How you can improve your mindset
You know that feeling when someone shatters your perception of something?
That was me this summer.
I got told that I don't really know how to swim.
I learned swimming in school. But over the last two years, I swam more regularly and more often than I had ever done before. So, I thought it might be a good thing to invest in a few swim classes.
I thought the trainer will tell me to tweak a few things here and there.
How wrong I was. It turns out that my breaststroke was not a breaststroke after all. Not in the slightest. The behaviours and movements I have internalised for 25+ years were the wrong ones.
I had to learn it all over again.
To learn the right breaststroke, I had to unlearn one (automatic) movement and consciously train a new one. Until it became automatic.
So, I took on the challenge of re-learning breaststroke.
I noticed how different I experienced the practice (compared to how a younger Simone would have gone about it).
I did not know what I know now.
The 'work' I have put in to improve my mental and emotional resilience over the years paid off.
As I look back at my swimming training this summer, I feel proud.
You can experience that too.
I want to share the five truths I saw, so you can apply that to your life right now.
#1: The power of having a strong WHY
I really love swimming, and I really wanted to learn the proper technique. I was very determined I wanted to do this. My 'why' of embarking on this journey was strong.
#2: Having a growth mindset
The difference between a fixed and a growth mindset is that people with a growth mindset believe they can develop abilities, talents et al. over time.
In my case, I had an unwavering belief that I can un-learn the old behaviour and learn the correct breaststroke. So I never doubted that it would happen .. eventually.
#3: The need for patience in learning anything new
I knew that the correct breaststroke would not appear overnight. And I know that if I get frustrated with myself for (a perceived) lack of progress, it won't help me.
#4: Consistent practice in small chunks wins the day every time
I made a commitment to finding time to learn and practice in small increments regularly. I also made sure that I enjoyed swimming and going to the swimming pool. I did not make it only about the training but focused on the overall experience.
#5: The power of visualisation
The brain does not distinguish between something we really experience and something we only imagine. Research shows that we stimulate the same brain regions when we visualise the action and perform that same action. The same brain regions fire up.
I used this knowledge to do 'dry' training on land. I visualised and practised the right breaststroke movements in my head when I did not go to the swimming pool.
Did you notice that 4 out of the 5 truths I shared are about mindset and not the physical practice of swimming?
You do not need to sign up for swimming classes to practice these five truths.
There are plenty of opportunities in your every day to improve your mindset.
Are you really clear on your WHY for doing what you do now? Or are you just going through the motions?
Do you practice a growth mindset? Or are there areas in your life where you are still stuck in a fixed mindset?
If you are trying to learn anything right now (e.g. a new language, a new technical skill, being a better leader/salesperson/marketing et al.), are you acknowledging the progress you are making?
Similarly, are you finding opportunities in small increments to practice the new skill? Yes, 10 min a day is often enough.
Are you using visualisations in your life already? Before you make a presentation, apply for that job, have that job/project interview, meet that investor et al.
As a coach, I work with my clients to determine what is most important in their life right now. And then, I challenge them to set small goals.
It's not about doing it all at once but improving over time (#3 and #4 at work 😉)
Pick one thing and intentionally focus on that for the next week(s).
As you read my questions and the five truths: What came up for you that you felt you would like to improve yourself? Is there something you want to commit to in your life right now?
And then tell me in a PM or comment below.
Another truth is that we are more likely to change something if we tell others about it.
How is my breaststroke today, you might ask?
Well, it took me 3 weeks to internalise the new movement and experience a 'breakthrough' in my new practice. That's 3 weeks of training - whether in my mind, with and without fins during my seaside holiday, in the swimming pool, or on the "dry" land.
It happened quicker than I thought.
And I also noticed that I don't quite enjoy the "real" breaststroke and that front crawl and backstroke are so much more fun. But that's for another story 😊
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