What Are You Thinking?

Your thoughts have so much power. 

Mahatma Gandhi famously said:  A man is the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes. What are you thinking? What is it that you say to yourself when you are by yourself? 

We all think thousands of thoughts per day and since the brain has a negative bias, so many of those thoughts are negative, and often, they are the same thoughts over and over again. How often do you tune in to your thoughts?

And when you do tune in, what is that voice in your head saying? Is it positive or negative?  Does it empower you or disempower you?  Does it lift you up or tear you down? How does it contribute to your self- image?

According to Carol Dweck, world-renowned psychologist, research scientist and professor at Stanford University: “the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.  It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value.”

What is the view you have adopted for yourself, and how intentional were you in adopting that view? We all make up stories about the things that happen to us.  What story is on replay in your mind? Is it one of support, encouragement, and confidence that you will succeed? Or does it question your skills, knowledge, and ability?  

In my book, Becoming Deliberate:  Changing the Game of Leadership from the Inside Out, I offer 6 Patterns of thought that distinguish influential leaders.  These include:

1. Thinking with a success mindset.
2. Thinking strategically as well as tactically.
3. Using a framework to support your essential thinking.
4. Thinking in terms of outcomes.
5. Using a coach, mentor, or critical thinking partner to challenge your thinking.
6. Scheduling time to think.

If you want to become more deliberate about your thinking, and how it supports you, consider these questions:

• When you consider your own thought patterns, how often are they focused on your success? How clear are the outcomes you want and how do you measure success?
• To what extent can you think both strategically and tactically, and what frameworks are you using to organize your thoughts?
• Who are the critical thinking partners that challenge your thinking?
• How often do you schedule time and space to just think, reflect, and journal your thoughts?

Your thoughts have so much power.  They can be used to help you – and others – or they can work against you.

Make the choice today to be more deliberate about your thinking, and bring more clarity to your thoughts.

And, if you need help doing that, let’s talk.