10 Strategies for Mastering the Inner Game
Understanding the brain science behind change helps us lead more effectively. When faced with uncertainty, our amygdala (which acts as our threat detector) activates and disrupts our prefrontal cortex (our business brain). Our brains often misdiagnose the discomfort of change as failure or inadequacy, however when we practice noticing those feelings and apply a few handy mindset tools, we can turn those moments into opportunities for learning and growth.
10 Strategies for Mastering the Inner Game
Here are ten powerful strategies for shifting mindsets and taking action through change:
Start with Compassion: Talk to yourself the way you would talk to a loved one. Recognize that struggle and mistakes are shared human experiences, not evidence of personal inadequacy. As we like to say here at Leadology, permission to be human.
Focus on WHY, Not WHAT: Remember: you are not your job. When our identity becomes too tightly tethered to our work, we experience real grief when things change. Connect to your deeper purpose, the why behind what you do. Your WHAT may shift, but your WHY is a compass.
Anchor to a Specific Goal: An anchor allows you to be flexible while keeping you from getting too far off course. When grounded in a meaningful goal, you can bend with the wind without losing your direction. Ask yourself: What do you really want to achieve? What do you want to contribute? Make it fun and inspiring.
Get Curious: Adopt a growth mindset. Get curious about your pathways to goals. What's blocking you? Do you need to challenge a long-held belief that no longer serves you? What are the options and possibilities? What does progress look like?
Brain Dump All The Possibilities: Consider all options without evaluation. Challenge yourself to think bigger with blue-sky thinking, unlimited resources, and "what if" scenarios.
Try Out Mini Experiments: Uncertainty is the perfect time to experiment, because clarity comes from trying things out. Use trial and error; the more small experiments you run the faster you learn what works and what doesn’t.
Embrace Fresh Starts: Embrace psychological reset points like new years, Mondays, new projects, or seasonal transitions. These provide natural momentum for change.
Try Mental Time Travel: Envision how you want to feel about this change in 3-12 months. Claim examples from your past when you successfully navigated change. Reverse-engineer your path to success.
Shrink the Issue: Break big problems into ridiculously small steps. Sometimes change makes perfect sense but feels too daunting, so make it smaller and more manageable. Because tiny actions build momentum and momentum builds confidence.
Celebrate: Savor wins daily and weekly. Capture lessons learned, practice gratitude, and acknowledge how you've surprised yourself with your own growth.
By integrating these inner game strategies, you're not just managing change; you're transforming your relationship with it. You're cultivating a resilient mindset that views uncertainty not as a threat, but as fertile ground for innovation and personal growth. Remember, the power to navigate any shift lies within you.
So, what happens when you combine this inner mastery with concrete action? Our next post, "The Outer Game: The 5 C's Framework for Change Execution," dives into the practical skillsets that bring your resilient mindset to life.
Ready to dive deeper into change leadership? Choose any one of the strategies from the inner to experiment with this week. Change is not something that happens to us — it's something we actively navigate with skill, courage, and heart. Book a call with us to learn more about how we can influence positive change execution behavior in your organization.
