Do you want 2021 to be productive, more satisfying, and less frustrating? Then pursuing a “Real You Mindset” is a MUST DO. You’ve been intelligently designed to think, feel, and act in a manner that fits the Real You. Last week, we talked about the 3 elements of constructing a Real You Mindset. The first element may be the most challenging, but it’s certainly the most rewarding. Let’s talk about high-quality, Real You thinking and its major impact on your life.
As a man thinks…
If you think of a mindset as an established set of attitudes, a “Real You Mindset” must be constructed to align with the truth about who you’re designed to be. Every person is designed in the image of God, but there’s no question that we’re all incredibly different. So, adopting a positive attitude toward this valuable and unique person (the Real You) is essential to our success and sense of fulfillment. Most importantly, adopting this attitude is a choice. Your mindset is chosen.
Proverbs tells us that “As a man thinketh, so is he.” In other words, the quality of your thoughts determines the quality of your actions and, therefore, the quality of your life. That’s a pretty powerful statement.
Is it true?
Let’s think it through.
Consider this example: If I have taken the InnerKinetics assessment and determined that I’m an “SP,” I can adopt a mindset (a set of attitudes) that’s either positively or negatively related to my SP design. In the book INNERKINETICS by Dr. Ray W. Lincoln, he describes SPs as impulsive, bold, optimistic problem solvers that use their tactical intelligence to find real solutions to real-world problems.
THE POSITIVE, “REAL YOU” MIND
If I’m positively related to my SP design, my thoughts align with the real value these design-driven attributes have in my everyday life. They’re valuable not just to myself, but to the people around me. My workplace benefits from courageous leadership and calculated risk-taking. My family benefits from my desire to experience the moment and all it has to offer. In addition, my marriage benefits from my playfulness and ability to see the silver lining — even in challenging circumstances. That’s high-quality thinking that the Real You SP must have to be a healthy, productive, and impactful person.
THE NEGATIVE, “NOT YOU” MIND
On the other hand, if I’m negatively related to my SP design, my thoughts are misaligned with the value of my design. Rather than a positive view of my strengths, I choose a negative focus on the ways I misuse my strengths and create weaknesses that damage myself or others. To my absolute detriment, I don’t connect with my inherent value to others. I may mistake my need for self-expression and spontaneity as bad things. I may let the misunderstandings and negative opinions from others reinforce my own negative thoughts about my value. It can be a negative cascade that collapses upon itself. Others with whom I work may only experience my unchecked impulsivity that results in broken trust. My good ideas and tactics may be overshadowed by my lack of self-control or impatience. My family relationships may suffer from broken connections and hurt feelings.
“Real You” Thinking from a Clean-Water Mind
As you can imagine, negative thinking about the Real You doesn’t really have an endpoint. But positive thoughts create one accomplishment after another. One of the most helpful ways I’ve been taught is to view my mind as a cup of water. If you pour clean, high-quality water into the cup, what happens? The water gets clearer and clearer. However, pour dirty, poor-quality water into the cup and watch it get cloudier and impossible to see through clearly. The quality of your understanding of yourself and, therefore, the quality of your thinking has the same effects. You can either entertain positive, helpful, Real You thinking, or the negative, harmful alternative.
Since you’re in the business of building your fulfilling, successful life, rather than tearing it down, the choice seems pretty clear. Learn all you can about the Real You, so that you can establish Real You thinking.
Discover your InnerKinetics®
Learn all you can about the Real You
- Hard Copy: INNERKINETICS
- Kindle:
- SJ: The Real You – SJ
- SP: The Real You – SP
- NT: The Real You – NT
- NF: The Real You – NF
Join us next week as we tackle the second element of constructing a Real You Mindset: Laser focus.