It’s perhaps never been easier to feel as if you’ve fallen behind in life. From the anxieties of comparing yourself to others online to our fetishization of success, it can seem like everyone else is out there attaining their goals and feeling happy while you feel stuck.

The reality is that many people feel stuck — even those who present themselves as models of conventional success. So, what are some ways you can meaningfully work toward your goals, while also making sure that your goals are worth pursuing in the first place?

Todd Rose, the co-founder and president of the think tank Populace, offers a framework called the “dark horse” mindset. As a rejection of conventional wisdom about how to succeed, the mindset includes four main strategies: know your micromotives, know your choices, know your strategies, and ignore the destination.

Weighing in on those strategies and broader questions about success are other Big Think contributors, including Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku, and Alex Banayan.

0:43 What is a 'dark horse'?

1:20 Dark horse lesson #1: Know your micro-motives

2:09 Neil deGrasse Tyson's mindset

2:57 Dark horse lesson #2: Know your choices

3:12 Steven Spielberg's mindset

6:06 Dark horse lesson #3: Know your strategies

6:30 Michio Kaku: Eisenhower's mindset

7:42 Dark horse lesson #4: Ignore the destination

8:15 Sarah Robb O'Hagan's mindset

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