What were you thinking?

Or maybe it should be, How were you thinking? Or why were you thinking that? I constantly have to remind myself that people do not all think the way I do. I am not saying that my mindset and way of thinking is better or worse than anyone else, it is unique to me. It is amazing and sometimes entertaining and sad to see how people's mindsets affect their decisions and lives. It is always in my best interest to try and look into their decision and understand why they may have made it. What factors let to this decision? What was going on in their lives to affect this decision? What were they trying to achieve? What was the perceived result?

The way we think is a deciding factor in our ability to achieve success. When I have worked in group situations, whether they are arts related or business related, I have found that if I am with like minded people, we achieve our desired results much quicker. This type of group thinking applies to many people that share similar mindsets.

The way we think is determined by many factors but we will touch on a few big ones. The first big one that comes to mind is the way in which you were raised. As children we observe and learn from those around us. That home environment really helps to guide and shape our way of thinking especially in our formative years. However as a teacher for many years working with students from all types of family situations I have also learned that it is not always the students who came from nurturing, academically supportive and enriching environments, that only experienced success. I have had students from home environments that were not as they would have liked them to be, turn their mindset into one of success. They didn't let anything hold them back. They understood that mom, dad or whoever was in charge of them was working multiple jobs to put food on the table and take care of them but they had decided that they wanted to create a better life for themselves. This determination almost always proved successful.

The situations pertinent to our immediate everyday life plays a considerable role in our decision making process. Maybe we woke up on the wrong side of the bed or received a negative phone call in the morning. Maybe we woke up feeling like a million bucks and everything seemed to be going our way. This type of positive/negative influence has an effect on our decision making process. Negativity can cause decisions that are hasty, not well thought out and selfish in nature. Positivity can promote thoughtful decisions that have depth, a plan for execution, and can benefit many.

Our mindset also dictates whether we are going to let limitations prevent us from reaching our desired goals. Even in the face of stress and negativity, keeping our mind focused on the goal and trying to stay positive is always a better factor for achieving success.

When you are planning your goals and working to reach your goals, consider the question, What are you thinking?

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