What:
Your mind and your brain
Consider the difference between your brain and your mind. Your brain is the hardware of your internal personal computer, your internal processor, and your mind is its software. We need the brain to run the software, but each of us uses a different and unique software program. And this software – the mind – controls (often unconsciously) how we live in the world. And at any given moment, how the mind is running its software programme determines what we now call our mindset.
The brain is a completely fixed item; the mind is not. And the brain will run whatever software it is given. In that sense, the brain is servant of the mind: it will operate whatever software program is provided. So if we can decide, can choose, what mindset we want – what program we want the brain to run – the brain can respond.
Thoughts, feelings, and beliefs
The mind consists of three separate but linked components: thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
Thoughts are the way we think about things, and of the three, is often the most conscious; many of us are aware of the thoughts we are having, or what we are thinking, about a particular experience.
Feelings are the centerpiece of our emotions. Again, we are often aware of our feelings, but not always. They are a significant influence on our mood.
Beliefs also include the attitude we have and the assumptions we make. They are potentially the most important of the three components for two reasons. Firstly, we are usually less conscious of them than thoughts or feelings, and if we are unconscious of them, they are, of course, impossible to change. Secondly, they tend to be the primary influence on our thoughts and feelings; suppose you have a prejudicial belief about someone. That belief is likely to drive how you think about that person and how you feel about that person. So, crucially, you may have to change your opinion to have different thoughts and feelings.
The relationship between all three is complex and intertwined. For example:
- A single thought can generate a feeling that becomes a belief.
- a surface can create a persistent idea, which becomes a belief.
- an idea can develop lasting thoughts and feelings.
Although the relationship can be completely flexible (A)
It is often linear (B)
(img: https://effectivelearning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/etd/shared/thoughts-feelings-beliefs.png)
And together, the power of each, and the combination of all three, determine anyone’s mindset – at any moment in time, over the longer term, and potentially, forever.
Why:
Why does mindset matter?
The mind, and therefore the mindset at any point in time, is the mothership of who you are and how you act in, and relate to, your world. Your set of beliefs, thoughts, and feelings dominate your emotions, moods, attitude, and behaviors. They strongly determine your sense of self – your identity and all those self-words, such as self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence. They also shape the understanding of the world you live in – your reality. So, two people who objectively live in the same world and go through the same experience will respond to it differently, mainly because of their different mindsets.
Other factors indeed come into play, such as skills, health, and luck – but often, these are the consequences of personal and individual beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. For example, you may be lucky according in part to how adventurous you are or how you define ‘luck’: both are mindset outcomes. Or your health may itself be an outcome of the combination of your thoughts and feelings about a hospital.
So your mindset – that combination of beliefs, thoughts, and feelings largely determines your actions and behaviours. In other words, your attitude – your internal self – dominates how you present yourself – your external self.
How:
How to change and maintain your mindset
Clearly, mindset matters, and growth mindset training is a critical component of professional development. A good case can be made that it is, for everyone, their single most important quality or characteristic. If your mindset determines your sense of, and comfort with, self and how you operate in the world, then having a positive attitude is crucial – and ought not to be left to chance.
So here are some ways in which you might develop and maintain a positive mindset:
- Become more self-aware: be aware of your internal beliefs, thoughts, and feelings and their source. What are the triggers that produce them? In particular, see if you can identify any of which, until now, you were unaware of. Ways to do that might include:
- Asking for feedback.
- Being (more) prepared to listen to, accommodate, and accept alternative points of view. It can be beneficial to identify someone you admire and respect – and check if they have the same mindset as you.
- Seek and try out new beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. Give yourself some new and fresh mindset options, wear them, try them out, see how they feel, and if they make any difference.
- Identify then challenge any negative beliefs: since beliefs are themselves primary triggers of thoughts and feelings, it is imperative to know what they are and challenge them. Two key ways to do that are:
- Check to see if what you regard as a truth is, in fact, a belief: a a truth is objective, provable, and fixed; a belief is subjective, not provable, and can be changed.
- Consider the impact a change in your beliefs would have on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. If such a change would be beneficial, then change your opinion.
- Challenge and change unhelpful habits: a crucial element of any practice is that it is unconscious and difficult to recognize and control. And a pattern can create or reinforce a belief – for example, you may have an idea about who you are simply because you have developed a habit that makes you behave in that way. So take some time out to identify as many of your habits as you can, then see if they help or hinder your mindset.
