Tune Up Your Mental Engine

You are an intricate and extraordinary being, doing extraordinary things. You are on a journey toward your goals and are the vehicle taking yourself from point A to point B. Do you trust yourself to get there? Do you have a reliable form of transportation to reach your destination?

Entertain me for a moment. I want you to imagine yourself—mind, body, and soul—as your dream car. Like you, your car has all sorts of parts, mechanics, and systems. Now, imagine your mind is the engine of that dream car. If your engine breaks down or isn’t functioning properly, what happens to your car? You’re not going anywhere, or your movement is inconsistent, right? Maybe it hasn’t fully broken down, but it’s sluggish, and getting to your destination becomes more of a question than a certainty. Temporary fixes don’t last long; you’ll need to invest in a brand-new engine or commit to extensive repairs.

If you want to move forward in your business and life, a growth mindset is not an option—it’s necessary. The first step is self-inspection or self-reflection. And we do that by becoming more self-aware of how we’re using our mindset. Let’s talk about the two types.

Fixed Mindset

As the name implies, there’s a lack of movement, which means a lack of growth. Where are you going if you are struggling with a fixed mindset and your mind is your engine? Nowhere. Characteristics of a fixed mindset can include a lack of accountability, a lack of motivation, refusal to try new things, and reluctance to step out of your comfort zone—being comfortable with being comfortable. You don’t take constructive criticism. You don’t use your mistakes as opportunities to solve problems and learn. Essentially, it’s being stuck in your ways.

Now, if you’re reading this and thinking to yourself—bummer, that sounds like me—that’s okay. We’ve all dealt with or are currently dealing with these types of obstacles at some point. It doesn’t make you a bad person; it makes you a human being whose biological instinct is to protect yourself. But we must be careful, because sometimes that protection blocks us from our greatest achievements. You can change—and you will. I’ll tell you how in a moment, but first, let’s go to the second type of mindset.

Growth Mindset

This is what you need to start your car and get it moving. A growth mindset invites you to open your mind, be curious, and explore your options. It allows you to tap into your inner innovation and gain new insights by exposing yourself to different perspectives, problem-solving, and seeing failure as feedback. A growth mindset doesn’t come without its fears, but in its truest form, it is courage. Courage is doing the thing that scares you, regardless of the presence of fear. Every day, you practice little forms of courage—when you’re nervous about starting a business but take steps toward building it, and when you go to that job interview despite the fear of not getting it. And what about when it’s a full moon outside and you still get in your car to drive to Walmart? Courage. A growth mindset is a solid engine that propels you forward.

How do you develop a growth mindset, you ask?

Self-awareness. Without it, you won’t even recognize when you’re stuck in stinking thinking. Start paying attention to your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—they influence each other. A simple starting point is practicing the Cognitive Cycle exercise.

Since traits of a fixed mindset are often rooted in fear (false evidence appearing real), the next time you face a situation that makes you nervous, anxious, or hesitant to act, make note of it. Notice the thoughts you’re having. Don’t judge—just listen. Then, identify what you’re feeling, including any discomfort in your body. I like using an emotional wheel to identify actual feeling words. For example, instead of saying, “I feel like no one takes me seriously,” I would say, “I feel rejected, insignificant, or inferior.”

Lastly, pay attention to your behavior. How are you reacting to this event, and what resulted from that behavior? After doing this a few times, you can begin challenging those limiting thoughts by trying to see things from a different angle. What could you think instead? Based on those new thoughts, how would you feel, and what behavior would follow?

Another thing you can do is pay attention to the people you admire and feel inspired by. What about them makes you say, “I want to be like them”? What are they like? How do they carry themselves? What traits do you admire? Now, imagine what it would look and feel like to have those traits within you.

Expose yourself to new experiences and sources of inspiration. Take a workshop, attend a networking event, be curious and ask questions, watch TED Talks, or listen to motivational speeches and informative podcasts. You’ve probably heard someone say, “Every day, do something that scares you.” Is that too much? How about once or twice a week instead? Does that sound more manageable? The goal is to get out of your comfort zone in baby steps—you must get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

So, there you have it! Developing the right kind of mindset to lead you toward your professional, business, educational, and personal goals is a skill, and skills can be learned. Take things one step at a time. You don’t need to change everything at once. The goal is progress, not impossible perfection. Now, go get that inspection, get a tune-up, and optimize your engine for the best possible performance.

Feeling stuck in neutral? Let’s get you back in gear. Book a 1:1 session with me to assess where you are, where you want to go, and what mindset shifts will move you forward. Together, we’ll pop the hood, tune your mental engine, and chart a clear course to your next destination.

Nita H.
Community Workforce Specialist