I’m a fan of doing “mindset audits”—this means taking the time to evaluate how you think about and process events and circumstances occurring around you.
We all have a filter through which we see the world. It often comes from our life experiences, our natural wiring and personality, our beliefs and values, and the stories we tell ourselves about all of these things. None of us is 100% objective, and that’s ok.
But we need to be aware of where our mindset is helping us…or potentially HURTING us.
Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to do a “mindset audit”:
#1 What stories am I telling myself?
These are your internal narratives, your common assumptions. Watch what conclusions you make when something disappointing or stressful happens. Pay attention to how you respond when you get into a conflict or when something doesn’t go as you plan.
The stories we tell ourselves = our brain’s way of filling in the meaning of events in our lives. (i.e. the dog got out; therefore, my husband probably left the door open)…(i.e. I was left off the email, so my opinion clearly doesn’t matter)…
These mental ‘stories’ affect the way we experience the world and the way we respond to situations in our lives and work.
Once we are aware of what our internal stories are, we can take control of them. And we can write new stories that serve us better!
#2 What am I missing?
No matter how hard we try, how good we are at our jobs, or how competent we are—we will always miss something. We’re imperfect, and we always need each other.
When our mindset becomes so fixed that we never think there’s a different way to look at a situation, that’s an indicator that we may have some significant blind spots.
Two follow up questions to this that I find helpful:
- What are my blindspots?
- Who can help me locate them and keep me aware and accountable?
#3 What are my values and am I living them fully right now?
Sometimes, we begin to live outside of our values. It can happen gradually, and we don’t even know it! So first, get clear on what your values are. And then, look at the decisions you’ve made in the past month, quarter, etc. and ask yourself if they line up with those values.
You can even apply this specifically to your leadership by asking these follow-up questions:
- What are my leadership values and philosophy?
- Do my actions as a leader align with what I think great leadership is?
We all need a mindset audit.
Let’s make 2024 the best it can be!
As you do yours, remember to show yourself grace! Awareness is the first step to improvement.