The power of a simple mental reframe
I was recently on the incredible Camille DePutter’s “The Storytelling with Heart Podcast” where we covered a lot of ground about telling our own stories in meaningful ways.
In the conversation, we talk a lot about mindset. And I shared a story about a recent mental reframe that has changed my life significantly.
Here’s an excerpt from the conversation:
“I run a non-profit and I’m CEO, which means the overwhelming majority of my job is to support my team, and raise money. And I hated fundraising. Hated it. I spent 10 years running Classroom Champions, hating fundraising.
And it sucks to have the bulk of your job be something you don’t like.
So a year and a half ago I said to my wife: ‘you know what, I’m tired of not liking fundraising. I’m going to like it now.’
She said, ‘what do you mean?’
I said, ‘I’m just going to decide I like it. It’s my brain, it’s my thoughts, it’s my feelings, it’s my choice. I’m going to like it.’
And I do like it now. It’s not masking it, it’s not BS’ing myself, it’s not covering up something. I found reasons to like it.
I believe we do good work at Classroom Champions. And people who donate want their money to go someplace that will make a difference.
Well, I believe at Classroom Champions, we’re making a difference. Therefore, I get to help people by taking their money and doing something positive with it. And giving them a tax receipt while they’re at it.
Which means [through fundraising] I’m helping people.
… Classroom Champions will probably bring in 2.5 times the financial resources this year that we did the year before. Which for us means we’ll be able to help a lot more kids, and help a lot more teachers and school boards implement social-emotional learning and mentorship programs and curriculum. Which is exciting.
And from a personal standpoint it’s nice. I went from spending about 30% of my time on fundraising, which should have been more of my job, and hating it, to making it 80% of my time and loving it.
I’m spending more time because I like it. Because I decided I like it.”
- Steve (and Camille on my episode of her The Storytelling with Heart Podcast entitled “How to think like an Olympian.” Listen for free on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or I’m pretty sure wherever you get your fav podcasts!)
