One very important thing that I've done in the past months has been hanging around people with the right mindset.
It's not easy to say that one mindset is the “right one”. But I feel that there is a mindset that is right for me. And that is the producer mindset.
So, what is the producer mindset?
Basically, each person has two sides to them: the consumer and the producer. We all consume on a daily basis:
netflix
social media
books
video games
software tools that we use
Now, there are people who produce things that we consume:
videos
social media posts
writings of any sort
video games
software
By tapping into our producer mindset we can view things differently, in a way that we are focused on serving other people and improving their experiences.
It applies to any type of content that can be consumed (including food) but it changes the dynamic in which we operate and it also changes the things we are interested in. It reinforces creative habits and gives us a playground on which to throw around ideas, and then keep those ideas, nurture and craft those ideas into something real, utilise them and improve their user experience.
It's not any different than how nature is using evolution to make plants adapt to new habitats and changing environments.
What does this have to do with business?
Business people have something different than people who are not focused on business. Something very childish: a powerful combo of curiousity, trust and experimentation.
By trust I mean an initiative of thinking “how would that work, how does that fit into the picture?”. A predisposition to entertain ideas, if you will. And probably more inportantly: an openness to new ideas. That is literally the opposite of stagnation.
Children are born with that.
And studies have proved that school stifles that inner creativity and inner connection with ones own mental ideation skill. Also children like fantastic things like dragons and silly stuff that makes them laugh. In “serious” endeavours that is considered “messing around”. In business ventures, using your creativity to bounce ideas is called brainstorming. And is considered a good thing.
So the way of a child growing up into an adult and later in a more experienced adult is not free of confusing and contradicting points of view.
But the real danger is stagnation. The real danger makes itself felt when life becomes comfortable and boring. When challenges are avoided and when progress is put on “pause”.
The positive thing
The positive thing that I've done in the last few months has been hanging around business people. However, even the people who are not business people deserve praise because they are mostly digital nomads, or have travelled from a distant place to start a new life somewhere else, or are doing business even if they don't consider themselves business people.
I have the utmost appreciation for those people.
Because it takes courage to make yourself vulnerable and to take risks and to step out of perfectionism (the ultimate dream killer).
The producer mindset is a skill
And just like any skill, it involves learning some theory - some tips & tricks at least - and then to put it into practice. And then to assess results, learn from experience and try again (and better).
Surrounding yourself with people in the same industry as you, you get to learn tips & tricks from them and share experiences and opinions. This helps all of us grow. It's not a hostile environment where you have to make it seem like you have everything figured out. It's the opposite: it's a safe place to present your findings and receive other people's piece of mind.
It really is about mindset
To make things clear from the beginning, your confidence in business and in your craft comes from experience and from your skills. But all of these are left unused unless tapping into the producer mindset.
We, as humans, are fine-tuned for creating things. That's why we have a flexible imagination and a very astute sense of connecting facts and comparing products and experiences. It's why we have tonnes of opinions all the time.
When watching a movie - on the other hand - we can review it only at the end. But we don't notice subtle effects, changes of scenes, subtle placements of cues and artistic minutiae, even though it is there deliberately, designed by people who know what they are doing with knowledge and theory that has been built upon for decades or even centuries.
We just watch a movie and enjoy it.
The consumer mindset is actually a sort of autopilot that is comfortable - because it doesn't consume any brain energy - but doesn't stretch and flex our creativity muscles either.
Conclusion
Hang around more people who “get you”. They can be in totally different industries with totally different occupations.But it's not what they are doing that you will resonate with (sometimes it's that as well) - it's HOW they are doing things.
And it's also important to “kill your ego” and minimise imposter syndrome when you find that you are on the same page with everybody else. Sometimes you may not be and you are the one in the wrong, and that's great because learning is better than not learning!
It's motivating to share thoughts and experiences with people who are rowing on the same river as you and enlightening when you see their successes and even see them improving. It reminds you of what a fantastic journey life is and that we're all sharing the same journey.
Hanging around people who “get you” is the best mandatory digital detox - and shouldn't be neglected!
Have a fantastic week!