20 Professional Mantras You Can Apply To Improve Your Professional Life

Professionals need to protect their minds. We need to protect the essence of who we are. We learn everyday and sometimes have to go through temporary trials to win big battles down the line. It is ok to lose small battles from time to time so that you can win when it matters.

You will not win every battle, however. There is nothing true in claiming otherwise. If you put in your best and face your fears, you can live a fearless life. Nothing has proven so true for me in the last couple of months than these nuggets I'm about to share with you.

Let these serve as your professional mantra and you will live an extraordinary life:

1. Mistakes or events that impact you negatively are like boulders. Cut them off your shoulders every single time, ride into the mythical elevator in your mind all the way to the top and don't look back unless it's to learn from them.
2. Be nice to people. You never know what they are going through or what their personal circumstances are. Don't put anyone down to make yourself feel better.
3. When you suffer embarrassment, it's not the end. It may seem like a huge setback but all you have to do is show up the next day. This one step is usually the hardest.
4. Fight back. Some of us have the natural capacity to do this, others have to get better at learning to fight for ourselves. Don't give in to everyone's ideas all the time. Learn to question other people's ideas. Learn to counter opposing arguments and correct thinking. Also, recognise when to give in to superior arguments.
5. Be brave. The more you make decisions and venture out, the bigger your wins and the more confident you will become. Don't stand in the shadows and expect to be rewarded for it. The old saying is still true: "no guts, no glory".
6. Believe in yourself and others will follow. Your confidence will shine and your colleagues will naturally respect you.
7. Do not entertain foolishness or suffer fools gladly. Walk away from those you cannot reason with instead of pursuing a line of argument that leads nowhere.
8. Do not let others determine how you feel about yourself. Life is tough enough without you giving up the power to control how you feel about yourself and whatever happens to you. Preserve your right to be happy and confident in your abilities. Don't give that up - it's the essence of who you are.
9. Address your knowledge gaps. Seek first to understand and you will become that much powerful as time unfolds.
10. Do good work. Do better than you did yesterday. Fortune favours the brave and what's more? The results are instant.
11. It is ok not to win every time or be the rising star in every meeting. Sometimes, you have to ride on the wings of others. It's called team work and it is a sign of strength not weakness.
12. Learning a new concept is like learning how to walk. Initially, it's like having crutches on, and then losing the crutches when you can walk steadily all by yourself. After a while, you will start to jog, run and then sprint. It's not about the destination. Sometimes the journey is all there is. The pursuit of knowledge is never ending.
13. Learn how to be smart or at least appear smart. It will work wonders for you. Downplay your weaknesses and emphasize your strengths.
14. Nothing is ever as difficult as it seems. Some people try to make a simple situation complex, introduce confusion or cause chaos just so that they can appear smart or be seen to resolve issues that don't actually exist beyond their imagination. Understand this and don't give in to the confusion they create. Walk away with the facts.
15. Don't be in a hurry to speak. Don't spit out every question that crosses your mind without careful thought: Will a simple google search find you an answer? Has that question already been answered elsewhere? Have you framed the question properly in your mind?
16. Know yourself: know your strengths and your weaknesses. Learn to turn your weaknesses into strengths. For example, if you take considerable time to understand issues or you need considerable details before you can fully understand a concept, take all the time you need so that when you eventually do understand, you can take that knowledge to levels that no one else can. Don't beat yourself up over your weaknesses or try to be what you are not.
17. Don't take any professional incident personal. Don't take anyone seriously. Remember, it's also about the money.
18. Pray for guidance. Listen to God and ask for direction.
19. Things are never as bad as they seem. Try having a good nights' sleep after a long day and you'll see what I mean.
20. Wake up each day with the mind of a child, the heart of a lion and a deep drive for success.

I hope these mantras work for you!