MIND YOUR OWN MINDSET
Let’s talk about mindset. I know, I know, coaches everywhere talk about and focus on mindset…and for good reason. Most of the things we struggle with can be boiled down to how we think about them.
I worked with a fitness and nutrition coach several years ago and rarely did we discuss the specifics of the weekly meal plan or why a certain exercise should or should not be done. I’d guess that about 90% of our time together was spent discussing my thoughts around body image, weight loss, the psychology of cravings, etc. The focus was on my mindset around being healthy and committing to my weight loss and fitness goals.
Communication is all about mindset. Mindset is often influenced by fear – fear of the unknown, the unfamiliar, and the unforeseeable. When I coach a client about their communication, it isn’t all talk about grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. While those things are super important (and I am totally up for geeking out over them), they are a very small piece of the communication puzzle. Your MINDSET is most of that puzzle, so we focus on that more than anything.
You might be thinking, “How is my mindset affecting my communication?” Let me ask you a question. Have you ever attended a lecture, seminar, workshop, or similar event where there is a Q & A period? If you have, have you had a question burning inside you that you really wanted to ask but didn’t have the courage to stand up and ask it? And even worse, after the event was over, you said to yourself, “man, I should have just asked that question.”
That is a mindset block. I am as guilty of this as you are, that is why I know that it is one of the biggest mental obstacles to work around. We fear that if we ask our question, we will be stared at, laughed at, or worse, not taken seriously. Let me say this loudly in case you’re not listening: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION. For some reason, we humans have developed a sense of not-enough-ness when we don’t know something. But how will you ever know things if you don’t ask the questions? Be brave, ask your questions, seek the information you need without fear of how others will perceive your questions!
Fear is a fickle foe. It stops us from doing all kinds of things. Now, some of these things are good – I would hope that you look both ways before crossing the street due to fear of getting smashed by a car. This is a great time to listen to your fear! But when you let your fear prevent you from seeking knowledge, improving yourself, or contributing to the world, it acts as a constraint and will stifle your progress.
Anytime you try something new or different in your business, especially in your communication strategy, it is okay to be afraid of the outcome. It is okay to think, what if this doesn’t work? How will I pivot if it doesn’t work. However, these questions have your brain living in defensive mode. Your mindset will limit you to expect those negative results if you focus on them.
Instead, I’d like you get your brain into offensive mode and try reframing those thoughts. Here are 3 ways to re-phrase those thoughts that can wildly transform your mindset and the results you realize through your actions:
- How amazing will it be if this works out as I envision it?
- Will I need to adjust what I’m doing when I achieve this goal?
- What if I DO succeed? What does that look and feel like?
So often we make a “plan B”, as an alternative to things not working out. I want to challenge you to think of “plan B” as “plan A, continued” and focus on your success rather than your failure.
The way we communicate is directly tied to our mindset around communicating. If we are timid and nervous around people, our communication style will reflect that. If we are confident around people, our communication style will follow suit. This also applies to the way you talk to yourself, but that is a post for another time! As a business owner, you must work on your mindset to ensure that your head is in the game and your fear stays on the sidelines.
Remember, humans are spectacularly good at self-fulfilling prophesying. If you tell yourself you will fail, guess what? You will. But if you start telling yourself that you can and will succeed, you will do that instead! It might not be easy, and success will likely look far different than you imagine it at the beginning, but that is what makes it so amazing!
Thanks for stopping by! If you need some mindset work, have questions about your communication skills and strategies, or just need a new ear to listen to your business goals and fears, you have come to the right place! I currently have openings for new coaching clients, and I would love to help you overcome your mindset and communication hurdles! Head on over to my resources page to book a FREE call, download my communication guide, get on my email list, connect on social media, or enroll in my services!
I hope to see you soon!
Ciao for now!