The Key Elements of Change: Mindset, Motivation and Methods

As we enter a new year, some of you may have resolutions in mind. Others may have abandoned the practice of resolution-setting after years of failing to accomplish what you set out to do.

As a coach, I am keenly aware of the power each of us has to make meaningful changes in our lives. I’m also cognizant of the courage, self-awareness and drive it takes to make a change stick. The fact is, our brains prefer equilibrium and so we are hard wired to avoid rocking the boat, even if the boat we are in is filled with holes and taking in water. 

Thus, entering 2026 thinking that you can make a big change in your life via a New Year’s resolution without much introspection may be setting yourself up for failure. That doesn’t mean you should let go of your goals and resign yourself to a life of stagnation. Instead, lay some groundwork before embarking on a life shift. 

Jim Kwik, a brain coach and author of the book, “Limitless,” says there are three keys to making change:

1. Mindset

2. Motivation

3. Methods

With New Year’s resolutions, people often jump to “methods” — or how they will make the change — before adequately considering mindset and motivation. But mindset and motivation are the scaffolding upon which the change depends. 

Mindset

Let’s say that your ambition is to start jogging in 2026 with a goal of running a 10K by the end of the year. Your mindset in this case is your belief that you are capable of this goal. If, however, a story that you have long told yourself is that you are weak with poor lung capacity, your mindset might hold you back. You may want to run a 10K, but deep down you might not be convinced that you are capable of it. 

Your mindset involves long-held assumptions, beliefs and attitudes that may stem back to childhood. In the case of the person who wants to take up jogging, perhaps being the less athletic of his siblings gave him the idea that he lacked physical prowess. This idea may be so firmly engrained that he doesn’t even see it. If left unchecked, the belief may be enough to cause the person to quit when running starts to feel hard, rather than pushing through the discomfort.

To follow through with a change, you must first believe that you are capable of and deserving of the goal you are pursuing, and that making the change is within your power.   

In my coaching practice, it’s common for mindset issues to surface when someone is making a change. A client, for instance, may want to pursue a new job with greater responsibilities but fundamentally believe that they aren’t worthy of such a role. In fact, they may feel like a bit of an imposter in their current position. This issue, if not addressed, will often stand in the way of the individual taking the steps needed to move to a higher rank. 

Here is a checklist of questions that can help you identify mindset issues: 

• How capable am I of achieving this goal? 

• What internal beliefs and assumptions relate to this goal? 

• When I think about this goal, what does my internal critic have to say? 

• How accurate is my internal critic’s feedback? What is the evidence?

• What alternative beliefs would better serve me?

Motivation

You’ve set a goal, so surely you’re motivated to achieve it, right? Yes and no. 

Say, for example, your goal is to lose 10 pounds. You may feel quite motivated as you picture yourself fitting into a dress that has grown a little tight. But why is fitting into that dress important to you? What is meaningful to you about losing weight? Is the desire coming from you, or from someone else’s expectations? 

The best motivators tie back to your sense of purpose and values. 

In the past year, I set out to lose weight because I felt like carrying extra pounds was putting too much pressure on my knees. This, in turn, was making my knees hurt when I engaged in Zumba, one of my favorite activities. Having a goal that was directly tied to personal enjoyment helped me stick to my regimen. 

I had tried losing weight before but would often just regain it in a matter of months. At the time, my motivation was mostly aesthetic: feeling like I looked a little better, it turns out, wasn't closely aligned with my purpose and values, so it was easy for me to lose motivation and backslide over time. 

The lesson: Be sure to examine the “why” behind any change, and make sure your motivations are tied to your purpose, and not someone else’s. 

Methods

Once you are clear on your mindset and motivation, it’s time to establish the methods you will use to make the change. 

You are the only one who knows what will work best for you. In general, you can set yourself up for success by breaking down your goals into small, manageable steps, and making each step as seamless as possible. For example, for the individual who wants to run a 10K, methods might include running twice a week and keeping running shoes right by the bed so they are right in front of him when he wakes up.

Consider initially setting your sights on small doable achievements that reinforce your capability. Instead of a goal of a 10K, for example, maybe you initially set your sights on running just a few minutes each day. Then, once that goal is accomplished, you can build on it. 

Keep in mind that backslides happen to the best of us. Be prepared to rebound when your methods fail. Often, success comes down to not abandoning a goal after a setback.

Finally, enlist support as you make a change. A friend, mentor or coach can help hold you accountable for following through on the steps necessary to reach your goal. When things get hard — as they inevitably do — you’ll benefit from having someone in your corner, cheering you along as you move forward to the future you want. Happy New Year!

Note: This article is a reprint of my monthly "Career Corner" column that appears in "The Luminary," the city of Brisbane's business and community journal.