The Olympics are over and hopefully you still “Believe”. In fact, I was thinking about how much believing is a part of something that I talk about called the Evolution of Mindset. Whether you’re an athlete, a businessperson, a volunteer, a parent, a bon vivant, or just the girl next door, everyone goes through the Evolution of Mindset. The more you understand the Evolution of Mindset, the better you can understand yourself. The better you understand you, the higher performing you will be. A part of that is understanding at what point in the process you actually believe in yourself.

So, take one area or situation of your life and decide where you are on the Evolution of Mindset.

Enjoy!

The Evolution of Mindset

• I can’t do that
• I don’t think I can do that
• I don’t know if I can do that
• I can probably do that
• I am going to do this
• I am doing this
• I am this…

The Olympics is all about performance and results. It is about healthy competition (yes, actually competing against one another as well as yourself). Many things contribute to one’s ability to perform (whether that is in the Olympics, in the office, or at home). And, one of the fundamental building blocks to success is belief.

Once we believe, then we can allow it to happen. Now, to be clear, unsubstantiated beliefs will not make anything happen. But, lack of belief for something that is substantiated can be a road block. For example, research shows that unqualified affirmations don’t have any affect in a persons ability to perform. But, affirmations that are grounded in seeds of truth do reinforce successful performance.

So, how does this affect the Olympic slogan? Well, I like the slogan because it is the starting point for where we need to come at the Olympics. We need to believe (as Canadians anyway), that our elite athlete programs are producing individuals who are competing at the top of their game and that this is at the very top in the world. Something that we generally do not assume.

Although this message is important to Canadians in general, probably the most important audience for this are the Canadian athletes themselves. They need to know that with their hard work and effort it is very possible for them to do well, to be world class, and to obtain a medal. The results are showing. Although we will likely not get quite as many medals as we did in the last Winter Olympics, we are getting more gold. A pedestal that we are getting more comfortable standing on. That is a great result.
So, what is my take on this slogan. I love it. And, I think it’s something that everyone can use in their own relay race through life.

Belief is where is begins.

Control is one of the most powerful words / concepts that we have. If you have control, you have a lot. You tend to perform better, be more confident of the outcome and react better to a negative outcome. And, if you listen to the winning athletes, they tend to sound like they have control before during and after the event. They believe that they have control not over others but of their situation (not matter what the end result is).

So, if you want to wish your favourite athlete well, wish them control. And, here’s to control for you as well.

It was… The Mind: It’s where everything human begins!

How true is that? What a great comment that shows the power of the mind… and, the power of being human.

I often wonder why this is the case… alas, I don’t know that I’m going to ever get a great answer. But, I think that I’ve been able to learn something about the core of really really great customer service. Some of the best customer service that I’ve ever seen happens at the Ritz Carleton in Doha, Qatar. So, what is it that they do so right? Sure, they use your name. Sure, they anticipate your needs and act. Sure, they’re polite and professional. But, I believe that what is at the core of it is…. they don’t just perform great customer service… they live perfect customer service.

They don’t give them a set of rules and procedures. They give them power to perform at world class levels and they expect that their team will live the principles and values that are at the core of their business. And, the result… real customer service… Ritz Carleton Customer Service.

Well, I failed.  I learned pretty quickly the important truth that I cannot treat my kids with equality.  It’s impossible.  Yes, they are very similar in many ways but they are different.  And, this shows as they get older and older.  Even recently, I was reminded how similar they are (and how much of me is in each of them).  But, it’s not always the same parts of me that they have and they have unique needs, strengths, desires, stories, histories, interests.

This taught me the interesting difference between equality and equity.  I cannot treat my kids equally but I CAN treat my boys with equity.  The concept of equity gives me the freedom to treat each of them fairly and justly while giving the amount of attention that each might need at the time.  To not do the same thing with each of them but to do what they want and need, what is appropriate for each of them.

So, what’s the learning point in this?  As you know, I like to see what I can learn as the joyney goes on.  Well, perhaps equality isn’t what we should be shooting for.  We are all different and want to be treated fairly and justly but that just might mean differently from the next person.  Think about that as it applies to your work, your sports teams, your family, your social groups.  Let’s go for equity.

It’s going to be another great year, again.

So, have you decided?  It’s part way through the month of January and hopefully you’ve decided what this is going to be The Year Of… for you.  Have you done this before?  No, then, read on.

I’ve started a tradition in asking people to write down what you are excited about, what your New Year’s Resolutions are going to be, or what you want to declare this “The Year Of…”.  Please feel free to add a comment below.

Declaring this to be “The Year Of…” something is a great way to give your year a focus.  Give it a try. 

If you are going to write down a resolution or two, consider writing the date the you are shooting to be complete by. 

And always feel free to send me an email.  info <at> mindscape.ca

All the Very Best to You,

Paul

PS.  Don’t forget to check back next year to see how it went.  You’ll be surprised

My colleagues and I are working with executives for a large company here, and what is interesting is that the executives suffer from the same challenges that people experience in Canada or the US or Europe or Africa or the Caribbean… okay you get the point.

This is a fundamental truth that I believe in and every time it is reinforced for me, I wonder how much better we all would be if we could just remember that truth all the time. Whether that other person is someone across the globe, or across the table. Whether they are you client or your spouse. Your friends or your potential friends. This ideas helps to bind us together as one or to put it into one word…

Humanity

Those who are the most fortunate actually search it out. And, they are looking for it anywhere and everywhere. In the small cracks and large crevasses of their life, they are looking for it wherever they can. This is an important truth. Those who are the most determined to search out good fortune will also be the ones who find it the most, in whatever format they find it in.

It’s a refreshing thought that good fortune doesn’t come in a particular size, colour, type, look, etc. It is just what it is… Good Fortune.

In all that we repeat and the stories that we tell and live, that is who we are.  Are you the serious intellectual story, the dramatic story, the sublime novel… perhaps the comic book?  Check inside the covers.  You might be surprised at what you discover.  And, I guarantee that it’s a really great story!

Read on… it is after all your story.