Maybe it was the "Can Can Cups," two tin Chock full o'Nuts containers with strings attached that we walked with under our feet, like stilts, whenever we were heard muttering "I CAN'T!" in junior high gym class.
Maybe it was the experience in high school at Hugh O' Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) where every morning we responded to, "How are you?" by shouting, "OUTSTANDING!" while making a big "O" with our arms.
Maybe it was being trained by my long-time mentor on innovative thinking and the importance of starting with the question, "How MIGHT we..."
Maybe it was SHIFT, where Joe Mechlinski, spoke on stage at one our our client's national conferences and proclaimed that instead of saying to ourselves that "we HAVE to go to work" that we "GET TO go to work, we GET TO be challenged, and we GET TO enjoy our lives!"
Or, maybe it's the rolling snowball of ALL of these experiences that have conditioned me time and time again to look for opportunity and gratitude.
We all know someone who is constantly saying, "I can't," "The worst things always happen to me," "That's just my luck," or, "This is going to be terrible." And you know what? That person is always right.
Don’t get me wrong, I have my fair share of moments where I experience doubt, fear, and uncertainty, as well as times when I just "don’t really feel like it." I am far from being immune to the aforementioned, however, I much prefer freedom of choice for how I'm going to approach whatever it is. For example, if I'm going into a high-pressure situation, if I am already committed to taking on a project I’m not a fan of, or being asked to interact with someone that I find challenging, I think to myself: why not leverage this POWER of MINDSET to create energy instead of zapping it?
This way of thinking is foundational to our "Achievement Model."
Think back to a person who often says, "the worst always happens to me.” If they are focusing on the results or the execution of the process and tactics in a begrudging way, do you think they'll be able to do it consistently and with the highest levels of performance? I think not!
It's the foundation of MINDSET that must be in place to ensure that a person can be successful time and time again.
Mindset presence and ultimately, a mindset shift is what we after at SHIFT. We want to see a day where every single person will wake up asking "What do I GET TO do today?” or, "What do I appreciate about this person/project/organization?" or, "How can this be the best experience possible?" It's powerful—and we know individuals will strive to find themselves in situations where answering these questions becomes easier and easier.
Do you want to join our movement? You, too, can apply the Achievement Model concept to your own life with three simple questions. Ask yourself:
- What five results matter MOST in my life (inside and outside of work)?
- What processes and tactics will I STOP, START, and SHIFT to achieve those results?
Sometimes, it's not about adding new activities or habits. There may be things you're doing now that you need to only adjust slightly or stop doing all together to increase your ability to achieve great results. - What mindset am I committing to?
Commit to a mindset for guidance through the highs and lows of life. Remove "can't" from your vocabulary. Instead of saying you "have to," try adopting the mantra that you "get to." Purposefully shift your mindset to be rooted and abundant in appreciation, curiosity, and learning.
Are you going to live your life by default or design? The choice is YOURS!
Ready to Shift?
Lifelong learners become tomorrow’s strongest leaders. Let’s dive deeper, together, during an upcoming SHIFT training session.
Topics are rooted in psychology and span the entire employee engagement spectrum from work-life integration, performance management, onboarding, neuroscience, and effective leadership. Register now to plant the seeds of growth — for yourself and your organization.
