GET MORE Series: Mindset
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Wayne Dyer
Sure, a quote from a success self-help author is an easy fix at the head of a Mindset post but it’s the clearest way this approach can be put…
What it means in even simpler terms is there is only one thing stopping the outcome from happening, mindset.
For an Athlete, take the example of the 4-minute mile. Widely regarded as not possible until Roger Bannister did in 1954.
Then, importantly, broken twice more, that same year, by the same athletes that said it couldn’t be done earlier!
What changed?
Mindset,
IT WAS NOW possible.
Roger’s achievement in this is truly impressive, to be the first has massive credibility, but the 2 athletes that did it 2 months later, showed how effective and efficient mindset change can be.
This isn’t a chest beating - high fiving post designed to get you pumped up.
It’s clarity.
What are we talking about here??
Put simply, the limits we believe we have, are truly in our head, only.
We believe in a belief system and that belief, unless filled with limitless abundance, limits us. Even if the belief is beyond anything you have ever achieved, you still have a limit.
Each belief is so strong, you live your whole life by it.
During the Fact or Fiction post on Fasted Exercise we touched on this, where by people will believe in a certain process happening to the body that stops them eating prior to exercise or vice versa. It’s a limiting belief.
Naturally you focus on it in a given a situation where the belief plays out and what do you get as a result of the situation including a limiting belief?
The very outcome you believed in.
Test this to the extreme wherever you like.
It’s in business, relationships, personal performance, body shape, personal talents and importantly health.
You have a belief, it limits you, you reach only the max of your limit, at best, it is a decentish belief.
Goals
Some people do this by setting goals. Well the very best goal is a limit by it’s very nature. You may want to achieve it, but how? When? With what? Really what we want is to be the person in the goal. Body fat percentages, lifting PBs, 4-minute miles.
Really the goal is to be the person in the goal.
Can you see the short cut here?
It’s about setting the goal and slogging it out for 12 months, its about being the person that can do it. What happens next? You do it!
Physically your body CAN stop you, there are limits obviously. But in reality, what is stopping us 99% of the time? Mindset.
So, an example. Another, that will make people cringe. 😉
During a Tony Robbins event, normal people walk across hot coals. Hot enough to burn your skin in seconds.
Nay Sayers love to call this a hoax.
And Tony Robbins doesn’t respond.
Mainly because he has no interest in their comments.
He works in a world of infinite possibility (in his own words) why should he discuss a clearly real and (in his view) simple test?
Anyone that has been to the events answers - it’s real.
But how do people with feet like yours and mine not get burnt to Sh!t?
Tony & his staff spend 2+ hours working on the exact mindset and belief system around this test with the participants to achieve what we would consider very painful, if not impossible.
Only to prove the point. Like the 4-minute mile, get proof, your off to the races!
OK, so not a Self-help, woo woo post but 2 of the world’s best-known self-help gurus mentioned! This is going well…
Where to start on “doing this stuff”
Boxer’s know who’s won before they go into the ring, record breaking attempts are only made by people that believe they can – so they do!
Even horses lose when something isn’t right in their minds.
Like parents tell their children, “you can do anything when you grow up”.
This is still true for us all now.
Mindset improvement we can reach in a number of ways, and you have to find something that resonates with you. There are gurus everywhere on this, ultimately YOU will crack it, not the amazing guru.
Basically, it’s …
Dig into the current thinking and alter it be more aligned with your trajectory and objectives.
This is tough without self-belief because this is about the Who, not the Why.
It’s temporarily impossible if you don’t believe this is anything more than WOO-WOO BS. And that’s fine, but just think, next time you see someone do the thing you have told yourself you can’t, think, “what’s different?”
A simple process to try is…
1. Notice where your belief is just that and therefore holding you back. (Remember the Tony Robbins example!)
2. Write it down and dig into a bit deeper. Why? Why? Where has this come from? why? when did it start? how? why? Etc.
3. What comes up in your mine by the end is the driver! This the part that you have attached the original belief too. Now, how realistic is it? How much relevance does it actually have given the scenario you’re in? My guess, not much, you have probably already outgrown it (the nature of the fact you are reading this!).
4. Think about how absurd it is to use this core belief to make a pyramid of decisions, consciously and subconsciously. Frame it like a plan or a map to nothing special, that holds little value. Want to keep it?
5. Finally, give yourself a new deep belief, the vision. The new character. This could a person that’s doing what you started by not doing. Or just an honest and honourable mission. You are it, not want, or try (I hate “try”, wtf is try? Try to do something. It’s either done or not. Try is a belief you can’t).
6. And remind yourself of it every day, however you know works. Even it’s just rewording the belief to be more positive, intentional, a matter of time. No if’s or when’s or but’s.
As an example of this process, (NLP approach, used for speed & effectiveness)
Next time you’re training, think about the weights you lift regularly. What beliefs do you have?
Why do people hit a lifting wall at round numbers? 100kg squat, 200kg deadift?
I’m not saying the process of strength training is voided, I’m saying is the number that’s stopping you lift, is it relevant?
Where has it come from? You probably say in your head some variation of - “its heavy!” That’s a limiting belief.
You make this it’s because of where you started or what you think you should be capable of, or any number of more deep rooted reasons.
Now, say you can lift 97.5kg, and you reached that shortly after 90 or 95kgs, is this belief of any use?
See yourself as bigger and 100kgs as smaller, particularly small compared to you. You could even see yourself as a powerlifter, whatever works. your technic is perfect, your strong and powerful.
Approach the bar (presuming you are ready and properly warmed up!)
What was the difference?
Expectancy
There is a certain amount of irony in this title, but it made me chuckle, so I left it in.
What can you expect from an improvement in mindset?
Well, for starters, anything. Not a random, something will fall out the sky. But the things you have become in the change of beliefs. The new character from the new belief structure is the outcome. Everything about you aims at it, it happens. Don’t believe me, test this thinking!
Seriously though, anything, everything.
How long should it take me?
If I give you a number hear and metric it’s a belief. What about, less than a second? Or 10,000 hours? (the time previously believed to be an expert in any field)
Because this is within, it takes as long as it takes. If there is resistance, write it out and dig deeper the why will come out.
You will take the time you believe you will take.
Remember, you’re the one making this story, give a decent plot and some triumphs for the star of the show!
This is the very beginning of this process and educational viewpoint on mindset training.
At Hence, we are big believers in training your mind, like your body, daily and for performance!
Watch out for future posts, they will be along soon!
Resources
https://www.rachellilley.com/ultimate-guide-mental-strength/
http://www.thepeakathlete.com/ (personal favourite coach. Luke)