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What is Mindset?
91 Plays6 years ago
Mindset is a word I often hear, but rarely do I hear the conversation go deeper than what's at the surface. I think we can do better than just point and attribute 'mindset' with something that usually 'looks' like success, in the catch-all type way. I offer my definition of mindset as a foundation upon which we can have a conversation and examine what mindset development looks like.
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Transcript
Recording Early & Future Plans
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello.
00:00:02
Speaker
All right, so today, I'm actually recording this a day earlier than normal, just because I'll be traveling. And next week will probably have to be a pre-recorded episode.
Exploring Mindset as a Passion
00:00:17
Speaker
But either way, today's episode I would like to, today's episode is a passion of mine. I'll say that. It's something that has been present
00:00:30
Speaker
at varying levels of awareness with me for a very long time, ever since I was a kid.
00:00:40
Speaker
I like diving into the topic. I like trying to explore it. I like looking at how it manifests itself through application and different scenarios. I like having it be a pivot point for people to have one foot of stability and the other of trial.
The Challenges of Discussing Mindset
00:01:06
Speaker
And it's a topic that
00:01:08
Speaker
Is is talked about a lot and that is the topic of mindset Now before I go into it, I just want to I just want to kind of have like a little Disclaimer here one. I'm not a psychologist. I Don't have any sort of letters after my name. I don't claim to have those and I And I don't intend to have them either so I
00:01:36
Speaker
I say that to say, I do not want this episode to be a one-way kind of lecture. I hope you understand that without me even having to say it, but it means something to me to say it, so I'm going to say it. Not dogmatic, certainly not absolute, and I think that the
00:02:02
Speaker
The logistics of the podcast being it's just a monologue, not a dialogue, potentially underserved this topic. So I want to be mindful of that. I want to be aware of that. I'm sensitive to the limitations that this platform
Individual Awareness & Mindset's Value
00:02:20
Speaker
has as it relates to this topic that I'm super passionate about. Not saying that as an excuse, not at all. I just wanna just do my best to frame where I'm coming from to help this be a positive episode. So, mindset, right? It's pretty cool. We're hearing about, we hear a lot of it.
00:02:46
Speaker
don't have to go far to see its use. And it is a topic that is, frankly, it's one that there's a lot of chatter about. And that's good. Anything that's going to
00:03:08
Speaker
potentially raise the awareness of us as individuals is good. That is a good pursuit. I'm not going to try to just be a critic of mindset.
Critiquing Mindset Definitions
00:03:23
Speaker
I'm not going to claim to have all the answers or say that my interpretation of it is the way.
00:03:36
Speaker
But because it is a passion of mine, I think it is my duty and obligation to address it and to talk about it. So here we go. All right. When you hear the word mindset, take like three seconds and think, what is, what do you normally think when you hear the word mindset?
00:04:04
Speaker
Okay. If you're to hear me say something or hear someone else say like, Oh, that person has a, has a strong mindset. What came up? Obviously, I don't know what you thought it would be cool to have the convo, but in my experience and in my opinion,
00:04:29
Speaker
The way I've seen mindset be used, especially recently, is in a singular, sort of all-consuming, all-encompassing type of a use. By that I mean it's something almost that you can point to and label as a characteristic that describes everything.
00:04:57
Speaker
And I think that's wrong. I don't think it's malicious. I just think it's ill-informed and maybe a little juvenile, actually.
00:05:13
Speaker
when I when I hear mindset be used it's always I'm always a little bit of like my ears kind of perk up kind of thing like okay how is it being used and maybe what's its angle kind of thing
00:05:31
Speaker
If we look at mindset of just like, okay, well, if you're saying you're using that in a maybe all encompassing way, like what does it, what does it even mean? You know, what, what is the, like, let's go to the definition. Hey, what, what is, what is, what is the definition state? Ah, that's a little bit of a problem. I think, um,
00:05:53
Speaker
You know, I don't really love the definition. And it's not, again, I'm not a word critic. My literary education is not etymology and everything like that. Like, I'm not Shakespeare. That's just not me. So when we look at the definition or how it's being used,
00:06:21
Speaker
The flaw I see in it, and what I don't really like with it, is that I see it's influenced by a school of thought.
The Need for Actionable Mindset Definitions
00:06:32
Speaker
And I don't know, and I'm sure someone out there can correct me if I'm wrong.
00:06:40
Speaker
I don't know if I've really come across a definition I like that does two things. One is objective and not biased towards a school of thought or an approach. And two is meaningful enough to witness through like a tangible sort of action because
00:07:11
Speaker
mindset I think is often something that we're not talking about it if we're not seeing it and maybe we can see it by like not seeing it kind of thing like like action like a non-action can still be an action.
00:07:26
Speaker
But like no one's walking around with thought bubbles above their heads. And that's where I think that the action piece is super critical or something that I value when I think of mindset or when I work with folks on developing their mindset or whatever.
00:07:47
Speaker
So that's kind of my little bit of a hesitation, a little bit of a beef with a weak definition.
00:07:58
Speaker
You know, so Carol Dweck, she's got a wildly popular book mindset. And her whole thing, just the very abbreviated version is essentially that she says there's two types of mindset, growth mindset, fixed mindset, with growth mindset being better, being ideal for development.
00:08:24
Speaker
for not only like personal pursuits, but you know, raising children and, and everything like that. And essentially the belief is that people can develop their abilities versus their abilities being, you know, carved in stone. And that's, I agree with that. So that there's growth mindset and there's fixed mindset. Okay.
00:08:48
Speaker
that's still using a word that's not really defining it. And I didn't like comb through her book. I've read her book, but I didn't comb through and really try to pick apart or find without just like normal kind of reading and jotting notes down kind of thing.
00:09:08
Speaker
a starting point for the definition. Because I mean, it the cover, the title is called mindset. And just the way my brain works, it's like, I would want to define that fairly early. No, she does. She defines and talks about growth and fixed mindset all the time. But I was like, Where's the actual where's like the first definition? And maybe that's like the military thing. I mean, I don't know.
00:09:36
Speaker
I think It was similar to when I was in grad school and I was taking a class on leadership Yeah, I think it was I don't I forget what the exact course title is leadership and something else And like we never actually defined what leadership was there was like all these examples in these charts and these these
00:09:58
Speaker
uh vignettes or whatnot but like the definition where was it and that's not to say that the definition is like the pinnacle and all else is just less than no but to establish like that starting point or to establish that that objective common ground
00:10:16
Speaker
I think there's tremendous value and utility
Defining Mindset: Self-Communication & Action
00:10:19
Speaker
in having a definition so that we can have We can be aligned on the same sheet of music and have a conversation So I saw something in there. I was like, you know, hey the way the view you adopt for yourself I think that was fairly early on Which yeah, that's fine. That's good. I Think if you were to say hey mindset is the view you adopt for yourself You're there's there's two things going on there. I
00:10:43
Speaker
It's really, it is very general in that it's, it's general in that it, it says, it kind of says everything, but it doesn't really say much. Um, and it, and it, and it lacks that action element. And I think mindset is something that is brought to life through action.
00:11:14
Speaker
It's like, um, well, I'm not going to try and make you more metaphors and whatnot, but okay. So we're talking about definition and I.
00:11:26
Speaker
then was thinking like, well, if you don't like a definition, or if you don't think there is one, what's what's mine? So I asked myself that. And the my definition of mindset is that it is a mode of self communication that drives actions as expressions of inner beliefs.
00:11:51
Speaker
It's a mode of self-communication that drives actions as expressions of inner beliefs. So, without breaking that thing down and spending too, too much time, I would like to address three parts of it. One, mode of self-communication. How you message yourself. You message yourself through
00:12:19
Speaker
what you're thinking, like that dialogue within your head. You message yourself with body language. You message yourself sometimes verbally out loud. Maybe you don't say, Bill, you're feeling really weak today. But if I were like, oh man, I just feel really weak today, that is a form of self messaging.
00:12:43
Speaker
Um, so yeah, self communication that drives action. So if I'm demonstrating weakness in the form of telling myself, I feel weak today or body language that is
00:13:04
Speaker
Categorically weak meaning maybe my posture slouched my voice is really low and just non energetic and lethargic I'm complaining about everything That that self-communication Is going to manifest itself through action that weakness in this case could be a
00:13:33
Speaker
not working out, not being patient in a personal relationship and just assigning blame or, you know, being dismissive of something, not taking responsibility for something that there is or there should, you know, there's an amount of that.
00:13:57
Speaker
And that's, that, that action didn't come from nowhere. It came from the communication, the self communication, the messaging. And those actions are expressions of inner beliefs. Believing that like you're, I'm weak today. Communicated to myself because I believed it and I expressed it.
00:14:28
Speaker
So without like getting too, too into it, just to sort of recap and I, and I did write this down. It's one of the few things I wrote down just cause I wanted to be consistent. Um, yeah, mode of self communication that drives actions as expressions of inner beliefs.
Mindset Versatility & Trainability
00:14:45
Speaker
Here's the thing. I really understand that there can be a chicken and the egg thing going on here. So you message yourself something.
00:14:55
Speaker
You do it, and it represents something from within. You can interrupt that cycle for sure, right? You could message yourself one thing, do the complete opposite, and that expression of your inner belief could be what the action is, or the action could be a facade for what you're really telling yourself. I get it, there's a lot there. Here's where I'm going with it.
00:15:28
Speaker
I strongly believe that mindset is not a singular thing. It's not a singular entity. It is not a one size fits all, all compassing attribute.
00:15:49
Speaker
It is on purpose for sure. And it's flexible, but it's also trainable. Is that a word? Trainable, trainable? We're going to go with it. Trainable through practice, through development.
00:16:11
Speaker
That is a point I think we miss. And that is a point that I think that is a point I know that I work a lot with people on either with on an individual kind of coaching level or, uh, in the, in the, uh, BTE practice. So it's 12 weeks every week. There's a new mindset. And when it's like, what the hell are you talking about? How is there a new mindset every week? Well,
00:16:41
Speaker
because I think that it is, if we look at the definition or my definition of mindset being a form of self-communication that drives actions as expressions of inner beliefs, there is an endless amount of situations. And there is an endless amount of potential actions. And the mindset component is tapping into the inner self
00:17:09
Speaker
and marrying it with action and having this sort of nested approach to living. So I, you know, I just don't think that you could really look and say like mindset is a, is this, this one thing.
00:17:35
Speaker
combination of many things. The issue I think is like, and you've probably heard it, but
00:17:43
Speaker
When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts looking like a nail. That's how I, that's what I want to avoid with mindset development. Um, you want to be, you know, the Swiss army knife or the toolbox or whatever you want to have, not these tricks and not these hacks, but simple, executable, actionable and effective techniques.
00:18:13
Speaker
that come from within so that they're yours, that represent something of you that you can action. In my mind, that's like, that's why mindset is such a powerful thing and such a cool thing to look at and to develop. Don't be a parent.
00:18:43
Speaker
Don't be a damn parrot. Parrots are lame. Reciting someone else's thought is being a parrot. Doing what someone else does because they appear to be something that you want to be or whatever. Parrot. Don't be a parrot. Having the ownership of
00:19:13
Speaker
of mindset coming from within and expressing your inner belief, having the accountability for that, making it individual is the name of the game in my mind. So and so's words aren't gonna matter when the situations are like,
00:19:39
Speaker
dire or really tough or really challenging. Now that's not to say you can't learn or benefit from someone, but like take what they've said, make it yours. Plant that seed, water that seed from within you and have it be unique. And when we look at that,
00:20:02
Speaker
Or when I look at that, I mean, how can something like that possibly be singular? How can that thought, how can that concept possibly be a singular thing? So much to say that so-and-so is a good mindset. Like what does that mean? What does that mean? You know, how do you develop and employ different mindsets?
00:20:31
Speaker
That is an important thing to look at without even answering that question. Forget about even answering that question. How do I develop and employ a different mindsets within myself? Do you think that that question is able to be executed in action? That's what you, that's what I would, I would challenge the thought to start with.
00:20:55
Speaker
Because if you can, if you can agree to say like, all right, I can develop and employ these different things. I can use these different mindsets at the appropriate times in different situations. Yes. Then you are, then you are well beyond this singular notion of mindset. So how do you do it?
Developing Multiple Mindsets
00:21:21
Speaker
I would start with awareness.
00:21:25
Speaker
awareness of a couple things. One, that there's multiple mindsets. That there's honestly like endless mindsets. Now you don't want to have it, you know, be like the, the, um, what was that library system? The, the, the card catalog thing? Like we're not doing that, but just that there are different mindsets, mindset variety. The awareness that they, that those,
00:21:54
Speaker
existing can be developed as well as awareness of when a situation might call for a specific type of mindset because if you if you don't have that awareness or you don't or you're not actively working on that then
00:22:14
Speaker
You're the hammer and everything is a nail. And I'm not trying to get all macho on this one, like enough. The one approach, the broken record player, lame, not effective. So awareness is a big part. And I don't have the answer for that. It's yours. It's yours to explore.
Real-Life Application of Mindset Concepts
00:22:43
Speaker
in the exploration practice developing practice formulating practice thinking in this situation what mindset would be appropriate right now what action do I want to have is an expression of an inner belief
00:23:08
Speaker
And how am I going to communicate, am I going to be able to communicate that to myself? Asking myself the question, that's the self communication. So I'll give you an example. Literally 25 minutes ago, we've been recording for 23 minutes, but 20, probably 26 minutes ago, Kay texted me something about the journals.
00:23:28
Speaker
And like, I got pissed off. I was gonna go to the gym, it was gonna work out, I was gonna bring the journals there, I was gonna like, you know, whatever, hang out with people and drop people off, some journals. And she's texting me something. And I like, I immediately saw it and was like, see, I should have gone. She's screwing it up. And
00:23:46
Speaker
This is why, you know, this is why I blah, blah, blah, just like reinforced my own defenses. And they were all bullshit, really. And I'm like, wow, man, like you're here fixing. I was actually in the middle of beginning of recording and the dogs and there's a bunch of other noises going on. So I stopped it. But anyway, I was like, you're recording some sort of mindset. How about you fucking take a pill of your own medicine? So I asked myself, like,
00:24:15
Speaker
What actions with her do I want to express how I feel about her? And it was like, whoa, right away holster your weapon, disarm yourself. And in doing so, give yourself the opportunity to have that authentic inner belief, that authentic inner self be expressed.
00:24:44
Speaker
said about the chicken and the egg thing before, that is a way to avoid the chicken or the egg thing. Because then that action, I can look at it and I can say that's where it came from. It came from that awareness, the awareness of how I was communicating to myself, how I didn't want to communicate to her, what really is deep down in there, and how I want to action.
00:25:10
Speaker
Because they were both right. They were both right. That's the thing. I was definitely right when I was thinking, this is why I was going to go, blah, blah, blah, all the BS. And I'm also right with saying, I don't want to treat my wife who's just helping me out or has a bunch of stuff going on herself. I don't want to treat her like that's not how I feel. So it provides a little bit of that starting point.
Journaling for Mindset Development
00:25:41
Speaker
for then a good launching platform for that action. Now we'll see in the AAR if it actually works.
00:25:53
Speaker
We'll see. Um, I will tell her, Hey, by the way, did I like, uh, how did I come off when we're on the phone? And, uh, I'm sure she'll, she'll, she'll not, he won't shy away from telling me how she feels on that one. So that's good. Um, but I, I brought that up to, to highlight an example and practicing. So I wanted to practice a compassionate, a patient, a non angry mindset.
00:26:22
Speaker
Now, is that gonna be like, is that gonna be something that I'm gonna write down and be like, okay, I'm gonna, what am I gonna do to develop this and build it out? Like, no, probably not. Now, attributes, right? Like compassion and patience and whatnot. Like, yeah, for sure. That's something that I do wanna continue to develop and the mindset approach in doing so.
00:26:48
Speaker
And with the definition that it is a mode of self-communication that drives actions as expressions of inner beliefs. It lends itself to moving you from want to execute. Because I could want to be patient and compassionate and not be nasty. I could want all I want. But if I don't do anything about it, then who cares?
00:27:19
Speaker
worthless. So practice, great way to practice, by the way, journaling. Great way to practice, it'll raising that awareness, writing it out, writing out what you're, you know, what you're thinking, like right in that moment. Yeah.
Engaging in Mindset Courses & Personal Growth
00:27:45
Speaker
Alright, so
00:27:49
Speaker
That is my initial run on mindset, the topic of mindset, mindset variety.
00:27:59
Speaker
man, I would love, this would be a cool one to, well, I'm not drinking right now, but this would be a cool one to just sit around the table, I mean, I guess coffee's fine, and just get into, I would love that. Because it's fun, it's a good time, and I think anything that you approach with passion is just awesome.
00:28:20
Speaker
Would really like for that to be the case? Unfortunately, it's not I hope it was Something that you can think about literally but something you can also action and execute and like I said if the if you do want to if you want to engage further and chat and and You know, let me know or what you think what your experiences are or whatever, you know open ears over here you can you can
00:28:50
Speaker
reach me on instagram at bill anthies as well as at between the ears btw n the ears you can also send me an email if you're uh if you want to do that bill at btw n the ears dot com and if you are fired up
00:29:16
Speaker
ready to tackle mindset, mindset development and mindset varieties. The between ears practice is up your alley. That's what that's what it's a major intention of it. The primary intention of it is for and again, making it yours, not mine.
00:29:37
Speaker
So it's 12 weeks 12 weeks self development kind of personal development mindset development course you do it on your own Each week. There's a workout. There's a mindset topic and then there's the awareness practice, which is the form of journaling so That is where I would that that is that is what I would start with I
00:30:02
Speaker
currently it's not available. I'm making it better for people. Once I get back from a trip, I will be finalizing and releasing the between years app. So that will house that. And yeah, it'll be it'll be cool. I'll probably do
00:30:20
Speaker
Maybe do a full podcast. I don't know. But anyway, that is the way in or a way rather in which if you liked kind of what we're what we're chatting about here You can action that and take it forward talk the results of folks doing or the experiences rather of folks has been amazing to bear witness to it's been humbling it's been inspiring and
00:30:44
Speaker
It's been invigorating. And yeah, it's fired me up.
Future Outlook on Mindset Development
00:30:49
Speaker
And I'm looking forward to finishing, hopefully by the end of the month, finishing the between years practice 2.0. So 1.0 is up, it's ready to release once the app is is done. And then, you know, 2.0 is coming up shortly after that. So anyways, guys, that's what I've got. Thanks for thanks for hanging around.
00:31:12
Speaker
I look forward to maybe chatting with some folks further if you want. I know it's always there. And yeah, keep up the good work. Anyway, I'll chat with you the next week. All right, bye.