5 Tactics to Shift Your Mindset from Victim to Visionary

“The way we attach ourselves to circumstances is far more significant than the circumstances alone. When we stop being the victim of circumstance, we can start seeing the opportunities that lie in our challenges,” says Chad E. Foster.

He learned this lesson firsthand when an inherited retinal disease left him blind at age 21.

So Foster had two choices: become a victim or visionary.

He chose visionary. And that set him on a course where he taught himself to learn without his eyesight and graduated from college with straight A’s. He also learned to write screen-reading code, which was adapted by a major tech firm to create jobs for millions.

Foster didn't stop there; he stepped into a high-profile finance career and subsequently became the first blind executive to graduate from Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development.

Now he inspires others to achieve success by breaking down the key principles of resilience.

We asked Foster to share the proven methods he used to overcome the victim mentality when he lost his sight. And here’s what he said:

1. Stop Just Reacting

Humans have been granted the luxury of intentionality about decision-making. Exercise that luxury by making a conscious choice to be more intentional in your responses. Insert some pauses into your day to consider your actions.

“Until you decide that you’re in charge of your life and your career, no one can help you. It’s your life, so you’ve got to own it,” Foster said.

2. Tell Yourself a Better Story

Instead of defaulting to the doom and gloom that often comes to mind during challenges, craft a story that guides you toward your goals.

Initially, this may feel unnatural. Try writing down your improved narrative, then continue reading it to integrate it into your way of thinking, being, behaving, and talking. Doing this will help you make the story yours, so choose wisely.

3. Visualize Your Greatness

Reimagine a future that’s anchored to your factual reality, but bold enough to inspire action. Use this vision to find the energy needed to work hard towards your objectives.

“Start by asking yourself how you can make unpalatable facts work for you. Because I couldn’t change my blindness, I had to figure out how to make blind look good. If I could never visualize greatness in blindness, how could I ever move toward acceptance?”

4. Get Comfortable with Discomfort

To evolve, adapt, and thrive, we must get comfortable with the uncomfortable. This is where mindset meets action.

Continuously edge slightly outside your comfort zone to expand your boundaries. You'll notice your comfort zone expanding as you do, making you ready to tackle ever-increasing obstacles.

5. Take Advantage of your Disadvantages

Every perceived disadvantage offers us some advantage if we use it in the right context. Ask yourself these questions:

• How can your unchangeable facts work for you?
• How can you put yourself in a position so that the things you believe disadvantage you actually work in your favor?

Foster will be sharing more of these lessons on March 9 during the opening general session at AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo 2024 . He’s also chronicled his journey in his book, Blind Ambition: How to Go from Victim to Visionary.

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