Once you make a decision to do something, take a moment before you act to notice what you’re thinking.

For example, say you decide to invest in new software for your business.

Notice what thoughts immediately start to surface and how you feel as you get ready to sign the agreement.

The reason it matters is because you will get wildly different results depending on your state of mind.

EXAMPLE 1:
You think, “Every time we do these projects we lose time and money because it never works right.” This makes you feel frustrated, skeptical and apprehensive. So you sign the agreement, but question every detail, hesitate to make decisions, overmanage and hover. The project stalls, you have cost overruns, and miss your target date. You lose time and money and reinforce your belief that it never works.

EXAMPLE 2:
You think, “We have to do something fast. Maybe this will work. I don’t really know. I’m too busy to focus on it right now.” You feel a high sense of urgency, stress and overwhelm. You sign the agreement but don’t really understand what you’re getting, and because you don’t want to be involved, you abdicate to your team. In the end the software does about half of what you need. You don’t understand how it works and it’s one more cause of stress.

EXAMPLE 3:
You think, “This will provide 5 important outcomes. I know exactly who to put in charge.” You’re feeling clear, confident and certain. You sign the agreement, set measurable outcomes, delegate authority and evaluate milestones along the way. The implementation succeeds. Your business has a competitive advantage and your team learns important project management skills.

You sign the agreement in all 3 cases, but the way you think and feel affects the quality of your results because it affects the way you act.

This is why the master skill in business is the ability to manage your mind.

Since you’re always thinking, it’s not always easy to notice your thoughts. But it is possible to train yourself to notice how you’re feeling.

Throughout your day, whenever you’re feeling frustrated, anxious, or stressed, stop and pause. Before you do anything else, ask yourself:

1. What am I thinking that is making me feel this way?
2. Will these thoughts and feelings create the results I want?
3. What do I choose to think and feel instead?