5 Step Mindset Puzzle

Have you ever promised yourself that you will “try harder”, “this time I’ll really do it,” “now that I know how, I can really change,” and you start to make adjustments and then, gradually, you fall back to your old ways?

A common example is a person who wins a huge lottery only to go bankrupt in a few years. They got what they thought they needed to make a life change – the money – only to lose everything and be back where they started.

Why does that happen?

It happens to the lottery winner because he still sees himself as poor and believes he is a poor person.

Some people think that is starts with what your thoughts. You think something, then you say something and then you act.

However, there is a critical First Step to this that is missing in the “thought, words, action” equation.

The crucial FIRST piece of the Mindset Puzzle is BELIEF.

First, when you were very young (most likely) you made a decision about what you BELIEVE.

For example, some common beliefs are:

•   I’ll never be good enough.
• There’s never enough time
• I’m too old
• I don’t know what I want
• This is a man’s world
• I have no idea
• This shouldn’t be happening
• I might do it wrong
• I don’t have enough money
• I’m too fat/skinny

Then you have a thought, like [I’m too old], so “I’ll never be hired for that job.”

Then you have an Emotion or feeling (also missing in the above equation): you feel sad, discouraged, desperate, etc.

When you feel these types of emotions, you aren’t exactly feeling so great, you’re not in your creative mindset – that’s for sure!

Next is Action  – you don’t even apply for the job.

Finally, Results (this step is also missing from above and is important because it can reinforce your beliefs) – you don’t get the job.

And your results circle back to reinforce your beliefs. “I didn’t get a job because I’m too old.”

So the foundation of our mindset and the 5 Step Mindset Puzzle is:

1. Belief (leads to)

2. Thought (leads to)

3. Emotion (leads to)

4. Action (leads to)

5. Results (circles back to #1)