Your subconscious controls 95% of your thoughts. This would lead many to believe that we are at the mercy of our minds; however, that is not necessarily the case. With proper practice we can control our subconscious and in turn can dictate every thought. We are able to wire our brains for success and, when done properly, leaders can help employees achieve the same.
As more and more stressors are added to the day-to-day lives of employees, it is important to be able to overcome the mindset of not being able to reach goals. This is when mindset training comes into play. Mindset training is becoming aware of negative thoughts and focusing your mind away from them. By diverting your mind away from the negative and focusing on the positive, goals seem more realistic and easier to reach.
Here is how to train a mindset:
Step 1: Realize what the negative is. Whether this is an excuse, fear, or criticism, you must acknowledge it in order to change it.
Step 2: Think of a positive mindset for what you want to achieve in an active way. For example, if the negative thought is "I am a bad cook", the positive mindset would be "I am becoming a better cook with every recipe I try".
Step 3: You must identify when the negative mindset is sparked. For our example, this would be when you are about to prepare a meal or when watching a chef on TV.
Step 4: Actively focus on thinking in the positive mindset. This is the hardest part but by determining what sparks the negative mindset, you are able to prepare to "turn off" the negative mindset before it begins and focus on the positive.
Step 4 will be consciously repeated until it becomes second nature, no longer actively thinking of it. At this point, it becomes a part of your subconscious and you have successfully trained your mindset.
Why is mindset training important for leaders? By allowing yourself to feel your emotions and focus on your thoughts it leads to understanding. Understanding then leads to overcoming the barriers that prevent you from reaching your goals. The phrase "you are your biggest challenge" doesn't have to be true. Mindset training does more than remove a bad habit, it puts you in a growth mindset. A growth mindset is key to success, it places your mind in a position of development.
Once mindset training is mastered and a growth mindset is achieved it can be taught to others. This is relevant because a part of being a leader is helping your team develop. Helping employees with mindset training is a fantastic way to invest in them. Not only does it show the value held in employees, but it also improves the company in the long run. Creating a company-wide growth mindset will help ensure that your company evolves with the times.
This practice is not meant to come easily, so it is important to be resilient when working towards a growth mindset. Start practicing mindset training on a small scale and work up to larger changes. With time and proper effort, it will come naturally.