazine.

Photos by: 

Helen Warner & Louise Beukes at The Brand Studio Collective // Terri & Lori Photo & Film