Mindset

I talk a lot about mindset. Our mindset has powers beyond those we’re aware of and beyond those that scientists have discovered. We can do just about anything we set our mind on. We also do many things that our minds are set on without our even realizing it. We adopt “default mindsets” and forget about them. How often do we even realize - at that moment - that we’re setting our mind on an idea that will guide what we think, feel, and do? It’s not the things that people consciously set their minds on doing that keep me up at night. Sure, there are people out there who have set their minds on harmful things, but for each of these there are 10,000 more who have set their minds on helping and healing. What I lose sleep over are the pervasive, hidden, default mindsets that hold us back from learning, growing and adapting to everyday challenges. Here are a few mindset challenges that I’ve helped my coaching clients discover for themselves over the years:

• “I was hired for what I know.”

• “The way I am is what makes me successful.”

• “I can’t do anything about the way he/she behaves.”

• “I can’t not know.”

Note that none of these are necessarily “wrong” or “bad” — but they are each potentially limiting, depending on your goals. For example, as one moves into leadership, "what you know” becomes secondary to the ability to build and lead effective teams. Likewise, “the way I am” may make me successful today, but not at the next level. Default mindsets make change difficult. Subconscious default mindsets can contribute to our failure to adapt - whether that be to a new job, an organizational initiative, or an event in our life. It’s one thing to possess a powerful mindset - it’s quite another to shift from a mindset that worked for you, to one that will benefit you moving forward. What’s one mindset that you've outgrown?