Monday Motivating Mindset

THE HYPE

This weeks Motivating Mindset will help lead you back to a balanced lifestyle.


THE CHALLENGE

Your Mindset challenge this week is getting in the habit of asking yourself:
"How am I spending my attention?"


THE PROMISE

Ask yourself this question as often as possible to become more aware of your thoughts, emotions and actions.


THE TIPS

Time is our most precious resource.

Time cannot be replaced, renewed. or reversed.

The wealthiest person on this planet is one who has "free" time. Time to spend on what he or she desires.

The only thing that we can use to create, build and change anything in this world is time.

The only currency that we spend our time with is attention.

The next time you are about to devote any time or energy into a situation, a great question to ask is:

"How am I spending my attention?"

The only way to solve a problem is to give it some attention.

The only way to show love to someone else is to devote your undivided attention to them.

The only way we ever do anything in this world is through spending attention.

Yet were you aware that how everybody spends their attention is different?

Attention isn't a single unit of measure, rather it is broken up into three different but related "modes".

The modes in which people spend their attention is by either thinking, feeling or doing.

We spend our attention by choosing to feel some way, think some way, or do some thing.

Throughout the day we relate to the information around us by using one of these modes, usually a combination of two.

Picture three separate "dials" sticking out of your back with the values 0 to 10 on each of them.

A persons' thinking-dial might be turned up to 10, their feeling dial to 7, and their doing dial at 3.

When given something that requires our attention, let's say a problem to solve, we always approach it using our preferred mode.

A person with their thinking and feeling dial turned up like in the example above would be inclined to sit and think about the problem.

Where as the person with their "doing-dial" turned up would be inclined to do something about the problem and think or feel later.

There is no right or wrong way to give your attention in a situation, although the most beneficial way will always stem from being aware.

The next time you are giving attention, considering options or problem-solving ask yourself: "How am I spending my attention?"

When you answer, try to be more aware of the effects of what you are thinking, feeling or doing about the situation.


THE SECRET

What is your default dial?

Do you have a tendency to think, feel or do too much?

People tend to become very dominant using one particular dial, and support that strength with a secondary dial.

When we spend our attention primarily in one or two modes, naturally the third one becomes neglected.

There is no getting around the fact that we make our decisions with two of the three dials turned up.

People will therefore always have a "strong" dial, a "support" dial, and a "weak" dial.

As time goes on this leads to an over-compensation of two dials and an under-utilization of the third.

It is important to focus your attention on all three and avoid overlooking the importance of the dial you tend to ignore.

This is important to be aware of because we are only as strong as our weakest link.

For example, a person who acts primarily without thinking will not see the bigger picture behind their actions.

A person on the other hand who thinks and feels without action, will inevitably run into problems with procrastination.

You can tell which is your strong dial and which on is weakest by observing how you tend to react to new situations and potential problems.

Do you dive-in head first and figure things out along the way? If so, you are a do'er.

If you tend to be more reserved and analytical about the situation then you are a thinker.

Do you wait and see what your gut feels like before responding? If this is you then you are a feeler.

The goal is not to change your mode of spending attention, as that will only result in frustration.

Awareness is the main goal, for only once you have become aware of something can you decide to change it.

Become aware of what dials you use, how they affect your life, and how you can benefit from using your weakest dial more often.

A great question to gain awareness of your behaviour is to ask yourself: "How am I spending my attention?"