From Mindful to Mindset, Part 1

The personal development buzzword for the last decade or so has been MINDSET.

Here’s a bit of history and explanation…

NAPOLEON HILL is the grandfather of MINDSET. His definition was “concentration” combined with the elements of enthusiasm, self-​confidence, a chief major aim, and providing more service than you are paid for. Those elements, and a hundred “new” ideas, can be found in the book, “Truthful Living,” written by Hill 100 years ago.

Hill started the undefineable “mindset” trendy word with the real word, “concentration.” He had studied a variety of experts who preceded him, and came to realize that concentration, coupled with a chief aim and other well-​developed personal self-​discipline elements, would lead to success.

Concentration, which Hill called, “The Magic Key” to success, was renamed about 60 years later by other gurus looking for something “new,” with the word “focus.” Focus stayed in vogue until about ten years ago when it was renamed “mindset.” And for the past 100 years, NO ONE has defined it better than Napoleon Hill. Mindset is based on your attitude and your ability to concentrate.

Here are my mindset thoughts, corrections, new concepts and updates…

THERE ARE TWO MINDSETS — They are (obvious when you think about it) positive mindset and negative mindset. Both are the personal choices of each individual. Neither is permanent. Negative mindset is almost always the first reaction and response. Positive mindset must be nurtured and fed daily. (“Feed your head” — White Rabbit — Jefferson Airplane 1967.)

And there are outside forces and inside forces that help determine mindset.

Outside forces mindset, AKA “shit happens,” are determined by the strength of your resilience. How you react, respond and recover from what happens to you. Resilience is determined by the attitude you had going into the situation, your general attitude towards life, coupled with your patience and your past experiences to the situation at hand.

Inside forces mindset are the elements rarely spoken about, and are the subject of this writing. They are the determining factors of what gives you the strength, self-​confidence, courage, desire, aptitude, understanding and the will to actually create a positive mindset. They are the preamble(s) to a positive mindset.

BEFORE you can ever achieve the outcome-​based mindset you’re hoping for, there are a group of elements that make that mindset possible. They are never discussed in the mindset process because, like most elements of success, “experts” tend to start in the middle and overlook the MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS that will drive mindset of whatever you want to achieve.

 The best example of this “start in the middle” is defined by the late, great Jim Rohn. He says,

“Philosophy drives attitude. Attitude drives actions. 
Actions drive results. Results drive lifestyles.”

So, if you don’t like your lifestyle, you have to look at your results. If you don't like your results, you have to look at your actions. If you don't like your actions, you have to look at your attitude. And if you don't like your attitude, you have to look at your philosophy.

Unfortunately, most people, especially salespeople, start in the middle. They start with action. But if you have a lousy attitude and no philosophy, what kind of actions are you bound to take? Not good ones, that’s for sure. Your actions will be erratic and based on your attitude of the moment.

The key to positive mindset with the outcome you desire is: start at the beginning. Not looking at mindset per se, but rather what attributes and elements go into the making of your mindset.

That's the secret that no one either understands or talks about, until right now… 
(Sorry, out of space — tune in next week for Part 2:  the Secret of What Creates Positive Mindset)