Mindset Matters
THE WHITE TESLA PHENOMENON
When my dad moved to Vancouver, one of the first things he noticed was how many white Teslas there were. He pointed them out to me when we were driving or walking together. He'd say "see! Another white Tesla! Classic Vancouver." I can't even explain to you how many conversations we've had about white Teslas in Vancouver. But sure enough, they're EVERYWHERE! I often can't go outside without spotting one, or a few. But is there really just on obscene amount of white Teslas everywhere? Or did we become so focussed on them that we *noticed* them more often. I bet you I walk by thousands of black BMWs without noticing or taking mental note, but since the white Tesla is front of mind, I notice every single one. The reason I'm telling you a story about white Teslas is because it's actually a phenomenal example of how our focus creates the world we live in. I have been focussed on white Teslas, so I live in a world full of white Teslas. If you focus on failures and shortcomings, you'll see them everywhere, you'll take inventory, you'll even start looking for them to support your thought-process that they are in fact everywhere. But if you focus on the successes, the good things, the wins, you'll start to see those instead.
SOLUTION FOCUS vs PROBLEM FOCUS
Now let's consider the white Tesla to be a problem. Any problem in your life (i can't get enough sleep, I don't eat well enough, I'm not fit, I can't get a promotion, I hate my apartment, etc. If you make the problem into your white Tesla, you will see the problem everywhere. It will follow you around take so much energy and focus. You'll run around in circles and won't be able to figure out why you can't fix it or get away from it. It will consume your life. But if you make the *solution* your white Tesla, all of the sudden you're making progress. You may find 400 solutions that don't quite work, but that's fine because there's another one now. Instead of letting the problem take over your focus, let all the different ways you could potentially solve the problem become your focus. It will always take time and effort you learn and implement those solutions and see if they fit, but isn't any progress toward the solution better than sitting in the mud with your problem?
THE POWER OF SELF-EFFICACY
"The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right." - CONUFCIUS
Self-efficacy is the belief in one's ability to do something. The confidence that you can in fact change your behaviour or accomplish a task. That you are in control. Interestingly, self- efficacy has been linked to high levels success in many aspects of life. What that means is basically, regardless of your skill or education or competency, if you genuinely believe in your ability to succeed, you are far more likely to actually succeed. So why does this matter for you? Self-efficacy is absolutely attainable for anyone! The more often you practice self-efficacy the more abundant it will be. Try writing out a list titled "I am absolutely capable of..." and list as many things as you can think of, it doesn't matter how big or small. Then take a step back and recognize how wonderfully capable you are!
