Why should we all develop an Infinite Mindset? (2)
As I was relaxing after a long productive day working from home for the 5th day in a row, for the 1st time in my life, I came across a Simon Sinek’s short video where he explained why ‘These Are Not Unprecedented Times’.
Most of us are feeling as if we were living in a parallel dimension, as if life as we used to live was put on hold and we are somehow experiencing a different setting – perhaps to find out what we are made of… Anyways, he goes about explaining how the infinite mindset can help in times like these, strongly stating that these are not unprecedented times – and indeed they are not. Here’s why:
Unexpected things have already happened before, and as usual, some companies were put out of business, and others were able to reinvent themselves and come out stronger. With the invention of the Internet, for instance, some companies chose to reinvent themselves and adapt to a new way of doing business whereas others refused to do so – which ones are still alive? Online streaming also changed our relationship with video-watching: we don’t need to own it, we just want to have temporary access to it! Who doesn’t binge watch on Netflix or Amazon Prime? What about owning a car? What for? There´s Uber everywhere! And the list goes on…
But how does all that relate to us now, and to what’s going on in our world?
Well, Simon (yes, I’m a fan!) asks us an important question: “It’s not about how we do what we’re doing, but how will we do what we’re doing in a different world?” That’s why having an Infinite Mindset will help us cope better with such different world. Simply put, when we have an Infinite Mindset, we understand that it’s not about beating others or being the best, but about outlasting and outdoing oneself, and we can only do that by being able to reinvent ourselves. When we are in survival mode, we keep asking ourselves how we are going to get through this so that we can go back to the way thigs were, and we are more likely to struggle. When we are in the reinvention mode, however, we ask ourselves how we are going to change in order to get through this, and we are definitely more likely to outdo ourselves!
For me personally, it does feel surreal, but it will be over some time from now – there’s a light out there! And when it is safe to leave our homes, no one will ever be the same again.
What we are going through is helping us to look at ourselves differently as well as at our jobs differently, and we have the amazing opportunity to ask ourselves: When it’s over, what will we be? What will we have learned? How will we have fostered relationships from afar? How will I have contributed to make my family and my loved ones’ lives better? Which new skills will we have learned which will be ours forever? How can we contribute in a new more constructive way? That’s infinite mindset!
So, do not allow the Internet to put you out of business, nor Uber or online streaming! Do give yourself a chance to reinvent yourself! I know it’s easy to talk about events that haven’t directly affected us, such as these. I know it requires the sort of strength we might think we don’t have – but we so do!
Do not wait for the crises to end so that you can go back to your old ways… they won’t be there, but more importantly, they won’t make sense because you will have experienced life differently, and “A mind that is stretched by a new experience…” Let’s us all learn from this sudden wake-up call and take this opportunity to develop this infinite mindset that will certainly help us to outlast. I’d like to end with Simon’s words as he beautifully puts: “It takes unbelievable courage to completely change the way we see the world…If we can learn to embrace infinite mindsets, not only have we increased and enhanced innovation, seen trust and cooperation thrive, but we’ll actually love our jobs…At the end of our life we’ll look back and say I was a part of something bigger than myself.”
#StaySafe
Reference
Galer, S. (2019) Forbes [online] Available at www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2019/04/18/five-leadership-lessons-how-to-build-an-infinite-mindset/#7591845e11f5 [Accessed 27 Mar 2020]
Lewis Howe [online] Available at https://lewishowes.com/podcast/simon-sinek-the-power-of-the-infinite-mindset/ [Accessed 27 Mar 2020]
Simon Sinek [online] Available at https://simonsinek.com/product/the-infinite-game/ [Accessed 27 Mar 2020]
Simon Sinek How do I lead with an infinite mindset? | Q+A [online] Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Xue0PLD6k [Accessed 27 Mar 2020]
Lenora Haranaka
Lenora Haranaka has been working in the Educational field since 1998. She currently works at Associação Cultura Inglesa São Paulo as the Branch Manager of Unidade Remota Adult Beginners, responsible for 26 amazing teachers. An ICELT and DELTA holder, she has presented in ABCI and Braz-Tesol conferences. Her professional interests are Leadership, Remote Teaching & Learning and Design Thinking for Educators and Management.
