Mind Your Mindset

About the Author

Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller are accomplished authors and renowned experts in the field of personal development and leadership. Michael Hyatt, the founder and chairman of Michael Hyatt & Company, is a seasoned leader with over 40 years of experience in the publishing industry. He has authored several New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books. Megan Hyatt Miller, CEO of Michael Hyatt & Company, is a leadership coach and speaker who has co-authored multiple bestselling books with her father. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to help individuals unlock their potential and achieve success.

Main Idea

Mind Your Mindset: The Science that Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking delves into the transformative power of the stories we tell ourselves. The authors explore how these narratives shape our perceptions, actions, and ultimately, our success. They provide a comprehensive guide on identifying, challenging, and training our internal narrator to foster a mindset conducive to growth and achievement.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Do You Trust the Voice in Your Head?
2. Creating Stories
3. Stories Are Not Reality
4. Intuition and Certainty
5. Changing Stories
6. Training the Narrator

Introduction: Do You Trust the Voice in Your Head?

The book begins with a probing question that sets the stage for the exploration ahead: Do you trust the voice in your head? Hyatt and Miller introduce the concept of the internal narrator, the voice that constantly interprets our experiences and shapes our reality. They emphasize the importance of understanding and managing this narrator to achieve personal and professional success.

Our internal narrator, according to Hyatt and Miller, plays a crucial role in determining how we perceive and react to the world around us. This voice influences our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, often without our conscious awareness. The goal of this book is to help readers become more aware of their internal narrator and learn how to guide it in a way that supports their goals and aspirations.

Creating Stories

In the first section, the authors explain how our brains create stories to make sense of the world. They discuss the role of synapses in forming concepts and how these stories influence our perceptions and actions. Hyatt and Miller note, "Our brains tell stories to help us understand what’s happening around us and how to respond." They highlight the importance of recognizing and scrutinizing these stories to avoid being trapped by outdated or inaccurate narratives.

“Our brains tell stories to help us understand what’s happening around us and how to respond.” - Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller

The process of creating stories begins in childhood, where we learn to navigate our environment through trial and error. Over time, these experiences form patterns in our brains, leading to the development of stories that help us make sense of new situations. However, trauma and negative experiences can disrupt this process, leading to the creation of stories that limit our potential and hinder our growth.

Hyatt and Miller emphasize the importance of questioning the stories we tell ourselves, especially when they lead to negative outcomes. By examining the narratives that shape our thinking, we can identify areas where we may be stuck and develop new, more empowering stories that support our goals.