Five Essential Habits That Will Transform Your Thinking
When it comes to leadership and personal growth, mindset is everything. It shapes how you handle challenges, connect with others, and measure success. But here’s the exciting thing—your mindset isn’t fixed! It’s something you can actively shape and strengthen with the right habits, repetition, and commitment to doing—and being—better.
Building Mental Agility in the Workplace and Beyond
We’ve all had those days—the kind where traffic is terrible, the clock never seems to move, meetings stack up, deadlines are looming, your computer refuses to cooperate, and by the time get home, you’re completely drained. Once there, you’re still stuck in a negative loop, replaying every frustrating moment in your mind, questioning what you could’ve done differently and what could’ve gone better.
Sound familiar?
Days like these can take a toll, but here’s the good news: your mindset can be your greatest tool for turning things around. With the right patterns, you can transform how you respond to life’s challenges and create a mindset that empowers you to thrive. These five habits that can help you create a mindset that works for you—one that helps you grow, adapt, and thrive in both life and work.
1. Take Time to Reflect
Have you ever gone through a day on autopilot, only to realize you didn’t stop to process anything? Reflection is a powerful way to hit the pause button and really think about what went well, what didn’t, and how you can improve. It’s like a check-in with yourself that keeps you grounded and intentional.
Here is How:
- Spend 10 minutes at the end of your day jotting down your thoughts.
- Ask yourself: What did I handle well today? What could I do differently tomorrow? Don’t overthink it—just let your thoughts flow.
2. Shift to a Growth Mindset
It’s easy to get stuck thinking, “This is just the way I am,” but what if that’s not true? A growth mindset is all about believing you can learn and improve. When you stop seeing challenges as obstacles and start viewing them as opportunities to grow, everything changes.
Try This:
- When you catch yourself thinking: I can’t do this, reframe it to, I’m learning how to do this.
- Surround yourself with people who encourage you to stretch beyond your comfort zone.
- Celebrate progress, no matter how small—it’s all part of the journey.
3. Start a Gratitude Habit
This one is simple but so powerful. Taking time to notice what you’re grateful for can completely shift your perspective. It’s not about ignoring tough times—it’s about finding the good in challenges and always doing your best to see the silver lining in everything.
How to Start:
- Each morning, write down three things you’re thankful for.
- Say “thank you” more often, whether it’s to a colleague, a friend, or even yourself. Notice how this habit helps you focus on what’s going right in your life.
4. Focus on What You Can Control
If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent way too much time and energy worrying about things you can’t control. It’s exhausting! The truth is, the only things you can truly control are your attitude, your decisions, and your actions—and that’s enough.
What Works for Me:
- When something feels overwhelming, I ask myself: What part of this can I actually influence?
- Take small, actionable steps toward what you can change, and let go of the rest. This simple shift can free up so much mental energy for the things that matter most.
5. Commit to Lifelong Learning Every Day
You don’t need to have all the answers, all the time—you just need to see the value and power in curiosity. Consider this quote by Krista Skidmore in her blog, “The Power and Value of Curiosity,”:
“For many of us, especially in the last couple of years, it’s a bit easier to settle into the tried and true, the known, the comfortable, the familiar. But the familiar is a velvet cage. A deceivingly comfortable space, but a cage, nonetheless. When we fall prey to this trap, we miss out on the beauty, diversity, and vibrancy of this life we have been given.”
Whether it’s picking up a new skill, diving into a great book, or having a conversation that challenges your thinking, learning keeps your mind open and your perspective fresh.
How to Do It:
- Set a goal to read one book a month (or a few chapters a week—whatever works for you).
- Listen to podcasts or watch videos on topics that inspire you.
- Look for opportunities to learn from the people around you—everyone has something you can learn from.
Your mindset is a work in progress, and that’s what is so great about the power of the mind. By intentionally practicing these habits, you can create a mindset that empowers you to lead, grow, and live with purpose. The small changes you make today can lead to big transformations down the road, both in the workplace and outside of it.
So, which of these habits do you want to try first?
Join us Friday, January 10th, 2025 for our latest webinar, FlashPoint’s Approach to Leadership Growth: Co-Creating Dynamic Solutions for Lasting Impact and explore how our clients have transformed their leadership capabilities through targeted development initiatives. Register now to learn how you can develop your leaders to meet today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities!
