Mind the Gap
Many of us begin the New Year with resolutions. Common ones include:
losing weight,
exercising more,
improving work/life balance,
and generally being a better person – whatever that means!
Research suggests that we don’t always follow-through with these commitments to self. From a coaching perspective, we would encourage people to explore what might happen if changes are not made and to enlist an accountability partner once a goal is established with a plan to achieve it.
Beyond that, it seems that our general mindset is important to consider. As coaches, we recommend the work of Carol Dweck and her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Our experience supports her research related to two distinct kinds of mindsets. Specifically, a growth mindset allows us to approach work and life with the expectation that we can learn and grow. In contrast, a fixed mindset gets in the way of change since we believe that our limitations are larger than the possibilities.
If you’re struggling with a resolution or commitment …
Consider how you view the likelihood of success.
Perhaps create a phrase or image that represents your goal and how you’ll know you’ve achieved it.
Think of a time or times when you developed a new skill or interest and found it exciting and enjoyable.
Seek out someone with a similar growth mindset and make time to connect to encourage and support each other in your endeavors.
If you find that your mindset is one where you are “set” or fixed in your mind and life, try shifting to one where mind is a verb that means “pay attention to” and apply that to where your actions take you. Make this the year that your resolutions become your reality!
And don’t forget to “Mind the Gap” between your fixed and growth mindset tendencies.
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