You think you’re open-minded in business. Everyone does. It’s like asking someone if they’re a good driver – of course they are. The problem? Mindsets are invisible to their owners while being glaringly obvious to everyone else.
Right now, you might be struggling with pricing, missing targets, or finding it impossible to inspire your team. You’ve probably tried various tactics and strategies. But what most business owners miss is that your mindset shapes your results more than your circumstances ever will.
The two mindset types that control everything
Every business decision, every reaction to challenge, every opportunity you see (or miss) flows from one of two mindset types:
Constrictive mindsets make you see problems everywhere. You focus on what could go wrong, insist on being right, and prioritise comfort over growth. When someone suggests raising prices, you immediately think: “Our prices are already too high” or “That will hurt our business.”
Expansive mindsets make you see possibilities. You’re curious about new approaches, willing to experiment, and focused on contribution rather than protection.
Take AI as a perfect example. Constrictive thinkers see job theft and creative destruction. Expansive thinkers see enhanced capabilities and freedom from mundane tasks.
The trap of “solid facts”
When your sales manager says, “I tried that before – it didn’t work,” they’re not sharing facts. They’re revealing their mindset. And mindsets feel like absolute truth to the person holding them.
This is why logical arguments rarely change minds. You can present all the evidence you want, but if someone’s mindset is set against an idea, your “facts” simply bounce off their “facts.”
Breaking free: the struggle signal
Here’s your diagnostic tool: struggle reveals constrictive mindsets. When results come easily and work feels effortless, you’re in an expansive state. When you’re fighting to motivate yourself or your team, battling to hit targets, or finding simple tasks impossibly hard, that’s your mindset working against you.
The solution isn’t another strategy or tactic. It’s recognising that the struggle itself is the signal – that’s where you start the real work.
Your next move
Stop trying to fix your business problems with more techniques. Start by identifying where you’re struggling most. That struggle isn’t a character flaw or market condition – it’s your mindset showing you exactly where to focus.
The most successful business owners aren’t the ones with the best strategies. They’re the ones who recognise when their thinking has become their limitation – and do something about it.
Ready to identify the mindsets holding your business back? Contact us at km@leaderslab.co.uk or call on 07801 259637 to explore what’s really driving your results.