Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Diaz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jennifer, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

When I was first starting out as an entrepreneur, I spent so much time, effort, and money seeking out different business and marketing strategies, hoping to find the answer to this question. I wanted to find the “right” way to succeed, and definitely dealt with some perfectionism early on. I’d study successful business owners who I looked up to, trying to understand the exact steps they took to achieve their success. The leaders I respected were focused on making a positive impact in the world, serving others with integrity, and they also believed wholeheartedly in their ability to succeed.

Eventually, I realized that while each of their paths towards success looked incredibly different, what they did have in common was a strong sense of belief and determination.

While the knowledge I gained about business and strategy has certainly been important in helping me succeed, it wasn’t until I really began focusing on my own mindset that I started seeing momentum. I’ve learned that your mindset can make or break even the best strategy, which is why I’ve spent so much time over the past decade learning how to cultivate a growth mindset that supports my mission.

Since there’s no singular path that guarantees success (thankfully) cultivating a growth mindset has allowed me to increase my resilience, tap into my creativity, and carve out my own unique path to success and fulfillment. Now, I’m no longer held back by trying to do things perfectly, or even seeking the “right” way to accomplish my goals. I know that each attempt I make is going to provide me with more information and wisdom that will help me grow and succeed in the long run. Creating a growth mindset has given me a lot of freedom and self-trust to grow as a business owner, which makes me even more excited to support my clients in creating the same experience for themselves.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Jen! I’m a mindset and leadership coach for women entrepreneurs. Through my high level 1-1 coaching program and my JAVA Method Mindset Community I help women leaders get out of their own way so they can lead with compassion, and grow and scale their business while staying true to their core values.

I’ve always cared deeply about living a life of fulfillment and intention, although I was originally very skeptical about the idea of “mindset” work. I have a background in science, so anytime I’d hear someone talk about the power of our thoughts, I’d dismiss it as “woo” and too-good-to-be-true. Before I became a mindset coach for women entrepreneurs I spent over a decade working as an exercise physiologist & trainer. During that time, I couldn’t help but notice a gap between the goals some of my clients wanted to accomplish and the lack of (or even opposing) action they’d take.

It wasn’t that they weren’t motivated, capable, or driven. They absolutely were, but something just wasn’t clicking and I was determined to figure out what was missing.

That was also around the same time in my life when I started my own business. I had no idea the amount of inner work entrepreneurship was going to require of me. How stepping outside my comfort zone would bring up all kinds of fears, negative self-talk, and frustration. I felt like I had all of this potential but I couldn’t quite tap into fully. I had so many dreams for my business and life, yet I could see myself getting in my own way over and over again. I’ll be the first to admit how wildly frustrating it is to feel like you’re the only one standing in your way.

Thankfully my determination and frustration led me to discover the world of behavioral psychology. I began learning the science behind the ways our mindset subconsciously plays a role in our daily actions. I wanted to understand why some people succeeded easily and others didn’t, so I could actually make my own changes and have the kind of impact I dreamt about in the lives of my clients.

As I started integrating my own mindset work into my daily life I began to feel subtle, yet powerful changes. My self-talk and self-image began to improve. The fear and resistance I once felt lessened and allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and take action more consistently. I felt more confident. I began focusing on growth over perfection. I also experienced more fulfillment and success in my life and business. I learned that while my mindset might not “be” everything, it absolutely impacts everything in my life.

This is why I’m so lit up by supporting my clients as they step outside their comfort zones. Growing and scaling a business is not easy, and requires a lot of mental and emotional resilience. I love sharing these life changing scientifically-backed strategies and tools with them so they can not only succeed in business, but thrive in their personal lives as well. Success in both areas is what I hope for myself and all my clients.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I grew up playing sports and I used the believe that the “tough love” approach (aka only focusing on my shortcomings and berating myself about them) was the only way I would improve and succeed. I’d try to motivate myself with fear and pressure, thinking it would entice me to make necessary changes. Early on in my business, I tried to use that same mental strategy to help me succeed. While it led to some semblance of discipline for a time, it made me flat out hate the process. That approach took away every ounce of enjoyment I originally had and almost led me to burnout. I had no backup plan so I knew something had to change. As I began learning about intrinsic motivation and positive psychology, I was able to clearly see my mistake. Now, I know that focusing on what’s going well and championing my strengths will help me achieve much more success. And even better, I’m actually able to enjoy myself and the process, which makes me even more motivated to continue seeking growth.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

When I was a senior in college I read the book, Tuesdays With Morrie, and it completely changed the way I looked at my life. The wisdom it contains provides thought provoking perspective on how we might live a meaningful life. I credit that book to setting me on the path I’m now on in my career.

A book I highly recommend to all entrepreneurs is Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol S. Dweck. If you’re interested in cultivating a growth mindset this is a must read.

Another book that I think everyone would benefit from reading, especially if you lead a team, is Nonviolent Communication by Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg. Effective communication is one of the most important aspects of healthy relationships, both personal and professional. If you want to take your business to new levels, good communication is crucial. Since many of us are not taught how to communicate well, this book gives us the language necessary to navigate conflict in healthy and productive ways so we can collaborate and succeed together.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jenniferdiaz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenmdiaz/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-diaz-97a5bb92/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCok1stzUs0MqKZoSk9NDqdw

Image Credits
Madi Flournoy Henderson