Four Power Mindsets -- Changing your thinking can lead to success
No matter what goals you’re trying to accomplish, the
right mindset can put you closer to accomplishing them. In my coaching work, I’ve found that
financial woes, relationship issues, career stallers, and family conflicts can
be minimized over time. And the road to
recovery often starts with how we think about these challenges. Here are a few ways to reframe cynical or
negative thinking. Once you clear out these
harmful thought processes, you can start to strategize in productive ways that
will yield results.
- Have an Attitude of gratitude. Begin every day and every situation mindful
of what you are grateful for. You
can walk around your home and literally touch things and people you
appreciate. Be grateful for the things that you can feel – such as
love, the warm sun, and happiness. Remember also to be grateful for the
things that you can't see like fresh air, a safe environment, and health. Every year on my birthday all right down
all the things that I'm grateful for. And I write down as many things as
the number I of years I've been alive. When I turned 40, for example, I
recorded 40 things I'm grateful for.
The idea behind this is to go beyond the basic things we might
acknowledge, see, or appreciate every day.
Things like family, a home, and your job. I wanted to really think
about every aspect of my life and search every corner of my mind to
identify things for which I’m grateful, even if I don't often think
about them. Find pictures that
represent things you appreciate in your life – search online, in
magazines, on your phone, and on your social media. If you’d like to create a physical,
tangible board, print out these images and paste them onto a big poster
board. Keep this in a place where
you will see it daily. A gratitude
board can also be done electronically by pasting pictures to an electronic
‘whiteboard’ or notepad. This is a
fun exercise to do with a family member and a super way to start off a new
year.
2. Consider your priorities (values and needs) before you make important decisions. The things that really matter most to you
will show up in three areas of your life. They will show up in how you spend
your time. They will show up in how you spend your money. And they will show up
in what makes you smile. Most adults have a preset list of values - family,
security, health, etc. Those are the
things we know intuitively that should
be important to us. But these things aren’t
truly your values unless you behave according. For instance, can one really say family is
important if one rarely sees, calls, or spends time with them? Arguably
not. Identify your true values and write them down.
Then write why they matter to you.
I do this with clients whom I coach. I ask them to record their organization’s
values. They often write down things
like equality, communication, or innovation.
Then I ask them to share the belief ( the why) behind each value.
For example - our value is equality. We believe all people are equal and
deserve to be respected and treated with integrity. Here is an assignment for you to complete
- Make a list of your values and the
whys (beliefs) that support them. After you write them say them out loud. You'll find it easier to stand up for your
values, honor them, and even express them to others as a result of this simple
process. Writing it down makes it real
and saying it aloud brings it to life.
And, brings you one step closer to living your values, unapologetically.
- Don't
compare yourself with others. It’s easy to look at social media and
see the best of everyone and everything.
In the virtual world, your associates post the best parts of their
vacations, parties, and celebrations.
We don't see any arguments, sadness, family conflict, breakups, or
defeat. Only glorious, victorious
happiness. It could give you the
impression that everyone is doing better than you. But what you see there
-- what others are willing to present of themselves -- doesn't matter.
Stay focused on you -- what matters to you, your priorities, your goals. Remain fixated on meeting your own needs
and values. Have you ever seen a documentary about lions? The lion is stalking its prey -- perhaps
a gazelle or a zebra. The lion is
on a mission; it's not concerned with the antics of its prey. The lion has it's own priorities -- its
own survival and the survival of its offspring. It has a job to do and is focused on
that. It doesn't have anything to
prove to anyone, it’s not comparing itself to other Lions. Each day, when you wake up, think like
that lion waking up on the Serengeti.
Commit yourself to the tasks of the day. Remind yourself why your priorities
matter. Reconsider your purpose --
what you want and why you want it.
These reflections can ignite your motivation and actions each day.
- Seek sage advice from someone who has
achieved what you're trying to achieve.
When you talk about something you want to achieve with family or
colleagues, you'll get all sorts of opinions. They'll tell you what you should or
shouldn't do. They might share
their fears or concerns. Or, they
might point out what it won't work.
Some might even try to talk you out of your aspirations. It's not right, but it's okay. The best person to talk to when you
contemplate the next steps is someone who has already done something
similar. Seek out a mentor,
advisor, or even devil’s advocate who has traveled the road you are
on. They can give you a relevant
perspective, rather than just a list of cons, doubts, and cynicism.
Solicit lessons learned and best practices that will assist you on your
journey. Be prepared to discuss the
risks and rewards – it may not all be what you want to hear, but it will
all be relevant to you.
With
these mindsets, you’ll be better positioned to perform confidently and consistently
in all areas of your life. Any new
action starts with the right mindset.
Your mindset fuels your beliefs.
Your beliefs drive your actions.
Your actions create your future.
