I recently read the book “Mind Your Mindset” by Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller. The book was interesting, especially in light of my conversation on the recent Chapin’s Commute podcast with Mike Bennett about Safety ALWAYS.
In the book, the authors point out how individuals think will affect the results they see. They start the book by pointing out “a narrator” that most of us allow to drive our mindset. Our narrator is made up of the things we tell ourselves. Those thoughts become our mindset. Most of us are helpless to do something that contradicts our mindset.
So, my takeaway from reading the book is that I need to correct my mindset.
I can change my mindset. It isn’t always easy, but it is possible.
The idea of setting my mindset reminded me (no pun intended) of a moment I had over the weekend of July Fourth. I was golfing with my Dad, Son, and Son-in-law. My Dad was unhappy with how his round was going and always looking to make light of a situation said to the group, “When I am going to start having fun.”
My son, Mike, quickly replied, “Guess that is up to you.”
We all laughed. Especially my Dad. He saw both the truth and humor in the comeback.
“I guess that is up to you.” How true. My Dad was in a position to enjoy golfing with three people he enjoyed being with or let the results of a round of golf bring him down. The authors would have asked my Dad if having a good time was more important than his golf score. My Dad needed his narrator to tell him to relax and have fun.
My Dad took my son’s advice and had a great time. If you have ever golfed, you know it is easier to change your mind than fix your golf swing.
When Mike Bennett joined me on the Chapin’s Commute podcast to talk about safety in the construction industry, he drove home the point of “being mindful.” Bennett used the word mindfulness several times. Every time he used the term mindfulness, it was to drive home that protecting each other in the construction industry isn’t going to happen unless we always keep safety ideas at the front of our minds. Being mindful means considering what could go wrong and eliminating the danger.
Mike Bennett would agree that safety isn’t just looking out for dangers. It goes beyond physical dangers and includes making sure to be mindful. The old cliché is that we must keep our heads in the game and eliminate risks and distractions that can have negative consequences.
It isn’t just safety. It affects your mental health. We will never improve if our narrator isn’t leading us to positive places. Bennett uses the analogy of the backpack. He says we are all carrying a backpack through life. In that backpack are all the things that are weighing us down.
We must find ways to get the negative ideas out of our backpacks. Once we remove items, we will notice that we are moving through life with less baggage.
Author Daniel Harkavy says, “Mind Your Mindset is a must-read for anyone who desires to improve the results they are getting in business and life.” I agree. Plus, it will help you help yourself unload a few things from your backpack. But it won’t lower your golf score.