5 Myths About Mindset Work
Everyone seems to be an expert when it comes to self-development but how can you define the difference between myths about mindset work and the facts?
In this blog post, I aim to dispel some of the myths about mindset work from a coaching perspective, that I’ve heard from clients as well as the ever-informative internet.
As a change-maker, it’s important that you know what you need to work on with your mindset so that you can build the resilience required to fulfil your ambitions.
5 Key Myths About Mindset Work
1. YOU HAVE TO BE POSITIVE ALL OF THE TIME
I’ve put this one at the top because it’s my biggest pet hate when it comes to the many myths about mindset work. You do not have to be positive all of the time. This is toxic positivity. It’s not only unsustainable, it’s also really harmful to both you and those around you.
In this instance, being positive is about cultivating resilience. Being positive in this instance is to choose to find solutions to your problems rather than to wallow in them.
2. YOU HAVE TO TELL EVERYONE WHAT YOU’RE DOING
When you embark on something new in your personal development journey, it’s easy to want to share it with everyone. You might want to tell your social media followers the newest insights you’ve gained or all of your friends and family. It’s really important to know when the right time falls for you to share the work you’re doing, so be mindful.
Sometimes, when you’re early in your journey, you will have many insights (aha moments) that you feel like telling everyone about. When you do this however, you’re not necessarily ready to deal with any doubt that gets thrown your way from others who are not on the same journey. You have to protect the good work you’re doing for yourself.
I would ask you, “what outcome do you wish to gain from sharing it with others?” “How will your mindset benefit form sharing?” “Are you sharing with the right people?”
3. YOU HAVE TO WORK REALLY HARD
Personally, I don’t like the term ‘work really hard.’ To me, I envision a hustler, someone leaning towards burnout which I am absolutely not an advocate for. This myth about mindset work can cause much more harm than good. It manifests as reading ALL the self-help books on the market. By listening to ALL the self-help podcasts etc. But not actually applying the lessons being taught.
In this instance, I would suggest you choose a couple of teachings and stick to those until it’s time for your next stage of growth. This way you don’t overwhelm yourself with so much information and instead get really good at honing a particular path. You can then add to it by learning other teachings.
If you don’t have a strong foundation for your mindset work, it is pointless to try to learn another way. Hone one teaching well and then move to another.
Infographic: 5 Myths About Mindset Work
4. YOU HAVE TO DO YOGA AND MEDITATION
Whilst Yoga and meditation can be helpful towards your mindset, they are not necessary in their most literal states. Any form of exercise will bring you to a mindful state of mind because you are focussed on one thing. A simple walk can be meditative which allows your subconscious to process the overt work you have been doing.
Cultivating a resilient mindset, takes time and practice. This myth about mindset work can put too much pressure on you to achieve an unrealistic goal. As with the previous point, do one thing at a time to improve your mindset, then when you’ve mastered that, move on to another.
5. YOU WILL SOLVE ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS
I’d love this one to be true but if it were, you would never grow or continue to learn about yourself. This myth about mindset work being the answer to all of your problems, is short-sighted.
Mindset work is about building self-awareness where you learn about who you are, what makes you unique, what triggers you, how you deal with people and situations and so much more. It’s about getting to know who you are first and then how you’d like to be.
This is a life-long journey which will have many turns so you have to be in it for the long-haul. Over time, as you reflect on your mindset work, you’ll see how much you grow year on year, event after event. This will show you that you can change your life, one mindful step at a time.
I’m Puja McClymont. I specialise in coaching individuals and organisations to expand the possibilities of their potential through self-leadership, creating further growth and meaningful impact.
Through my distinctive approach which combines ancient wisdom with modern psychology, clients enable every facet of their lives to thrive.
