Table 1
Well-Being Theory (Seligman) + Mindset Theory (Dwek) = Quality of your life
| Well-Being Theory | Fixed Mindset | Growth Mindset |
| Positive Emotion | Limits possibilities | Expands possibilities |
| Engagement | Limits possibilities | Expands possibilities |
| Relationships | Limits possibilities | Expands possibilities |
| Meaning and purpose | Limits possibilities | Expands possibilities |
| Accomplishment | Limits possibilities | Expands possibilities |
Your mindset matters. It creates what’s possible for you and in this way creates your reality and your life. The good news is that you can change your mindset.
Coach-Client Application
Through the safety and openness of the coach-client conversation space, clients develop resilience, tools, and strategies that empower them to face challenges and embrace opportunities for success. At this stage, the coach is like a personal trainer. But rather than work on body fitness, a life coach helps clients to work on their mindset fitness through specific targeted exercises. But because a life coach has no agenda, no advice to give and no stake in the game, the focus of these mindset exercises is always on supporting the client to expand her awareness and focus on positive future outcomes.
Cultivate Awareness
Clients examine their own mindsets in a safe, nonjudgmental environment. They examine whether certain thought processes are helping or hindering their progress. The coach then supports them in developing more effective and proactive ways of thinking. For example, a client wants to change careers but has not done so because she thinks she is too old. Courageous Mindset coaching questions might look like this:
This client might discover that age isn’t the issue but fear of not being able to make enough money. With this realization, the conversation shifts so that the client can take steps to address the real concern.
Exercise Choice
In coaching, clients make purposeful choices about what mindsets to keep, develop or let go of. Let’s continue with the client above who realizes that money is the bigger obstacle. She is stuck in the belief that changing jobs will bring less money and therefore more struggle and stress. She wants to let go of this way of thinking but she doesn’t know how. In this instance, Courageous Mindset coaching questions might look like this:
Through this kind of questioning, the client expands her range of choices. Only she knows the answers for her, but the back and forth discussion with her coach helps her articulate it, and she hits on some choices she had not previously considered with her former mindset. Maybe she could start training on the side while continuing her current job for one year. Maybe she could make the change now, accept less pay and buffer her income by renting a room on Air B&B. Maybe she could move to more affordable housing. The important practice here is for her to consider options before rejecting them because there might be a third way.