20 Mindset Hacks & Tools as We Head into the New Year (Series Three: 11-15)
Updated: Jan 13, 2020
Happy New Year’s resolution season! I'm excited to share with you week 3 of a 4-week series on mindset hacks & tools.
Again, my context of mindset comes mostly from my personal, client, and teammate experiences regarding physical & financial goals. While these two categories make up most people's resolutions, even if your goals don't fall within these spaces, I think you'll find value in at least one of the mindset hacks & tools I’ve shared and will continue to share over the next couple weeks. The following is a ‘brain-dump’ regarding my 5-year mental arsenal of personal development exposure & practical application. I've done my best to cite sources, and then I add my personal take. If a concept doesn’t have a source attached to it, I do not necessarily take personal credit for it. This week’s mindset hacks & tools come from a variety of sources & experiences.
Call to Action:
Again, I invite you to try another one or two mindset hacks & tools on for size. Not everything is for everyone, but perhaps at least one concept will make the difference for you in 2020!
11. Ask yourself, What’s the worst thing that could happen if I do XYZ, that I’m afraid of or apprehensive of doing?
We all procrastinate. And, like I said in mindset hack/tool #4: Action, procrastination is the thief of joy (Author, Matthew Kelly). Our minds are incredibly powerful. That’s why I’m sharing this 4-week series on mindset hacks & tools. The longer a “scary” item lives in our minds and not in action, the scarier it becomes! That said, when we have an item on our to-do list that keeps getting moved to the next to-do list, that’s a great time to ask ourselves this question. Particularly when said item is a steppingstone to us reaching a goal that’s important to us. So, what is the worst thing that could happen if I just do XYZ? Even in the worst-case scenario, i.e., you fail, there’s always a lesson to be learned for next time (see #12: Don’t Quit). And if you don’t fail, oftentimes, said item was simpler than we thought (i.e., imagined in our minds for days, weeks, months, etc.), it could be! Again, action creates momentum. The sooner we get into action, the less time we have to continue to think/talk ourselves out of doing something that could get us closer to our goals.
12. Try and try again. Start over. Just don’t quit.
I think this is self-explanatory, but it’s level of imperativeness is worth briefly expanding here. Very few people, if anyone, ever did anything important 100% right the first time. Perhaps, you’ve heard… what if we stopped trying to walk after our first fall… we’d be a bunch of grown humans crawling around. Which means it’s innately inside of us to try again! Public figures like Michael Jordan and Walt Disney have incredible stories about what it took, over and over again, to reach their levels of success. It’s not going to be perfect, but be open to learning along the way, and never give up. Remember, it’s natural to try again; we did it as babies before our minds could talk us out of it. Now, there’s a time & place for rest, a break. But then start again. Do not quit! (Be sure to leverage some of the other mindset hacks & tools shared before you think about quitting, particularly #5: Accountability Partners and #7: Your WHY.)
13. Verbal affirmations... Our spoken word is powerful.
“I am…” “I can…” “I will…” These are examples of how verbal affirmations begin. This hack/tool is an expansion of #6: Belief and #10: Self-Talk. Everything starts with belief. If you don’t believe your verbal affirmations at least on some level, they’ll be ineffective. Self-Talk typically occurs in a general context, whereas verbal affirmations are specific & intentional. Now, it’s possible for verbal affirmations, if said consistently and with vigorous intent, to work in the reserve manner… enhancing our beliefs. It’s all related. When I first started practicing yoga, the yogic push-up (chaturanga), was physically HARD for me to do. As I continued the sequence of movements, I said to myself quietly every single time, “I am strong.” Depending on several variables I’m not going to get into in this blog, it takes between 4-8 weeks for us to notice an increase in our physical strength. But after telling myself out loud that I was strong, before I was actually physically stronger, I could do a chaturanga without looking like a beached whale. But really, my mind & body began to believe in the strength I was telling myself I had before I physically had it. Remember to be specific, intentional, and consistent. I’d also recommend a succinct verbal affirmation, that’s easy to say and remember. That’s the recipe for verbal affirmations supporting us in reaching our goals. See #15 for an expansion of this mindset hack/tool.
14. If you feel personally disempowered, encourage someone else.
This is s similar concept to hack/tool #10: Self-Talk, but in action. When we encourage another person, and they believe our words, resulting in them feeling encouraged and empowered, we feel “it” too. There’s a sort of “high” from contribution that can be generated. That high or energy, like all energy, is transferable! My wellness business is ignited when I support a client or teammate. My energy toward my business and to whom I can contribute is on a higher level after I coach, support, encourage, empower… The gold here then, is to get in action toward your own goal as quickly as you can, after you’ve encouraged someone else. Don’t let the energy transfer to another source. Now, this hack/tool isn’t going to work if you don’t authentically desire to help the other person; choose a person in whom you believe and appreciate.
15. Write your goals down daily.
Like many of this week’s mindset hacks & tools, it’s impossible for me to cite a single source for this one, because just about every coach or mentor will recommend you put your goals in writing. I’ll add to be specific and include a “by when.” Then, coming back to #13, write your goals in the form of affirmations (like they’ve already happened, “I am…”), and put them in spaces in which you spend a lot of time. Good examples include: your nightstand, the bathroom mirror, in your kitchen, in your car, etc. Move them around a bit once a week too, so they don’t just become part of the landscape. With this mindset hack/tool, we’re using our brain in different ways: we’re writing something down, reading it, saying it, and subsequently believing and doing it! Additionally, write your goals in a journal (with boxes in front of them, rather than numbers – Coach Ursula Mentjes) every single day. Like I’ve said before, action must accompany your mindset. Please don’t expect to reach your goals by writing them down if you’re not also in consistent action.
Summary and Call to Action:
Out of these five mindset hacks & tools: 11) what’s the worst that could happen?; 12) don't quit; 13) verbal affirmations; 14) encourage someone else; and 15) write down your goals, choose one or two when reaching your goal(s) or your new year's resolution(s). Thankfully, there's not only one way to do something. Next week, I'll share the last five mindset hacks & tools to support you and your goals!