|
As I've watched the compelling drama of World Cup matches unfold over the last week, it occurred to me how much the contests highlight the power of mindset to affect outcomes. Stories are told about players or teams, and whether such stories originate from without or within, they have ways of influencing how the matches turn out.
The effects of mindset are real, but they operate less like a magic wand and more like a cattle prod. Decades of research have shown that perception mediates (or drives) what one focuses on and the actions one takes (or doesn't take). In other words, outcomes emerge from the mindset-driven attention and action, not directly from the perception.
Dr. Alia Crum of the Stanford Mind & Body Lab has made significant contributions to the body of research through her work on mindset and stress. As she explains in an episode of the podcast Hidden Brain entitled Reframing Your Reality Part 1: "The mindsets that you have...influence what you expect. They influence what you pay attention to. They influence our physiology and they influence what we actually do. And, therefore, they create the reality that's implied."
This doesn't mean, of course, that every aspect of a situation is under a person's control. The environment and circumstances play a role. As Crum notes, "The work on mindsets, it's really empowering to the individual. And that's great, but we also want to make sure that people don't feel like it's all up to them to change their realities because you just change your mindset and everything will be fine."
Mindset is an extraordinarily powerful tool in the coaching context. Used thoughtfully, it can help students navigate the complex landscape of what is and is not under their control, and avoid a simplistic perception that all they have to do is think positively. One tactic I use when students are assuming an outcome based on a perception is to ask questions that illuminate the mindset-focus-action-result chain of events. For example:
- What is your perception, or mindset, of your capability in this situation?
- What idea or goal did that perception lead you to focus on?
- What actions did you take, or not take, because of that focus?
- How would you link the results to actions taken or not taken?
Coaches, your work may not garner World Cup-level attention, but your student-empowering work is world-changing all the same. Visit the LifeBound training ground this summer for further development of your coaching skills.
Explore which course is right for you at www.lifebound.com.
| 
