Guest Editor – By Chris Platanos
Whatever we focus on expands in our lives
As training and development professionals, we recognize the importance of mindset across various aspects of our work, including training and interactions with our teams. Focusing on our mindset allows us to show up with increased intentionality and presence.
Whatever we focus on expands in our lives.
When we focus on our mindset, this energy not only influences how we show up, but positively impacts individuals and teams we serve. We are either rolling a “snowball” (energy) downhill, creating momentum, or uphill, which hinders our impact. Even the most well designed workshop is completely influenced by the energy and mindset we bring to it.
I hope this article provides space for some additional introspection on not only the importance of mindset, but on the opportunities to cultivate it in our professional and personal lives.
The Cultivation Mindset
- Cultivate a Growth Mindset: Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Shift your perspective from seeking validation to valuing the process of improvement.
- Practice Mindfulness: Whatever we practice expands in our lives. Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine. Take moments to be present, whether through meditation, stillness or deep breathing. When the mind wanders, which it will, smile and come back to the breath. Consistency > intensity.
- Challenge Limiting Beliefs: Identify and challenge limiting beliefs that may be holding you back. Replace them with empowering and positive affirmations to reshape your mindset. Consider incorporating journaling into your practice.
- Seek Learning Opportunities: Embrace a continuous learning mindset. Whether personally or professionally, see every experience as a chance to acquire new knowledge and skills.
- Surround Yourself With Positivity: Whatever we focus our attention on expands in our lives. Engage with positive influences, both in your personal and professional spheres. Surrounding yourself with optimism and encouragement can significantly impact your mindset.
Defining Mindset
Mindset, the lens through which we perceive and interpret the world, plays a pivotal role in shaping our lives. Whether we are navigating challenges personally
or professionally, which are both interconnected, understanding and intentionally cultivating our mindset can be the key to unlocking our full potential.
At its core, mindset encompasses the attitudes, beliefs and assumptions that influence how we approach situations. It is not just a psychological concept; mindset bridges the realms of science and spirituality, having a direct impact on how we experience reality.
Renowned psychologist Carol Dweck describes two fundamental mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. The fixed mindset sees abilities as innate, leading to a desire to appear intelligent at all costs. The growth mindset thrives on challenges, seeing failures as opportunities to learn and improve.
In the spiritual realm, Eckhart Tolle suggests that our mindset goes beyond mere thought patterns. It reflects our inner state of consciousness, urging us to be present and embrace the power of now. Our inner state of consciousness is whole, now, nothing needing to be added or subtracted.
A quick analogy might be helpful. As we layer our ego, our past beliefs and preferences onto situations (ingrained patterns), think of these as clouds filling up the sky, which is our mind in this analogy.
The sun, our conscious awareness, is always present, just like on a cloudy day the sun is always there. When we become still, the clouds begin to disappear one by one from our mind, allowing the sun to shine through.
Raising our awareness that nothing needs to be added or done except for focusing our mindset inward, reconnects us to our inner sun, or consciousness. This realization is that it has never left us, even when it feels that clouds are all around us. We don’t need to resist the clouds (thought patterns, preferences, etc.), rather focus our mindset inward.
The Impact of Mindset
Our mindset is the architect of our thoughts, constructing the narratives that influence our feelings. These emotions, in turn, solidify into beliefs, shaping our perception of the world. As beliefs become ingrained, they guide our actions, ultimately determining our state of being. Our state of being influences our ability to intentionally respond vs. react to situations as they unfold.
Scientifically, this phenomenon aligns with cognitive-behavioral principles, illustrating the intricate connection between thoughts, emotions and behaviors. On a spiritual level, it echoes the ancient wisdom that our outer world reflects our inner state as described by the analogy above.
Illuminating the Path
In the words of Albert Einstein, “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” This encapsulates the essence of mindset — the catalyst for personal and professional transformation.
On a spiritual note, Deepak Chopra encourages us to “embrace the present moment fully and with gratitude.” This mindset shift toward mindfulness aligns with the idea that our state of being is deeply connected to our awareness of the present.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cultivating a positive and growth-oriented mindset is a powerful journey that transcends the boundaries of science and spirituality. As we nurture our mindset, we unlock the doors to personal fulfillment and professional success, transforming our thoughts into a foundation for a purposeful and meaningful life.
Chris Platanos is director, commercial training & development, for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and a member of the LTEN Advisory Council. Email Chris at cplatanos@alnylam.com.
