mindset Archives - Page 2 of 2

27
Nov 19
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Relentless Effort is a Part of Service Interactions

Tags : effort mindset outcomes persistence service

Are you giving relentless effort? Sometimes it feels like a thankless job. Does it make a difference for future outcomes? Yes.

Mindset is powerful and often we need to shift the concept of problems to opportunities. Opportunities can be much more attractive when compared with problems. Mindset starts with a choice.

When it comes to service interactions, you have a choice about how you will accept the outcomes of your efforts.

Say, “Hello.” to a stranger and you may or may not get a response. You took the risk and you accept the possibility of no reaction, or worse, perhaps a negative reaction.

Applying Relentless Effort

Relentless effort is about multiplying this effect across time. A one-time deal isn’t nearly as effective as repetitive daily pursuit.

One stumbling block for relentless effort is having the willingness (it’s a choice) to accept what happens next. When you are committed to your choice, you’ll have the energy, even in the face of adversity, to try again.

You may ask yourself this simple two-part question, “What is the opportunity in front of me and am I willing to pursue it relentlessly?”

Persistence matters, and persistence across time is relentless pursuit.

You have to be willing to accept what happens next, even when the results may not be desirable.

It makes a difference for what you’ll do next, and that, makes a difference for what happens next.

-DEG

Two Resources

I wrote both of these books to help with relentless effort. Get them on Amazon.

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

28
Feb 19
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Workplace Worry Is An Overrated Mindset

Tags : belief mindset workplace worry

Are we a society of anxiety? Do you suffer from workplace worry? Our mind is powerful and we often convince ourselves of some pending doom even when doom is unlikely.

Worry is really a generic label for anxiety. We often fight hard for perfection. Perfection is the worry of not being good enough. Do you believe that your anxiety levels are higher when you’re on a mission for perfection?

Workplace Worry

One problem is that we don’t see the positive outcome. Instead we anchor our thoughts, actions, and behaviors through the belief that we need to thwart the pending doom.

“We need ten copies of the proposal. Does it look good? Should I use a 12-point font or 13? I’m not sure. They aren’t going to like it if they can’t read it.”

Some of this has value. It removes sloppy behavior. It may also improve our performance. Let’s face if we really don’t care we probably won’t try very hard.

On the other hand, our minds often allow us to take it too far.

“The V.P. just walked past my desk. She looked very unhappy. I shouldn’t have asked that question in the meeting yesterday.”

Like most things in life, somewhere in the middle is the proper balance.

What’s the Trick?

The trick is, and yes, it is a trick. It is to change our self-talk. Of course, quickly our worried self will tell us that in this case, we should be worried.

We worry because the outcome we are forecasting is of failure or negativity, not one of possibility or positivity.

The best question to ask yourself is, “Will my worry change the outcome?”

Worry is overrated.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

26
Nov 18
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When Changing Everything Doesn’t Make a Difference

Tags : career change depression job mindset

New curtains may help, perhaps a new sofa, or a remodeled kitchen. Maybe it will take a new job, a new boss, or a total career shift. Changing everything may not make the difference you seek.

It’s funny where we place the blame. We look to our clothes, look in the closet, or sign up for the job postings feed. The thought is that this is what matters the most.

Of course, change can be good. It can make a significant difference. Change can be positive and leave behind the negative. What may matter most is understanding the root cause of why change feels required.

Understanding Your Change

Listening is an amazing thing. What you hear can make the difference for what you do. Even listening to yourself can be more valuable (or destructive) than what many people realize.

By now we’ve all heard that money can’t buy happiness. We know it as a truism. We see some of the wealthiest people still seeking happiness and living in a deeply depressive state of mind.

On the flip side we see some of the kindest, gentlest people who seem to have little more than the clothes on their back, and they are happy.

Certainly, money can matter, and so can people, relationships, faith, and hope.

Perhaps it is time to think twice about what you are changing. Think about the reasons why. Not the reasons you are justifying it, but the true reason why. And yes, there is a difference between the two.

Changing Everything

Changing everything and starting new seems like a good plan.

It is the new furniture, car, or job. It feels good, for a while.

Then suddenly, it just feels the same again.

People waste a lot of energy on changing everything. It may all be possible by changing just one thing.

What is your one thing?

-DEG

Do you need help discovering the one thing for your career or business? Coaching can help.

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

25
Oct 18
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The Art of Developing Positive Energy

Tags : career energy mindset positive win list

Bad days happen. Tough times happen. Many have heard the aphorism, “Tough times don’t last, tough people do.” How are you using your energy? Are you continuously developing positive energy?

If you want positive energy why are your behaviors contradictory?

While this may feel like a provocative question. One that you quickly find disagreement with, it just may be one of the best questions you get today.

Many people, even people who claim positivity are often repeating, reliving, and existing in a mental environment that supports negativity. Sure, we want to help and support friends and family, but what about our own mindset?

Beating Yourself Up

Do you surround yourself in negativity when you make a mistake? After a bad decision, a wrong choice, or even a slip of the tongue you start to blame, often blaming yourself.

You may say things about yourself. Bad things, things that you certainly wouldn’t accept others saying about you. You point to faults, express hurtful criticism, and even chronically second, third, and fourth guess your actions or behaviors.

The is negativity at its finest. Ironically, it is self-inflicted.

Doing Your Best

Your best work won’t happen in this environment. Your best health won’t happen either.

This negativity takes away part of you. It causes you to freeze, not move, not take action, or just sit in silence. The pressure to improve is overcome by the intense feeling of failure.

No good work is going to happen here. This is not developing positive energy. Why allow this distraction when there is still so much you can do?

Developing Positive Energy

Although it doesn’t always feel this way, there is more positive happening as compared to negative.

Often the feeling of doom develops from comparisons. The view that someone else has it better. Someone else earns more, has an easier life, and never has to worry or feel down.

In modern times this feeling is even more compelling with social networks posting only the best photos, vacations, job changes, money makers, and lifestyles. Be very careful about what you believe.

Do you want more positive energy? Stop beating yourself up, focus more on the positive energies, talk about and relive the things that are good and going well.

One way to do this is by understanding the why and the how of a win list. Try it.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

16
Oct 18
-

Self-Reflection May Be Your Stumbling Block

Tags : anxiety change growth mindset self-reflection

Assessment is one of the most fundamental ways we seek to understand gaps. It is important for the speaker at the conference, the trainer helping to develop the team, and the coach who helps you change. Self-reflection, a form of assessment, may also be your biggest stumbling block.

Social Anxieties

Do you enjoy browsing on social networks? Why does it interest you? Do you engage, or quietly observe? Do you stalk, secretly looking to see what others are doing?

What do you find attractive about shopping? Whether it is online or in a brick and mortar store?

What are some of your favorite movies? What television series attracts your attention?

Why does the song or music resonate with you? What makes you feel it, helps you escape, or excites your emotions?

The answer to nearly all these questions has something to do with you. Individuals are striving to understand, feel, or compare. Their vision, thoughts, and feelings are a vicarious trip to the future, or an opportunity to relive the past.

When we look at the old yearbook photo, we seek first to find our own reflection. What were we wearing, how did we look? Too skinny, too fat, or why did we choose those clothes?

Why do so many selfies get adjusted? Add some dog ears, and a cute little nose.

All of this is not about everyone. It is however about someone. It is about you.

Self-Reflection

Self-reflection will always condition what happens next. It will condition your choice to spring into action or to fall back, hide, or regroup.

People are attracted to social networks because they are finding themselves. They may seek to find sympathy, regret, or someone to share in their sorrow. Maybe things aren’t that bad, or maybe they want appreciation for being the victim.

Other times they seek the energy, the excitement, the happiness, and the possibilities. They relive the best and think fondly of the past.

One truth about self-reflection, it is the thought we have right before what we become next.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

27
Jul 18
-

Results Driven Performance and How To Get It

Tags : change mindset performance results

Talk to a few people about change and you’ll certainly find a few people who express opposition to doing something new or different. Does this same mindset contribute to your performance? Do you have results driven performance?

It seems ironic that so many businesses want to test their product before the full release. It is true for software, fast food franchises, and anything prototype. The idea may be to ease in, get some feedback, fine tune, and release the best.

People Challenges

The challenge for us as people is that we often get stuck on doing things that are in our comfort zone. Doing the things we understand, the things that we believe work, and the things that someone recommended a long time ago.

We often don’t really stop to think about the output. We don’t put it out there for feedback, or we quickly discount feedback that is not consistent with what we like to do consistently.

For the onlookers, they have advice, they may suggest the popular phrase, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”¹ We’ve all heard it and can often see the relevancy.

Yet many people continue day-in and day-out to do the same thing over and over. They go to a job for years and expect things will change. People eat wrong, exercise wrong, and approach both work life and personal life, stuck.

They exist day-by-day with the same logic, and yet don’t understand why the problems continue.

Results Driven Performance

The answer for real results exists in the ability to analyze outcomes and make strategic changes that will create different results. To be clear, different approaches, mindsets, and tactic driven strategies, always analyzing the results and adapting.

Many people believe that they are on this path, but the truth is they seldom make big changes. They may get a different job, they may move or relocate, they may read a book or ask for advice. Do they change?

Results driven performance seems to work for many new product launches. Get it out there, get feedback, assess effectiveness, change, adapt, and sell.

-DEG

Reference

Albert Einstein is often credited for this, or a similar statement, yet many scholars are not so sure. The investigation of the origin of this statement continues.

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

29
Jul 14
-

Choose Esteem

Tags : confidence influence mindset self-esteem

Confidence is a people characteristic that many claim to want more of. They see others who appear very confident. They sell, buy, trade, get the job, get the promotion, get the raise, they get-get-get and take-take-take. There is something about them that is different, it may be charisma, their posture, or something we call presence, but it probably begins with their mindset.

Confidence is a product of two primary factors, self-esteem and self-efficacy; and both can be built or destroyed, but it is your choice. People can be difficult, critical, and often uncaring. They seldom consider the consequences of their actions and behaviors before they find a way to tear you down, break you down, and make you feel like they are trying to keep you down.

Their influence, or not, is a choice, your choice.

It is up to you, choose their mindset or choose yours.

Choose self esteem.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

29
Apr 14
-

You Can’t Fake It

Tags : mind-set mindset pivot and accelerate

When you want to have a great day you try to convince yourself to think positive.

When you strive to get the sale, close a deal, acquire a new customer, or start a new business relationship you approach it by being positive.

When you see a doctor, a dentist, or prepare your annual income tax return you seek positive results.

There is at least one problem with thinking positive: you can’t fake mind-set.

When people tell me they are going to be positive, think positive, or stay positive they most likely have already introduced their negativity. They include in many of their sentences words like: can’t, won’t, and never. Positivity is a state of mind, it is a mind-set, and it is not something you do like walking the dog, loading the dishwasher, or shopping for groceries.

When business enterprises tell me they need help with leadership development, strategy, developing employee teams, and improving communication they should recognize that while their diagnoses sounds like it is task driven, it is often mind-set or culture that produces a the end result.

You can act more positive, think more positive, and even create a more positive environment, but when you can’t seem to get there, someone might suggest you just fake it, but you’ll never fake mind-set.

– DEG

Photo Credit: Steven Depolo

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Tag Archives: mindset

Nov 19

-

Applying Relentless Effort

Two Resources

Feb 19

-

Workplace Worry

What’s the Trick?

Nov 18

-

Understanding Your Change

Changing Everything

Oct 18

-

Beating Yourself Up

Doing Your Best

Developing Positive Energy

Oct 18

-

Social Anxieties

Self-Reflection

Jul 18

-

People Challenges

Results Driven Performance

Jul 14

-

Apr 14

-

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