LIFE COACH
MINDSET Mindset. It’s the difference between a good day and a bad one, and the difference between being stuck or moving forward. But what is it, really?
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ictionaries describe mindset as a fixed and established mental attitude, and they describe attitude as thoughts and feelings. So, if our repeated thoughts and feelings are responsible for our mindset, we must have the power to choose whatever mindset we want right? Do this exercise with me… Imagine yourself going through your day and change my description if a variation works better for you. See yourself getting in the car, ready to leave for work. There’s plenty of time. You notice that you need petrol and you think ‘Grrr, that’s an annoying start to my day’. You get the petrol, and the person serving you says “Have an amazing day!” and you think ‘Well since I’m off to work, probably not’. You drive toward work and are delayed by traffic. You feel yourself getting frustrated and annoyed. Despite the fact that this traffic isn’t making you
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late, your mind races with all the things you could be doing. You arrive at work and immediately notice some things that are out of place, and it irritates you. You fix them with the question in your mind ‘Why is it only me that fixes this stuff’? You walk past a number of people and half smile at them and then get to work. At lunchtime you notice some others going out for a bite, and you feel upset that you didn’t receive an invite. You eat at your desk and keep working. Let’s stop there. That negative mindset isn’t much fun. Let’s run through the same day with a positive mindset… See yourself getting in the car again, ready to leave for work. There’s plenty of time. You notice that you need petrol and you think ‘Great; I’ll grab a coffee while I’m there. You get the petrol, and the person serving you says “Have an amazing day!” and you stop, smile at them and say “Thank you, I will,
Debbie Kemp
you too”! You drive toward work and are delayed by traffic. You check the time and reassure yourself that you won’t be late. You put on some great music and settle into the slower pace, observing and appreciating the world around you. You arrive at work and greet everyone with a happy smile. You notice that a few things are out of place and you engage in some friendly small talk while you fix them. You get productive. At lunchtime you notice some others going out for a bite, so you ask if they’d mind if you joined them. They welcome you with a smile. You enjoy a break from your work and return afterwards, refreshed. That sounds like a much better morning, doesn’t it?! It’s a simplified take on a mindset comparison, but the point is there can be two completely different perspectives of the same sequence of events. And just in case you’re thinking ‘Yes, but we can’t always control the way