“When you enter a mindset, you enter a new world…”

~Carol Dweck

Imagine a world where everything was as smooth as glass, everything was in its place and in order, where everything and everyone worked exactly as it should and to top it off–you sat on the throne. You were simultaneously in control and, yet, didn’t need to be in control because everything was perfect: perfect in placement, perfect in position and perfect in recognition.

Reality check: That world doesn’t exist in this world. Let’s stop pretending we are thinking in the right world/the right mindset and get real with where our minds (the collection of our thoughts, desires and attitudes) really are.

“…be renewed in the spirit of your minds…” Ephesians 4:23

The spirit of your mind is the soul or seat of your mind. It’s what guides your decision-making and your responses. It’s your mindset that helps you progress or hinders you in regress.

What is a mindset?

Think about this for a minute. It’s a word that actually means a lot that we throw around frequently to describe how we are thinking or feeling about something. But, is that really a good understanding of a mindset…does that really describe what a mindset is and what it does?

If your mindset is your world, then the question is “Do you need a new world?“

Consider this: a stale mindset is a dull & boring world, but a passionate mindset is a new & exciting world. If you want to change your ability to influence your environment and get new results, then most often you need a new mindset. Your old mindset has decayed and it is okay to let it pass away. Put it in the grave and bring forth a new mindset. Mindsets only have the life you allow them to have. Your mindset is your responsibility. Your mindset is not the responsibility of your spouse, your employer, your organization, your digital media stream or your community. Your mindset is your responsibility.

#1 – How you think determines how you act

The sum of your thoughts and attitudes equals your mindset. If you are filled with negative, critical or bored thoughts, then your attitude will reflect that and so to will your mindset. People have gotten very good at pretending. Pretending they are happy when they are miserable. Pretending everything is fine when it’s really falling apart. Pretending something bad is good. Pretending things that matter don’t. They fake it, not until they make it, but until they make it out of the environment they have been faking it in. We are bombarded with more information than ever before. This means an unprotected mindset is a leads to an unprotected life. If you want to act differently, then you must learn to think differently. This is critical to the establishment of a new mindset.

#2 – The Right Mindset is Inspirational, the Wrong Mindset is Aspirational

When you have the right mindset, the mindset that grips you and grabs you and inspires you. Inspiration breathes new life into you, your relationship, your team and or your organization. When you have new life, new air, then you are able to move. Move means “into action.” When you have the right mindset, this is a mindset that engages you, grips you and ultimately moves you to action. Inspiration is the catalyst of progress. Something that is aspirational is something that is out of reach. When you have an aspirational mindset you have a wish or a desire-filled mindset.  When you have the wrong mindset, you aspire towards something, but never actually move towards it. Or you take one step, it gets hard, so you quit. Inspired people don’t quit.

Aspiring people look towards the mountaintop and dream of standing on it, but never begin to climb the mountain. Inspired people don’t quit until they reach their goal. 

#3 – To Change You Must Embrace Your Challenge

Challenges are what form and shape your mindset. A challenge is an objection to your direction. Sometimes these are speed bumps. Other times these are stop signs. Even other times they are road-closed signs! You must learn to stop treating every speed bump in your life, situation or circumstance like a dead end.  A hurdle is an obstacle/challenge that you can cross if you are prepared. A lack of preparation often leads to paralysis.

 If you want to transform your mindset, because it is transformation that is truly needed, then you must learn to see adversity not as a shoal to wreck upon, but rather a tool that shapes you. Transformation, literally, means a dramatic or severe change. Growth often doesn’t happen because your mindset is in neutral.  Mindsets get stale, stagnant and stuck. Often, the only way you will change or transform is through adversity, trial or challenge. If your mindset is stuck, then most likely you have become casual and comfortable or even careless.

#4 – Break Your Bottlenecks.  A bottleneck is “a place or stage in a process at which progress is impeded.” In renewing your mindset, you’ve got to be able to identify where your hold up is and why you are being held up. Sometimes, this is because you are not going in the right direction. Sometimes, this is because your motivation is wrong. When your motivation is wrong, you often get your expectations wrong. Wrong expectations always yield unsatisfactory results and frustration.

A new mindset is a new world. What world are you living in?