Mindset before all else!

A mindset checklist

Today I wanted to write a blog discussing the concept of ‘mindset.’

mindset

/ˈmʌɪn(d)sɛt/

the established set of attitudes held by someone.

The word ‘mindset’ is thrown around a lot. Truth be told, everyone has their own individual mindset, or set of attitudes towards something or even someone.

I have seen many courses which sell on building a ‘bulletproof’ mindset or becoming ‘unbreakable’ or sell on specific words such as ‘discipline’, or ‘resilience.’  We do not push such things here at Semester, but we do believe on applying daily work to developing your mindset. It is a key part of Personal Growth.

For example, within our Personal Growth handbook we talk of developing a ‘growth’ mindset as opposed to a ‘fixed’, or a ‘solution’ based mindset as opposed to a ‘problem’ focused. These are shifts in your mindset which are going to massively help you gain better results.

The concepts I speak about often come down to changing an outlook, or a perception, or a thought process towards something, which is ultimately changing your mindset or your attitude towards something. Our mindset is essentially our world view. As I always say… not every single concept will work for you, but it is about trying to discover what does and then applying such changes. It is about seeking continuous growth.

It is hard to simplify a topic such as mindset due to its complex nature and how it can be applied to so many different areas, however, I did see a post one day from Brendon Buchard which categorised numerous mindsets and I felt it was a great way to summarise different ‘styles of thinking’ which I wanted to expand on as I think they can be of value to you.

‘Ownership mindset’ – Here Brendon explained that ‘you are the CEO of your life.’ You own your attitude, reactions, and behaviour. This is essentially the opposite to the ‘victim mentality’ which unfortunately limits you! If you reject any type of responsibility for your life it is going to make change difficult. This mindset is not easy! However, put simply, when you look at yourself for taking responsibility for change this is when you will be most empowered! Ask yourself?

What more can I be doing to bring me closer to my goals?

What more can I be doing to take hold of my emotions and my wellbeing?

The Semester Student Planner has an area at the start dedicated to setting goals. You can start taking ownership immediately.

‘Mastery Mindset’ – Here Brendon described putting an emphasis on skill building and to not get discouraged when learning or failing. I personally do not like the word ‘mastery’ as I do not feel we ever truly reach mastery because there is always room to improve. This is the ‘growth’ mindset we talk about in our personal growth handbook. This relates to seeing everything as an opportunity for growth, challenges are opportunities to expand your mind, failure is an opportunity to learn, it is about maximising your potential. You can apply such a mindset daily but seeking to learn more about yourself, learning new knowledge, immersing yourself in this field. You can also apply daily learning. Read and broaden your knowledge. Check out our free downloadable resource with a list of great reading material in personal growth.

Gratitude Mindset – Brendon describes this mindset as pausing to appreciate remarkable blessings of your life or showing appreciation for your loved ones. We talk about gratitude a lot, but I have never referred to is as a particular mindset, which it is. For me, such a mindset is shifting your focus ‘to look for the good’, even on those days! A great way to start shifting your focus to look at the good is to write your ‘daily wins’, this is a tool included within the Semester Student Planner which purposely directs you to look for the good. You will always find something good when you take enough time to look for it.

Role model mindset – Brendon described this as the influence you have on others. This is powerful and something we don’t always see.

Here at Semester, we always say there is a fine line between advice and preaching. The truth is when it comes to change, it always fundamentally comes down to whether that person wants to make the change (ownership mindset). However, there is no denying that leading by example is not going to go a miss.

. How can we encourage you to work on your personal growth daily if we are not doing the same ourselves?

Paul Mort often says, ‘show them not tell them’ Or ‘be a lighthouse not a tugboat’ and this simply refers to leading by example.

Think about how you can apply this mindset to your life.

Who can you show up for today?

Who do you want to serve?

At this stage I feel there is little else I can add to this list. However, I will conclude by saying that your ‘mindset’ or your ‘established set of attitudes’ is going to seriously affect your wellbeing. It is going to affect how you show up each day.

You are going to have bad days! I still have many of them! You simply cannot be 100% all of the time. However, start thinking about how you can adopt some of these ‘styles of thinking’ and see if they can better serve you.

As always, if you get value from this please share your journey with us! Lead by example!

#Let’s grow together

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