11 Personal Growth Mindset Shifts For 2022

New year, new you! Right?

Now that we are into 2022, I want to encourage you to introduce new positive mindset shifts that might help you with personal and professional growth this year. Think of this article as a punch list of mindset shifts you should consider adopting. 

1. The Compound Effect and The Slight Edge

I am big on continuous learning! There are two popular personal development books I have read: The Compound Effect and The Slight Edge. Both of these books offer concepts that will change the way you think. 

The Compound Effect talks about how doing small things day after day will build up to big changes over time. Sure, you can swing for a home run, but it’s much easier and more effective to do simple things each day that have a compounding effect over time. 

The Slight Edge talks about identifying the small decisions you can make each day that will help you reach your goals and make big changes in your life. It’s a similar concept to The Compound Effect because it suggests you make small, doable changes versus big changes you might not be able to stick with.

2. Investing in Yourself Is the Best Investment

Jim Rohn talks about how all change starts with you. If you really want to make changes, you have to invest in yourself and in learning new things often through self-education. Investing in yourself can also come in the form of surrounding yourself with other like-minded individuals or joining mastermind-type groups that focus on your interests and goals. 

Educating yourself and surrounding yourself with other inspiring people can change who you are…it changes your identity. Also, no one can take away your experiences or knowledge. This is why investing in yourself is the best investment you can make. Your inner knowledge and experience are yours to keep and use as needed to reach your goals in life.

3. Get 1% Better Every Day

This mindset shift is similar to the compound effect because it encourages you to get 1% better every day. Instead of making radical changes, you are committing to being just a little better day after day. 

Of course, each person will have to figure out what this means for them. Don’t stress out about making big improvements; instead, focus on the small things you can do…and execute daily.

Maybe it’s just reading 5 pages every day…or doing a few extra reps when you exercise. 

I encourage you to journal on this topic of what you can do to overcome obstacles and improve yourself so you can start taking action. 

4. Self-Care and Love

No one will take care of you better than you will. If you don’t care for yourself or love yourself, which includes having a fixed mindset on life, you won’t grow into the best version of who you can be. 

So what does self-care look like? For me, it’s to start my day off with my morning routine covering fitness, a positive mindset, and productivity.

Don’t think of self-care as a selfish thing. Instead, look at it as a necessary investment so you can show up better for others. 

5. Creating Impact Beyond Yourself

As I mentioned, self-care is important so that you can go beyond yourself and make an impact on those around you. The real magic with personal and professional growth is getting to the point where you can inspire others. Your goal (in my opinion) should be to do your part to help your community and to leave the world a better place for others. 

6. Leaving the World a Better Place

I mentioned this in my last point, but I want you to really think through what this looks like for you. What do you know how to do that you can share with others? What are your skills or passions that you can lean into and raise awareness of?

Leaving the world a better place is the whole reason I started The Morning Upgrade blog and podcast and wrote The Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon.

That’s not to say you have to do all of that, but what can you start small with? I recommend you start with something simple, like mentoring someone over a cup of coffee. 

7. Stop Being So Hard on Yourself, You Don’t Need to Be Perfect

This is a big concept I talk about in my book. Instead of trying to be perfect, I recommend you focus on getting it right 80% of the time. Don’t beat yourself up and have a negative mindset when you sometimes make a mistake or bad decision…we’re human, after all.

You’re never going to be perfect. But you can make real improvements if you try to get it right most of the time. Just commit to taking action every day. 

8. The Meaning of Life and Purpose

The meaning and point of life have been on my mind a lot lately. It can be very clarifying to go through the exercise of journaling and thinking about why you are on this earth…I recommend you give it a try! 

Personally, I went through this exercise when I was trying to craft my purpose statement. In a nutshell, my purpose is to do the best I can with the marketing agencies I run as well as with The Morning Upgrade. My ultimate goal is to actually interweave these two passions…I wasn’t clear on this UNTIL I took the time to craft my purpose statement. Curious what this looks like? Right now it looks like sharing my book and content with clients, inviting clients onto my podcast, and sharing personal and professional development tips with my team. 

Being clear on my purpose in life has made it much easier for me to take focused action and have major mindset shifts. Meaning, I know what I need to do now to accomplish my goals. Give it a try!

9. Have Fun

It’s ok to be serious sometimes, but please don’t take yourself too seriously and prioritize fun…and I’m not talking about going on a 2-week bender in Vegas. But I am saying that you should sprinkle things into your life that you enjoy. 

You’re only on this earth for a short period of time, so spend it enjoying the days you are given. If you’re always in work mode, what’s the point? Balancing times of HARD work and times of play is key to having a fulfilling life (in my opinion). 

10. Work Hard and Make a Difference

My hope for you is that you will work your butt off and aim to make a difference. Figure out what your passion is and do the best you can to share that knowledge with the world. And invest in yourself and in your career so that you can serve others at a high level. The ultimate goal of your hard work is to create change in the world around you. When you are achieving and making a difference, it should lead to fulfillment and deep happiness.

11. Think About What the 2.0 Version of Yourself Looks Like

We spoke about this concept in the post I wrote on the Gap Between Who You Are and Who You Can Become. Think about what version 2.0 of yourself looks like. How big is the gap between that person and the person you are today? Then, create a roadmap of what you need to do to get there…to close the gap.

Take time to journal this out. Here are a few prompts: 

• What do people say about you?
• What are you good at? 
• What habits do you have that you should stop?
• What habits can you adopt that will help you be better?

I spent time journaling this out and came up with an outline of the 2.0 version of myself…including what habits and character traits I have. This exercise has made me more aware of what daily decisions I need to make to become more like that version. 

Key Takeaways

• Focus on taking small, daily actions to create change.
• Invest in yourself through education, self-care, and love, so you can show up better for others.
• Clarify your passions so you can leave the world a better place. 
• Work hard, but don’t forget to have fun.
• Take time to journal about your purpose in this life and what the 2.0 version of yourself looks like.