James Clear posed four deceptively thought-provoking questions and I’ve been giving them some serious thought.
1. When you wake up, do you expect today to have many joys or many frustrations?
I never thought that it mattered but looks like it does.
The way you start the day influences how you experience it.
As soon as the fog clears, my mind floods with the most mundane task of the day – what to pack in the lunch boxes! Then I go over mentally the checklist for the day, what to do, when to do, etc. etc.
I plan my day the night before. So I know what’s in store.
I realise this habit of rehearsing my game plan has become a part of who I am.
It reduces the stress of ambling through the day without a clear purpose or objective. It also prevents you from wasting time.
Studies have shown that starting your day with intention can boost productivity and lower anxiety. That’s why even high-performers like Tim Ferriss swear by a structured morning routine.
This ‘morning checklist’ habit has made life easier because I wake up with an objective. Sometimes I get lucky and can squeeze in more activities to make it a more productive day.
Try this out for yourself.
- The night before make a list of 3 things you want to do the next day.
- Go over it in your mind first thing in the morning.
- Plan how you want to deal with it.
You’ll find yourself gravitating towards the first item on the list as your day begins.
2. When presented with an opportunity, do you have a bias toward action or do you postpone decisions?
My decision-making style can do with some brushing up.
It’s not like I don’t know what I want to do but I don’t feel comfortable with saying no, or not doing something. That’s when I dilly-dally or procrastinate.
Of course, that was how I used to be. Things have changed since I started off on this journey of entrepreneurship. Can’t afford to waste time or effort. So I’ve become more prompt with my decisions.
Some like to seize opportunities. That’s good but may not work in your favour always.
Others overthink and delay.
What’s needed is a balance between these two contrasting styles.
- Explore every opportunity. See if it’s the right fit for you. Ask yourself – does it align with my goals?
- Give it some thought. Ask yourself if you will regret (NOT) taking this opportunity?
- Then go ahead. Decide to either accept or reject.
No point mulling over it. In spite of all the thinking, there’ll still be some imponderables.
For some decision-making is impacted by the paralysing fear of failure, of messing things up. Well, unless you don’t take a decision, you will never know.
Taking prompt but well thought-out decisions is reflective of a growth mindset.
3. When things go well for others, do you enjoy cheering them on or do you hate to hear about their success?
Neighbour’s envy, owner’s pride. This was the tagline of a TV company back in the 80s. Very catchy and relatable.
Every time you see someone moving ahead or making some progress, it pricks your confidence. No denying that. Jealousy raises its ugly head.
When I would read about stories going viral or digital products making an absolute killing as soon as they were launched, I would go into a deep thinking mode, reviewing my methods, doing this, and doing that. I’d feel discouraged and disheartened.
It’s after almost a year of self-inflicted misery, I realised that the comparisons were working like speed breakers for me, slowing down my progress.
I was wasting my time and energy on generating negativity. To make progress, I had to make some changes. Starting with a shift in my mindset.
That timely awareness has been a blessing.
I aspire to emulate their success but in my own terms. We each have our own mountains to climb. Best do it at a pace and style suitable to you.
Reframe your mindset to unleash your potential.
4. When things go wrong, do you believe it is your responsibility to improve the situation or do you blame others?
Being a teacher in primary grades, I’ve enough experience with handling the ‘not-me-it’s-him’ situations.
The first reaction of the children would be to throw the others around under the bus even if they are at fault.
It’s a defensive attitude.
That’s because they’ve learnt that mistakes are unacceptable. You can get punished. It shows your incompetence.
This mindset makes them avoid ownership and accountability.
Sadly, this thinking continues into their adulthood.
What needs to be understood is that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Without the mistakes you wouldn’t know if you’re doing it right or not.
And more importantly, you need to take pride in what you’re doing. When you take ownership of your actions, you’ll be more involved and mindful of what you are doing.
You’ll feel more responsible and answerable.
This is growth mindset. Sets you up for self-improvement.
Hiding behind excuses prevents you from exploring your potential.
When the children would start blaming each other, my response used to be that I didn’t want to know who did what but I surely wanted to know what we could do about it now.
It changed their perspective.
Small Shifts Lead to Big Impact
These four questions have given me a window to view how I approach my day, the decisions I take, how I view success and responsibility.
It’s all about creating self-awareness about yourself. That’s the first step before you’re able to make the necessary and deliberate changes.
It turns out, even small shifts in your mindset can lead to lasting transformation. It enables you to lead a more fulfilling and resilient life.
Here’s a challenge for you. Honestly reflect on these questions and your answers. And then choose one area in your life to improve this week. Let’s get moving on a path to growth.
Ready to begin?
