111: Mindset of Dreaming to Doing

In our last episode, I talked to you about goal setting and the five part framework that I developed on how to help you really identify a goal and then break it down into actionable steps. But what we didn't talk about in that episode are some of the things that we get hung up around when we move, when we decide to move from just dreaming about a big goal into actually doing and taking action steps towards accomplishing that big goal. Because it's actually more than just the taking action like the physical tasks. It is a lot of mindset stuff. It's a lot of like beliefs that we hold around our ability to accomplish big things and even sometimes fear around finding success in the first place. And so I want to talk about some mindset shifts today that have been really transformative for me and it will help bridge the gap between dreaming and taking action.

I'm Bonnie Christine and this is where all things creativity, design, business and marketing unite. I'm a mama living in a tiny town tucked right inside the Smoky Mountains, running a multi seven figure business, doing the most creative and impactful work of my life. But when I first set out to become an entrepreneur, I. I was struggling to make ends meet and wrestling with how to accomplish my biggest dream of becoming a fabric designer. Fast forward to today. I'm not only licensing my artwork all over the world, but also teaching others how to design their creative life and experience the same success. I'm here to help you spend your life doing something that lights you up. I'll help you build a creative business that also creates an impact, changes people's lives, gives you all of the freedom you want, and is wildly profitable. Welcome to the Professional Creative Podcast.

So let's just start off with mindset in the first place, right? Like this is a bit of a buzzword that gets talked about a lot, but truthfully, it really is. What most success comes down to is the way that we think about what we do. And so a mindset is a set of attitudes or beliefs held by someone and the most important thing about them is that we can change them. We can literally rewire the way that we think and react to our environment and our challenges anytime we want to, with a little bit of intention. So this shift is really amazing because our mindset is what lays the groundwork for our behavior and our decision making process and ultimately our success and our happiness. Now, the psychology behind mindset shifts is deeply rooted in the way our thoughts and beliefs shape our actions and reality. Our mind is like a powerful computer and it processes what we feed into it our thoughts, our beliefs, our attitudes, and these inputs can significantly influence our outputs, which would be our actions, our reactions, and our resilience in the face of challenges. For instance, Carol Dweck's research on growth mindsets talks about how an individual who believe their talents and abilities can be developed through hard work and good strategies and education from others have a much more robust approach to life. They're more resilient to failure, they see challenges as opportunities for growth, and they're more persistent in the face of difficulties. So let's consider a real life example. Let's talk about Thomas Edison. Now you likely know who Thomas Edison is. His journey to invent the electric light bulb was not smooth or straightforward. He faced so many failures. However, his mindset was not one of defeat, but rather of learning and determination. He said once, I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. That is a mindset, isn't it? I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. This mindset shift, from seeing failure as a setback to viewing it as a learning opportunity to get you to where you're going to go is ultimately what led to his groundbreaking invention. Another example is J.K. rowling, who saw her early struggles not as insurmountable obstacles, but as steps in her journey. So despite facing rejections from multiple publishers, her belief in her story and her resolve to see it published changed her path from being a struggling writer to the author of the best selling Harry Potter series. You see, a lot of times we don't see the struggle. We assume things were easy for people or that it came naturally. But there is often a lot of work ahead of time, maybe rejection or failures that weren't necessarily seen as such and it was the mindset that got them through. These stories really highlight, like how a shift in our mindset from seeing challenges as dead ends to viewing them as stepping stones can significantly lead to our transformation, transformations and success. So a mindset really empowers us to navigate life with agility and resilience and a proactive approach to turning our dreams into realities. So as we explore this concept a bit further, I'll uncover how each of us can initiate different mindset shifts in our minds and transform the way that we approach our goals to reshape our lives. So I want to talk about the difference between a dreamer mindset and a doer mindset. Now, a dreamer mindset often is someone who's daydreaming. They are not willing or able to share their big goals or put action towards them. They think that their goals have been held for someone else, but that it couldn't possibly be for them. They tend to be more passive and procrastinate on starting things. Now compare this with a doer's mindset and this is characterized by someone who is action oriented. They are resilient and they focus on setting and achieving tangible goals that move them into the direction of bigger goals. Now, dreaming is not bad, right? Dreaming is essential for vision and inspiration. But. But you've got to be able to transition from dreaming to doing to make it a realization, right? So you must learn how to value and balance that visionary thinking with practical action. Because honestly, you can get stuck in both. You can get stuck in the dreamer phase, which is really just dreaming and not taking action, but you can also get stuck in the doer phase, which means that you're taking lots of actions, you're in the doing, but you've got no time for dreaming on you. So you have to have to have to balance these two and consistently move from one to the next. When you move from dreaming to doing, self belief is really important. It's that inner conviction that you can do this irrespective of challenges along the way. This form of self assurance is such a crucial part because it fuels the confidence that's required to not only initiate the action, but also stay with it. Even when you hit an obstacle. It's the bridge that connects the aspiration in your mind with the reality of the achievement you know. The best thing to build confidence is to make a promise to yourself. Tell yourself that you're going to do something and then do it. That's how you build confidence.

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I want to talk to you if you feel like, well I don't even know how to build self belief right. Especially when you feel doubtful or uncertainties cloud your vision.

Right?

So there are a couple of effective strategies. Number one that I love is using affirmations. Now affirmations are positive statements that can help you overcome challenges and overcome self sabotaging and negative thoughts which honestly I think we all struggle with. That self sabotaging thought or, or actions is just it's so easy to get wrapped up in. And so I have talked about my affirmations before way back in episode seven. So we will link that in today's show notes if you want to dive into the specific affirmations that I read every morning. Some of these are things that I know and are already true and some of them are things that I want to be true that I want to aspire to and remind myself of. And so for you it could be something like I am capable of achieving my biggest goals. Each step I take brings me closer to my success. So I would suggest Just spending some time looking at affirmations that you want to keep or at the forefront of your mind and just read them every day. The next one is to spend some time reflecting on past successes. No matter how big or small, they are proof of your capability. And so reflecting on anything in the past that you have felt successful around can really boost your confidence in handling future challenges. This reflection can be a really great source of motivation and just a reminder of your ability and capacity to overcome things. Now, the next one you've likely heard me talk about, it's gradually stepping outside of your comfort zone. Growth and comfort cannot coexist. So by gradually stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things, you'll build resilience and adaptability. So you don't have to leap out of it, you just have to step right outside of it and then hang out there until all of the sudden you're comfortable. And that's how your comfort zone grew. Now here's the trick though. As soon as you find yourself comfortable, it's time to take another baby step outside. So each step outside your comfort zone builds confidence and self belief. A self belief is not an inherent trait. It's not something that we're born with, but it is a skill that we can develop and strengthen over time. Just like a musc. By really affirming our abilities and reflecting on our past successes, stepping outside of our comfort zone, we can cultivate this self belief that's necessary to transition us from dreaming to doing this. Self belief is your inner fuel that will help propel you forward and help you turn your aspirations into realities. Now, resilience is important in the face of setbacks as well. Resiliency is something that we can also foster and grow. And it's about growing through challenges and emerging from them even stronger. It's an important attribute of a doer's mindset. So resilience is the ability to recover from setbacks and learn from failures and view challenges as opportunities for growth. So here are some tips on how to build resilience. First is to adopt a problem solving approach. Instead of seeing a problem as a dead end, view it as a puzzle to be solved. Break it down into smaller, manageable parts and then tackle them one by one. This approach will shift your focus from being overwhelmed to taking or being able to take constructive action. The next is to leverage support from a community. I'm a huge believer in surrounding yourself with people who uplift you. This could be friends or family or a community like ours. And we can provide encouragement and advice and a different perspective for you. Always make sure that you've got a group of people who get you, who understand what you're after, who know how to support you, who don't laugh at your big goals, but rather come behind you and lift you up. It's incredibly important in the puzzle piece of achieving big goals. And next is to practice self compassion. You know, I often say, love yourself

right where you are.

Be kind to yourself in the moments of setback or stress. You know, being really mindful about this will help you to stay grounded and it will enable you to deal with situations more objectively. So self compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer to a friend. What we're really talking about here is developing a growth mindset. Now this term was coined by Dr. Carol Dweck. It's the understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset encourages us to embrace challenges and persist in the face of setbacks and view effort as a path to mastery. It stands in contrast to a fixed mindset where abilities are seen as innate and unchangeable, often leading to a fear of failure and avoidance of challenges. So here are some steps you can take to cultivate a doer's mindset. I love a good journaling exercise. So writing about turning your dreams into actionable goals. This is often kind of what I call a vision story session, where you really get quiet, step away from all distractions and write down your aspirations and then break them down into smaller achievable steps. Now head back to our last episode, which is episode 110, to get the worksheet where I help you break down your big goal into manageable steps. This is going to help you maintain motivation and really see your progress. So again, setting those small, achievable targets. When you start with small goals that you know are on the right path to the bigger ones, it helps you build momentum, but most importantly confidence along the way. So don't forget to celebrate those early wins and reinforce your belief and your ability to succeed. And finally, self reflection, regularly assessing your progress. And you know, as entrepreneurs we just have this way of kind of barrel rolling through one achievement to the next. And it's really important to reflect on what we have accomplished and also what's working, what's not working, and being willing to pivot our strategies if we need to. But this habit of self reflection will ensure that you're continually learning and adapting. So as we wrap up, I want you to remember that the transformative power of mindset is a huge part of your ability to accomplish your biggest dreams. This journey from dreaming to doing, it's not one giant leap. It's a series of tiny steps. A process of continuous growth and self discovery. And each step you take is a testament to your ability to change and grow and succeed. Every great achievement begins with the decision to try. You possess the extraordinary power to change your mindset and consequently your future. Believe in this power and embrace the journey and watch as your dreams unfold into reality. Just got chills. Remember, my friends, create the beauty that you want to see come alive in the world. And remember, there's room for you.