Mindset Matters: Never Neglect It!
I work with high achievers.
I work with high achievers. I work with folks who know how to put in serious time and effort. I work with folks who know how to work! That fact is something that inspires me every day. Experiencing that energy and dedication is like being near a warm light. Sometimes it is so intense that it ignites an entire room — even on Zoom! At other times it’s more of a steady glow; a sustaining reminder of that brilliance we carry, and its creative power. But that energy needs to be cared for, cultivated and intentionally directed. Otherwise — BOOM — burnout.
In the face of all that we know about inequity in the workplace, and what it will really take to transform it, there’s still so much that we can do that’s well within our individual power. Whatever goal you’re chasing, and whatever obstacles are in your way, your mindset still matters. It’s undeniable. The power and influence of your mindset cannot be underestimated. Mindset will consistently impact:
How you make decisions
How you plan for the future
How you respond to challenges and obstacles
How you recuperate and recover from high exertion and output
How you resist false limitations imposed on you by others
How you envision real and meaningful success
Whether it’s in group coaching or a one-on-one session, I hear the same sneaky mistake pop up over and over again. As high achievers, or rather as high achievers who know the odds are not strictly in their favor, my clients can focus very intensely on advanced training, professional development, and racking up accolades. But while they’re fixed on constant upskilling, breaking down doors, and trying to prove their professionalism beyond the shadow of a doubt they end up leaving their mindset untended.
Untended is unprotected! Limiting beliefs and negative messages are already all around us. They are pesky on good days, and downright insidious on bad ones. A fleeting brush with any such belief can be enough for it to take root in our minds and start blooming. Now imagine if you’re brushing up against those beliefs every day. Yikes!
You need a strong mindset to fend off the creeping influence of imposter syndrome. You need a strong mindset to bounce back from the daily microaggressions. Most importantly, you need a strong mindset to avoid being derailed from your goals. So, my advice is to approach working on your mindset in the same way that you’d work to close a skill gap. You need to approach it with clarity, consistency, and self-compassion.
First, learn to identify mind trash. Wherever it’s coming from, even if it’s your inner circle, you must recognize and call out negativity, complacency, and false limitations when they pop up. That includes calling out those ideas when they surface in your own head and in your own voice. Sometimes, they’re glaringly obvious. But at other times (and this is the case for most of us) mind trash is recurring, pervasive, and subtle. It’s in our automatic responses, masquerading as our gut feelings and intuition. It’s in the stories we repeat to ourselves about ourselves to keep us small and, subconsciously, sabotage positive developments in our journeys. You must do the work of getting familiar with those stories so that you can be better equipped to shut them right down.
You also have to develop the tools to help you shut them down. It’s one thing to know you’ve got some mind trash laying around. It’s another thing entirely to clean it up. Some tools I really love (and regularly use) are about tracking and reminding myself of who I am, who I can turn to, and what I’ve already accomplished. For you, that might look like keeping a running list of your wins and of milestones that you’re especially proud of. It might also look like phoning a friend to remind you of your goals and potential. If you’re not sure who to call, make a list and ask them! Give them the chance to explicitly opt in to your support squad. Take out the guesswork and the anxiety so you can skip directly to receiving the support that you need, while feeling confident in your squad’s desire to give.
Above all you must be intentional about the beliefs, stories, and images that you engage with. We can’t curate ourselves out of our actual reality — and we shouldn’t try to! Acknowledging exclusion, inequity, and their true emotional and psychological weight is critical to building appropriate and successful strategies for personal and organization transformation. But you must nourish your mindset or that heaviness will 100% take you down. Seek out forward thinking, growth centered, and abundance focused content in the same way you’d seek out seminars, workshops, or degrees. Evaluate that content for its impact and its substance, and then keep looking for more. Don’t just take my word for it. Make these steps part of an active practice, and see the difference it makes.
