20 Mindset Hacks & Tools as We Head into the New Year (Series Two: 6-10)
Updated: Jan 13, 2020
As we head into the new year and new year's resolutions, I'm excited to share week 2 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'll be sharing 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.
Call to Action:
This week, 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!
6. What you truly believe matters.
Belief is everything. Now, you must also take action, but if you truly believe that your action steps will lead you to your goal, you’re much more likely to meet or even exceed your goal(s). In the next couple weeks, I’ll give a few tips on increasing your belief. For now, draw your awareness to any self-talk (see number 10 below), habits, and ways of thinking in terms of the belief you have in yourself and your ability to reach your goal(s).
7. Start with WHY you want/need something.
Simon Sinek says people are inspired by a sense of motive or purpose… the WHY behind their goal. When I’m working with someone who wants to lose weight, I ask them a series of questions until I get to what we call their “Burning WHY.” Initially, they may want to lose weight so they look better and feel better (which may increase their quality of life, don’t get me wrong). But sometimes, the WHY turns into something more life-changing: I want to live longer than my parents did, I want to be a present and energetic parent/grandparent, or I want to prove to myself that I can do this. When I’m working with a teammate who’s working my business too, they might initially like another $500 for miscellaneous extras, or another $1,000/month to pay off debt. But when we get to their Burning WHY, the WHY that makes them cry, maybe they realize they want to take their first family vacation in 5 years, send their child to summer camp for the first time, or even retire themselves or their spouse from a stressful corporate job like I did. When you’ve identified your Burning WHY, and revisit it frequently, you’re much less likely to quit. Even when things get tough, your Burning WHY is more important than any challenge you face along the way.
Source: Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why
8. Many people are afraid of success because it’s unknown and unfamiliar.
These people are used to things a certain way, so they may self-sabotage, reverting back to where it’s safe/known - albeit undesirable. By using other mindset tools as well, even just acknowledging that you might be in this space, may offer some freedom and possibility. I’ve seen it before, where someone wants to get healthy, they may even start to see results, and then they back track and revert to the old ways of their (unhealthy) comfort zone, simple because it’s familiar. The good news about this mindset hack, is once someone realizes they’ve been in this space, again with the help of some other mindset hacks & tools, many times it’s (simply) consistent courage that brings them to the other side. Comfort zones can seem impenetrable. But often they’re self-made and can therefore be self-recreated over and over again, until there’s less fear and more goals being met! Commit to being courageous and open to growing along the way, as you continue to push the zone of comfort and head into unfamiliar places, until your success in reaching your goal is your new familiar place.
Source: Business Coach, Jim Earley
9. Who you surround yourself with matters.
If you surround yourself with people who believe in you, challenge you, respect you, and make you laugh, you’re more likely to achieve your goals. Personally, it was very unlikely that I was going to build my Isagenix network marketing business to the level of success I wanted, if I continued to be a paralegal. Not just because of the time it took me away from the business I love, but because it was often-times a very stressful and negative environment. Thankfully, I have a pretty supportive family, friend-group, and a very supportive husband. But I also read a lot, participate in seminars, connect with my team and leaders in my company. That’s why I’m able to write this blog series, because I continuously surround myself with people who are up to big things, growing, and honing in on our mindset! I’m building a multi-million-dollar business. I’m not there yet, but I know that who I listen to and spend time with matters along the way.
The second part of this mindset hack is actually being open and learning from the belief-filled, respectful, jovial people in your life that will challenge you. And if those people aren’t readily available to you, find them. Join an in-person or virtual group of people that are really up to something or committed to reaching a similar goal. Even joining a group of people with similar interests (gardening, faith, labradoodles) might be a simple start. Other than my Isagenix team, one of the first groups I connected with was the Landmark Worldwide community (where I learned the distinction of facts v. stories that I shared in week one of this series). All this said, know that you may find as you develop into the person that reaches their goal(s), you’ll naturally attract the same types of people, and perhaps grow more distant from the people in your life who don’t have these supportive qualities or goals-mindset.
10. Self-Talk.
How we speak to ourselves is a sub-part of our belief in ourselves. When it comes to reaching goals, consider speaking to yourself in the way you’d speak to your child, your friend, someone you care for and believe in. What we say to ourselves is related to how we feel and what we believe. If you find that you speak poorly or are down on yourself, speaking to yourself as if you’re someone else you love may be a helpful technique. And like many things, it’s a habit. It may just be a habit that you speak to yourself in a negative, unbelieving manner. Bring your awareness to this space and commit to speaking to yourself differently… 5 then 10 then 20 times a day! There is truly no point in negative self-talk, but for many the habit is automatic. Speak in an encouraging, loving, positive way; believe in yourself!
Summary and Call to Action:
Out of these five mindset hacks & tools: 1) believe in yourself; 2) know your Burning WHY; 3) don’t let fear of the unknown or unfamiliar stop you; 4) who you surround yourself with matters; and 5) self-talk, 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. In the next couple weeks, I'll be sharing 10 more mindset hacks & tools to support you and your goals!
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