Everything you do as a leader begins with your mindset. It defines how you look at the world, your behavior and what will distinguish you amongst your competition.

Your mindset, which is defined as the established set of attitudes held by someone, is not set in stone, even though it can feel that way sometimes. Changing your mindset is a process that requires you to confront your most deeply held beliefs and ideas about yourself, your organization, and the world around you.

So, where should you begin with the process? Just like athletes who prepare and train for their sport, let us start by looking at the habits and routines that shape your performance. 

Awareness, Intention, Purpose & Focus – Building Positive Habits for a Positive Mindset

For most people, life is made up of a series of subconscious and conscious habits and routines. Some people will follow a similar routine every day which consists of waking up at the exact same time, and then prepare for their workday at home or in their office. Off they go, performing the same routine and habits as they ponder what needs to get accomplished in that given day.  

Sounds normal, right? Well, it is, except for the part where our subconscious thoughts take over and we feed ourselves a combination of positive and negative thoughts.

What happens when you allow negative thoughts into your conscious mind? You start to believe them if you do not take hold of your thinking and mindset. Or when feelings of overwhelm and stress take over, guess what happens? You might become stressed and feel overwhelmed and that is the energy you bring into your day which limits your ability to perform at your best.

Imagine a professional football player who has not taken the time for the mental preparation involved in winning the game. Notice I said winning, not just preparing to play the game. How effective do you think they are going to be? What if the subconscious thoughts that are bouncing around in their mind are negative? They may begin to feel how tired they are, feel frustrated about not spending enough time with their family, etc. On and on the thoughts go, taking over their mindset and eventually their physical being. The result? They will more than likely feel exhausted before the game begins.

The same can be said about you as a leader in business. What are you doing to prepare yourself so that you “show up” in an influential and empowering way?  

If you are consistently practicing a winning routine that helps you deliver results, that is amazing. Keep up the great work! If you feel somewhat stuck with beliefs and thoughts that are crippling your performance, it is vital that you check your mindset and make sure it serves you in the most positive way possible. 

Our human brain is a muscle. Similar to how we exercise other muscles in our bodies, we need to complete the necessary mental preparation and exercises to maintain a positive and productive mindset.

Let’s explore some healthy habits that you can incorporate into your daily routine to train your brain and encourage positive thinking so you can perform like a corporate rock star. 

Positive Affirmations

Your mind is like an engine that is fueled by your thoughts, and those thoughts can take on harsh, negative, and judgmental qualities if you are not in control of your thinking. You can take control by practicing positive affirmations. 

It is simple. Just repeat positive, affirming messages to yourself before you start your day or throughout your day. You can also keep a journal and write them down every day so you can start to identify patterns in your routine. Your messages do not need to be profound. What really matters is that they are aligned with your values and goals.

Here are a few examples: 

• I am worthy of success. 
• I am a skilled communicator.
• I deserve happiness. 
• I am positive and kind.
• I lead by example.

These are all positive examples of the types of affirmations that can help shift your thinking and mindset into a more self-aware and productive headspace.

 Practice Positive Visualization

Do you often find yourself strategizing by envisioning the absolute worst-case scenario? Understand that by doing so you are putting yourself in danger of hardening your mindset in a negative mold and setting yourself up for disappointment, potentially even failure.

Spend some time thinking about your goals and envisioning yourself achieving those goals. Positive thinking breeds positive outcomes. Therefore, we can influence and manifest our reality and desired outcomes. 

Is there an organizational problem that has been difficult to solve? Picture yourself finding a solution. Do you find yourself in the middle of an especially taxing project? Envision your team completing it successfully.

World-class athletes have been using positive visualization techniques for decades to enhance their physical training and performance. Skiers picture themselves slashing down the mountain with perfect form; golfers see themselves making the perfect putt; basketball players picture their shots going through the hoop. What do they all have in common? They all envision nothing but success and that is what they receive in return.

Write it Down

Journaling lets you see your mindset from the outside, giving you the power to shift it closer to where it needs to be.

As busy leaders, our minds are constantly swimming in thoughts, ideas, plans and goals. Part of your job is to stay mentally focused by using your ability to compartmentalize and deal with one issue at a time. But when your mind starts to overflow, it can impact your thinking in negative, unproductive ways. That is why we recommend journaling – it acts a release valve for the overflow. Plus it gives you a new perspective on the patterns that define your life and leadership. Write down your thoughts and keep notes on the types of interactions you are having.

Most importantly, journaling gives you a unique ability to reckon with the things in your life that are creating stress or weighing heavily on your thoughts. By dealing with these issues through journaling, you become more aware of your mindset patterns and outcomes, which allows you to make different choices going forward that can have a profound impact on your day-to-day life and performance.

Talk it Out

If you find yourself in a negative headspace, then talk it out with someone you trust. Journaling, practicing affirmations and visualization can help you work through your thoughts. What I find to be the most impactful is talking it out with someone who has your back and will act in your best interests. My inner circle is my lifeline, and I call upon the key players when necessary to help me stay focused and grounded.  

Engaging in productive, open, and honest dialog with a trusted individual allows you to work out your thoughts in ways that are not possible when you are wrestling with them alone. Plus, it gives you the chance to hit the reset button and prevent yourself from taking the negative thoughts and negative energy into your day.

If you are like me, having deep, meaningful conversations is a huge stress reliever and mindset shifter. These interactions can offer meaning to a world that might otherwise seem hard to understand at times, so it is critical for you to seek out confidantes with whom you can carry out engaging, mutually beneficial two-way discussions.

‍You Have the Power to Shift Your Mindset!

As a leader, your mindset will determine your success and the success of your team. Your mindset drives your behavior and actions, and if you are not showing up in a meaningful and positive way, just imagine the downstream impact that will have on those around you. So, if you find yourself with a mindset that focuses on the negative, that is what you can expect the outcome to be – negative. If you aim for the ditch, that is where you end up, so take back control of your mindset through awareness and impactful habits that will enable you to perform like a corporate super star.  

‍What About You?

What habits help you keep your mindset in a positive place? Have you noticed any negative thinking patterns that have contributed to an unproductive mindset and outcomes? What mindset-shifting techniques have you tried in the past? Please share your thoughts. We would love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out to me directly. I would love to chat with you in more detail. Call me at 1.855.871.3374 or email me at joanne.trotta@leadersedgeinc.ca.