Mindset

Our personal mindset is an important tool that can help or hinder us in our efforts to reach our goals.  Perhaps the most productive thing we can do in our goal journeys is to evaluate our mindset.  I did this a few years ago after reading a book about mindset.  The book made a deep impression on me, and I decided to take a personal inventory of my mindset in each area of my life.

I created a Personal Mindset Inventory Worksheet comprised of four sections.  Section I included a list of personal (home- and family-related) areas.  Section II included a list of professional (work-related) areas of my life.  On the left side, I enumerated all of the areas that I wanted to include in these two sections.  On the right-hand side, I included two columns, one for "growth" and one for "fixed" (no growth).  For each area that I had listed in Sections I and II, I put a checkmark in the column that I felt corresponded to my mindset in that area.  I was really surprised at the result!  I considered myself to be a growth-mindset-oriented person, but I discovered quite a few fixed mindset areas in which I was making no progress in my life.

In Section III, I listed all of the fixed mindset areas that I had identified in Sections I and II.  I analyzed each area and wrote down the reason that I believed I had a fixed mindset in that area.  Some of the reasons were:  (1) believing it was impossible; (2) "it's always been done that way"; (3) procrastination; (4) lack of humility to recognize that the area needed change; and (5) lack of a plan or strategy to move forward.  So, for example, my personal area of writing books fell into number (3), and my personal area of losing weight fell into numbers (1) and (5).  Not deleting e-mails from my overloaded personal e-mail inbox fell into number (2)!!!

Finally, Section IV listed the specific goals that I decided to set.  I pulled the goals from the results in Section III.  Because I had identified the reason for lack of progress in those areas, I was able to think about a strategy and resources that I needed to move forward.  Next to each goal, I listed small steps that I could take to begin to accomplish the goal.  This Personal Mindset Inventory Worksheet has really helped me to set goals for the last few years, and it has helped to ensure that I identify areas in my life every year that may be in need of change and growth.

I believe that everyone has growth and fixed areas in their lives.  I am willing to bet that even the most successful, growth-minded people have areas in their lives that they seek to improve.  After all, humility is a key quality of a growth-minded person!  Someone who is growth-mindset-oriented always seeks to learn and improve and change.

Jabez, in the Old Testament, had every reason to have a negative mindset about his life.  Even his name meant "pain."  But he had faith in God, and the bold prayer of Jabez (see below) reflects his faith and his growth mindset.  Note the last part... "And God granted his request."

Devotion

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.  His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain."  Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!  Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain."  And God granted his request.  1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Prayer:

Lord, we ask you to reveal to us our mindset in the areas we need to change in our lives.  Help us to take a personal inventory, in humility, and to seek your help to set our goals.  Help us to plan and make a strategy to reach our goals.  Give us wisdom and strength.  Help us to accomplish what you want us to accomplish.  Give us the courage to pray with specificity, as Jabez did.  We ask that you bless us in our goal journeys and increase our faith as we move forward.  In Jesus' name, Amen.


© 2016 Linda Lijewski