BOOK
SUMMARY 143
Mind Gym
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Summary written by: John Petrone
"When your mind is fit, you get more out of life,
more out of work, more out of relationships, more out of everything."
- Mind Gym, page 2
Can
workouts for the mind sharpen our thinking, develop a positive mindset and help
us “become the best version of ourselves?” In Mind Gym: Achieve More by
Thinking Differently, Sebastian Bailey and Octavius Black certainly think
so and offer several practical methods of accomplishing it.
The
book is based on programs used by Mind Gym Inc., a performance enhancement
company founded by Bailey and Black and used by more than half of the S&P
100 companies. Mind Gym operates in forty countries around the world, helping
people live up to their potential by maximizing their mental performance. For
those who can’t attend one of these seminars, this book is for them. Using the
latest psychological insights, the book highlights specific mental workouts to
improve performance ranging from adopting a positive mindset to boosting
creativity.
Change
begins with getting off autopilot and becoming aware of the opportunities passing
us by as a result of being stuck in unhealthy thought patterns.
The Golden Egg
Reduce autopilot and get in the driver’s seat
"The
truth is, you have control of your thoughts, reactions, and responses. And once
you understand how powerful that choice can be, you’ll be able to change more
aspects of your life than you can imagine."- Mind Gym, page 8
We
often go about our daily activities without stopping to question what we’re
doing or how we’re doing it. The authors refer to this as “autopilot—a state of
going through the motions of your life without really paying attention to
choice.” Much of this is due to habits, which we develop to minimize our mental
energy when doing routine tasks. But being on autopilot is counterproductive
when trying to solve a new problem or attempting to do something new.
If
we’re stuck on autopilot, getting unstuck is not easy. One solution is to
increase reflection time. Scheduling thinking time into your day’s activities
can enhance engagement. Following a task, reflect or contemplate on what went
well, what could have gone better and what you could have done differently.
Looking
for something new can reduce autopilot or automatic thinking. Asking yourself
“what has changed since the last time I walked down this street” or “what’s
different about my friend today”? This kind of questioning helps you to “focus
on the present—to become aware of your surroundings and not slip back into
autopilot.”
Once
you’ve focused on the present, the next step is to ask yourself how you explain
away experiences in your life.
Gem #1
How we explain events in our lives is the key to optimism
"Challenging
the way you look at a situation is probably the single most powerful thing you
can do when it comes to altering your beliefs and trying to change from a
pessimistic to an optimistic viewpoint."- Mind Gym, page 43
The
authors believe we all have an “explanatory style—a pattern of communication
that reveals whether we perceive a particular event as either positive or
negative.” The key difference is how these two types of individuals explain
away positive and negative events in their lives.
An
optimist sees a recent positive event in his life as widespread and permanent.
A pessimist on the other hand, would consider that as being lucky or temporary.
The opposite is true with negative events. The pessimists view the negative
event as universal and permanent while the optimists think it is just a
temporary setback.
The
true benefit of an optimist lies in his reaction to a negative event. Not
willing to give up so easily, the optimist still finds a way to focus on the
upside. For example, if both an optimist and pessimist are rejected for a loan,
the pessimist accepts it and moves on. An optimist, would ask themselves what
they would need to do to increase their chances of getting a loan the next
time.
So how
do you increase optimistic thinking in your life? Learn to spot optimistic and pessimistic
thinking in your everyday interactions with friends, coworkers and family. How
do they explain away the positive and negative events—universal and permanent
or circumstantial and temporary?
The
authors also suggest a method borrowed from psychologist Martin Seligman. He
recommends writing down three good things that happened during the day as well
as what caused them. Following each positive item, write what it means to you.
Do that for a month to increase happiness and awareness of connecting positive
events to your actions.
Gem #2
Question your assumptions to boost your creativity
"As
our world becomes more systemized, hyper fast, and process driven, the ability
to think creatively becomes a premium skill—a valuable asset in the workplace
and in your personal life."- Mind Gym, page 216
When
faced with a new problem or challenge, do we approach it in the same way we’ve
always approached new dilemmas? Becoming aware of these filters and then
removing them can help us come up with different solutions. Filters are just
“mental shortcuts” that we use to help us do everyday tasks faster.
Bailey
and Black propose we rephrase the problem and ask ourselves “What assumptions
am I making?” We should review the solutions that don’t work and ask ourselves
“Why don’t they work?” This line of questioning can lead to a new way of
thinking.
Sometimes
letting a new problem or idea incubate and not feeling rushed to come up with a
solution is helpful. The authors assert that “you need to leave a thought in
your mind and trust that a creative idea will emerge without trying to force
it.” They remind us that Einstein had his best ideas while taking a shower. You
just never know when or where that burst of creativity will hit.
If you
want to expand your mental toolkit and improve your thinking, do the exercises
in this valuable book. Flex your mental muscle for optimal performance.
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