Alter Your Mindset for 2017 Success

By Rosie "The Closer" Zepeda 

Did you know 99% of New Year's resolutions are not kept and do you know why?

One of the main reasons is that it takes human beings 22 days to change a habit in the brain and so people simply fall off by week two. The other reason is that we have to address our already existing brain conditioning.


Conditioning is made up of two things: reward and risk. Where you fall on this risk and reward chart, will determine how successful you will be at achieving your resolutions. Let’s take a very common New Year’s resolution: losing weight. If you have been conditioned, for example, to feel guilty about things, like being told at a young age other children in the world are starving, then meeting your goal of losing weight will be difficult each time. Therefore, we must take steps to undo this conditioning first.


Here are 3 KEYS to addressing and undoing your conditioning:

  1. The first key is: AWARENESS. You must become aware of your conditioning in trying to meet this resolution. What are your belief systems for losing weight? Where do they come from? Your brain is nothing more than a hard drive.

  2. The second key is to: ASK. “Is the belief that I need to finish everything on my plate every time really true?” “Is it true that I need to feel guilty each and every time?”

  3. The third key is to: REPLACE: Replace that belief system with a new one that will work for you and becomes your truth: “I eat to nourish my body and be healthy.”

However, addressing your conditioning is just one piece of the puzzle. In order for you to truly be successful in fulfilling your resolution you need to follow the simple 3-Step Process below:

  1. SEE IT - Whether losing weight or getting a higher paying position, you must see yourself in your new state. Your brain does not know the difference between reality and non-reality. You must train it to see the reality you want.

  2. BELIEVE IT – Believe that you are already thin or already have that higher paying position, by altering your communication with yourself: “I am healthy and fit.”  “I am the manager.”

  3. TAKE ACTION/Have a Plan – You must take action every day towards fulfilling your resolution. Write down the steps needed to get there, but backwards and place those on a visual calendar to make sure you stay on track. Look up the S.M.A.R.T. to help you with your plan.


Remember that it takes your brain 22 days to realize you are changing a behavior, so do not be hard on yourself, especially if you fall off. If you do, simply go back to the 3 keys to addressing your conditioning and get back on track with the 3-Step Process. Here is a recorded webinar training on this subject, and specifically tailored for Latinos:


Rosie “the Closer” Zepeda is a Communication, Leadership and Diversity Marketing Expert. She is the CEO of Compelling Conversations, a training and consulting company: She is also the Founder of Latina Success Network; whose mission is to provide culturally relevant professional development for Latinas:  In 2016, Rosie was 1 of the 100 women to receive the “Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence Award.” She is a huge documentary buff and has been singing mariachi since the age of 4.

Image courtesy of Master isolated images at

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