Buzzwords. Love em or hate em, they are everywhere, especially if you participate in social media or read any kind of business writing. And even if buzzwords get a bad rap, they are kind of like clichés in that they play an important role in our vocabulary and how we interact with one another. Have you ever gotten through a day without throwing at least one cliché out there? The same holds true of buzzwords. You will not get through a meeting, or zoom call, or thought piece without bumping into at least one or two.
So, today’s buzzword is…..
MINDSET
I’ve spent a lot of time studying mindset not just because I have four elementary aged children and much of the current literature on raising successful children deals with growth mindset and “grit”, but also because being aware of mindset from a business success standpoint matters. How we see and think about and talk about our performance, our role, and our contributions affects everything. It affects our satisfaction, the quality of our work, how we are perceived, and how we advance.
And it is more than just having a positive attitude. Optimism is crucial, sure, but there are six key elements to address as it pertains to your mindset. Spend some time reflecting on these aspects of your personality, especially while in work mode, and you may experience side effects such as better performance, higher job satisfaction, and improved working relationships.
- Acceptance – In much the same way that scarcity is the opposite of abundance (and I could go on forever on that topic), the opposite of denial is acceptance. Even in the most challenging of times, finding that space where you can process the circumstances of a situation, deal with the facts of it, and realize that there is not a damn thing you can do about the matter, is crucial. The best example we have of this right now, of course, is the pandemic. Accepting that there is nothing that you can do about the virus, but that you CAN control how you react to it, and how you deal with it, makes an enormous difference. Is it hard? You bet. Should you wallow? Sure, for a few days, but then it is time to move on and figure out how to thrive in the new reality.
- Resilience – Once you have gotten to the place of acceptance, this is where you bounce. This may sometimes require a “fake it til you feel it” approach, and that’s OK. You may have to look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are not going to let the situation get the better of you. Whatever it takes to arise strong and move forward, do it. Your favorite song, taking a break in the middle of the day to clear your head, fine. Do it, And bounce.
- Gratitude – Finding something to be grateful for amid hard times is not always easy. It requires practice. It is like developing a habit. It may not come easily at first, but as you find ways to dwell is the good that you have in your life, you will be able to access it more readily the more that you do it. It might help to have a mental “menu” of things that you have to be grateful for that you can recite silently in the tough moments. Personally, I do not always go for the obvious ones like my family, my friends, and my health. Sometimes I reach for things like the beautiful trail that I can go walk whenever I can manage to get there, or the birds that come visit the feeders in my backyard, or the fact that I can use Target curbside pickup on a daily basis if I need to (that last one is a gamechanger)
- Consciousness/Mindfulness – Even if this sounds a little woo woo to you, you can start to see a pattern emerging in these 6 checklist items. So much of how we manage to deal with our reality occurs between our ears. How you think, WHAT you think, and where you allow your brain to take you are all within your control. I find the mantra from Ram Dass “BE HERE NOW” to be helpful in times of challenge. Find one that works for you and work on training your brain to help you access those places in your brain that bring you peace.
- Integrity – Conducting yourself in a way that you can always be proud of seems like it should be a given, and maybe it is. But the knowledge that you, your colleagues, and your entire company strive to operate with fairness and a sense of what is right will always get you closer to feeling at ease. If there is ever a time when you feel like you or someone on your team is not acting in this way, consider finding a way to speak out about it. If doing the right, fair thing is not at the forefront of your company’s operations, it might be time to consider a new work home.
- Optimism – And finally, the glass is half full. A hopefulness and confidence about the future or the success of something. That is optimism. Sometimes that is easier to get to than at other times. This is really a philosophy: a core value. But even if you have never considered yourself to be a very optimistic person, or if you have found your optimism waning given everything that has been happening in the world lately, you can still start with the awareness of what you are being guided by. Abundance or scarcity? Fear or courage?
All of this is within your control. And remember, it is a journey not a destination. You will never get there. You will just keep getting better. The elevation of your mindset is a practice that you can come to as often or a seldom as you need it, or as you want it. What is one thing you can change right now to help elevate your mindset?
Kelly Mallozi
As a sales and marketing coach and consultant at Success In Print, and Girl #2 at #GirlsWhoPrint, Kelly Mallozzi advocates for graphic arts companies to keep fighting to keep print relevant. She may be irreverent, but what she lacks in convention, she makes up for in smart-assery.
Kelly is a regular co-host on the #GirlsWhoPrint Podcast along with Deborah Corn. She is also a mentor to several future sales stars and she connects to them through the Women’s Print Mentoring Network. Check out her book, co-authored by Bill Farquharson: Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How. Kelly also occasionally guest blogs at Printing Impressions and you can see her most recent posts here. Connect With Kelly: Twitter @SuccessInPrint and on LinkedIn where she regularly posts and is even often interesting.