Originally posted in our February 2024 Top of Mind Newsletter.
In Joseph Nguyen’s book, “Don’t Believe Everything You Think,” he reminds us that our interpretation of events shapes our emotional response, not the events themselves. This insight underscores the power of mindset in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. By understanding how our thoughts influence outcomes, we can cultivate resilience and find happiness amidst adversity—a fundamental principle of the entrepreneurial mindset.
“It’s not about the events that happen in our lives, but our interpretation of them, which causes us to feel good or bad about something. This is how people in third world countries can be happier than people in first world countries, and people in first world countries can be more miserable than people in third world countries. Our feelings do not come from external events but from our own thinking about the events.”
As Nguyen quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh, “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” As we look to foster a shift away from our older thinking, we must learn to break the pattern and embrace the unknown.
A special hat tip to one of our newest facilitators, SarahGrace McKasson, for sharing this with us.