The 3 Steps that Define the Mindset Training Process
Training your mind isn’t much different than training your body. So just like many people aspire to have a “dream” body but fail to do what it takes to manifest that dream, the same goes for having a “dream” mindset. Both take intentional, daily work through a systematic process. There is no compromising on the process, it just is what it is.
With that said, there are 3 core steps that define the mindset training process.
Step 1: Defining a Vision for Your Future
First, you must know what you want. Or to put it differently, have a vision and make it plain. There is no one single mindset that works for everyone and everything. Therefore, if you don’t have a vision for your life, you can’t know what aspect of your mindset you need to focus on.
For example, when it comes to physical training, football players, wrestlers, sprinters, distance runners and gymnast all have different physical needs from their body. Yes, the fundamentals are generally the same (speed, strength, flexibility). However, the details of how athletes train their muscles are drastically different from sport to sport.
This same concept applies to training your mind. While the fundamentals of mindset are generally the same (thoughts, perception, emotions, values, and behavior), depending on your vision, the details will change.
Step 2: Becoming Self-Aware
The next step after defining the vision, is to identify what tools you have that can make your vision a reality, and then learning how to use those tools properly. These tools include your talents, strengths, personality, passions and motivations. Everyone has a different set of gifts; this step involves increasing your self-awareness about your gifts and understanding how what makes you unique can help you achieve your vision.
In addition, there may be some gaps as well. These gaps include talents you haven’t developed into strengths, limiting beliefs about yourself, and underdeveloped fundamental skills. Being self-aware about these gaps is just as important as knowing your gifts.
Step 3: Iterating Through the Cycle of Behavior Change
Finally, the last step in mindset training is committing to the behaviors that will lead you to achieving your vision. This normally requires a change in behavior. What’s more, the best way to change a behavior is to use your gifts identified in step two as the tools of change.
Ultimately, the goal in this final step is to change your thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and values to better reflect the vision you have for your life. This step requires both persistence and resilience. As a result, you will spend the most time in the mindset training process here, as this is a cyclical process that requires multiple iterations.