The Mind Over Finger Podcast - 180 Overcome Overwhelm

Episode Date: October 27, 2023

In this episode, I dive into the common experience of feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, offering powerful insights on transitioning from an emotional perspective to a logical one. Discover how to replace subjective self-criticism with objective problem-solving to conquer challenges with confidence and clarity. Join me as I explore real-world examples and actionable steps to transform your mindset and achieve greater success. Book your free consultation with Renée HERE Download the transcript from this episode HERE   Mind Over Finger Visit MindOverFinger.com for all things peak performance – including impactful online courses and free resources on peak performance. Connect: https://www.youtube.com/@MindOverFinger https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/     Thank You Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme:  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by how much there is to do? Are you sometimes paralyzed by the weight of self-doubt? If so, you're going to find this episode very useful because today I share with you a way to start melting the overwhelm and get back to clarity, focus, and efficient problem solving. You're listening to the Mind Over Finger podcast, episode number 180. Let's dive in. Welcome to the Mind Over Finger podcast, where we dive into the world of mindful music making,

peak performance, and crafting a purpose-driven life and career. I'm your host, violinist, certified performance and life coach for musicians, and your guide to unlocking your full potential, Dr. Ranipo Gautier. Hi everyone. I hope things are great for you as you're tuning in today. I was in a session with a client a few days ago. They were getting ready for an audition and dealing with a lot of stress. And as I was listening to them telling me about it, I was noticing heavy, overly general personal statements from this client. I'm not ready. I can't figure it out. I'm not confident. I could hear the emotional spiraling that was going on. I could see why it was happening. And I knew what could turn things around. And after we wrapped up,

I thought, I need to bring this topic to the podcast. Because what we worked on in our session is something that can help everyone handle overwhelm. It's a simple and powerful paradigm shift that will have a positive impact on your work and life. Life often throws us challenges that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. That's normal. Whether it's preparing for an audition or performance, tackling a daunting project, facing a career transition, or simply dealing with the demands of daily life, these moments of self-doubt can be incredibly disheartening. I think we all have these moments when it feels like a heavy cloud of negativity has settled in, obscuring the path to progress and success. It's a common human experience

and it's easy to give in to the emotional spiraling. And here's the secret. Shifting your perspective from emotional to logical. This can be the key to overcoming these hurdles. Let's explore this approach and how it can help you break free from the cycle of self-sabotage. Consider this. When we're confronted with challenges, our default mode often leans towards an emotional perspective. We label ourselves with heavy judgments, such as, I'm not ready, I'm terrible at this, or I'll never figure this out. These statements are subjective.

and they carry an emotional weight that can paralyze us. That's easy to see, right? But here's a powerful shift that can make all the difference. Trading subjective judgments for objective assessments. It's a mental pivot that replaces I with something specific that can be addressed. So you move from saying, I'm not ready to X is not ready. I'm not ready to these three excerpts are not ready to my liking. And you might be thinking, what's the difference? The difference, my friends, is huge. I'm not ready places a heavy label on yourself, loaded with emotions and self-criticism. It's personal, it's subjective, and it's definitely paralyzing. On the other hand, X is not ready, shifts your perspective. It's an objective

assessment devoid of personal judgment. This approach allows you to tackle the issue logically and methodically. So three excerpts are not ready. Why not? What does not feel ready about these excerpts? What specific aspects? Which specific measures? How can I fix that? Now this is something you can tackle. How do you even begin to tackle I'm not ready? It's too heavy. It's too much. it's overwhelming. So adopting a logical approach, an objective assessment, allows you to put on your problem-solving hat and dive into the task with a clear mind. It puts you in a mental space to find solutions and get motivated to take action. When you replace I'm not ready with XYZ is not ready, you're essentially breaking the situation down into manageable components. You identify the

areas that need work and you outline a plan to address them. This mindset shift transforms a daunting mountain into a series of manageable hills. By thinking logically and objectively, you open up a world of possibilities. Instead of dwelling on self-criticism and feelings of inadequacy, you focus on growth, improvement, and solutions. Every obstacle then becomes an opportunity to learn in progress. So here's how to apply this shift. First, start with awareness. Makes sense, right? Recognize when you're using subjective judgments like, I'm not ready. Catch those sentences as they go through your brain. And the more you do it, the better you'll get at it. Your awareness will grow. Then rephrase. Transform these judgments, these subjective sentences,

into objective assessments. For example, XYZ is not ready. the third step is to break it down identify the specific areas that need improvement and outline a plan number four is action take steps to address the objective assessment methodically and finally the fifth step is to celebrate your progress acknowledge and celebrate your growth along the way. Every small win matters. By making this shift, you're going to find that your approach to challenges becomes more measured and less emotionally charged. You're going to become a proactive problem solver, ready to tackle whatever comes your way. And here are more examples of situations where we tend to be

emotional rather than logical, with possible rephrased logical perspectives. Instead of saying I'm terrible at this, say I need more practice in this area. Instead of I'll never figure this out, say I haven't quite grasped it yet, but I can learn. Instead of thinking I'm a failure, Think, I made a mistake, and I can try again. Instead of saying, I can't do this, say, I need guidance or resources to help me do this. Instead of, I'm so overwhelmed, say, I need to break this down into smaller tasks. Instead of thinking, I'm not as good as they are, think, I have my strengths, and I can improve my weaknesses. instead of saying i'll never achieve my dreams say i'm on a journey and i'll work steadily toward

my dreams instead of i'm not smart enough say i can develop my knowledge in this area instead of thinking i'm always going to be stuck think right now i'm facing an obstacle and i can overcome it. Instead of saying, I'm just a failure, say, I have the ability to learn and grow. These shifts from emotional, self-critical language to logical, problem-solving language is transformative in how we perceive challenges and setbacks. They empower us to take action and move forward, rather than getting stuck in negative emotions. Now imagine applying this logical perspective to your life. Instead of being weighted down by judgments that stifle your progress, you shift to a problem-solving mindset. When you swap general, emotionally loaded I

statements for specific objective statements, you create a space for solutions. This approach encourages you to break challenges into manageable parts, to seek guidance and resources when needed, to learn from mistakes and failures as part of your growth journey, to embrace your unique strengths and work on your weaknesses, and to steadily pursue your dreams, recognizing that success is a journey. Logic empowers you to acknowledge the presence of opportunities, resources and solutions already available to you. It opens your eyes to the abundance around you and helps you make informed decisions that lead to progress. In those moments of self-doubt and discouragement, consider making the shift from emotional to logical. Embrace the power of

objectivity and watch how it transforms your journey. And remember, the way you frame your thoughts influences how you feel, the actions you take, and ultimately, the results you achieve. By adopting logic over emotion, you can navigate life's challenges with resilience and resourcefulness. and maybe you're curious to hear what happened to my client well we were able to reframe these emotional i statements like i'm not ready to these three excerpts are not ready or i'm not confident to doubt is a natural part of the process and i have tools to handle it they reclaimed their agency over their preparation process, showed up in control for the audition, and they made the finals. How fantastic. And it really goes to show the power of your mind. So next time you find

yourself overwhelmed or discouraged, pause and consider whether your perspective is emotional or logical. And if you catch yourself in an emotional spiral, reframe your thoughts with a logical problem-solving mindset. It's a small shift that can lead to significant transformations in your life and empower you to pursue your goals with confidence. And if you're facing challenges or you're pursuing big goals, but you feel held back by overwhelm and you would like guidance through this process, let's talk. Getting different results is possible for you. Go to mindoverfinger.com slash coaching and book a free consultation with me. In our call, we're going to assess your situation logically and objectively. We're going to look at your

goals and dreams, and we're going to strategize to get you there. I work with my clients one-on-one for six months. And during our time together, we're going to reframe the way you approach things and I'm going to help you build confidence and refine the tools that will allow you to reach your goals. So book your call today. I have the link for you in the show notes. The call is free and regardless whether you and I end up working together or not, you're going to walk away from the call with clarity. So this is what I have for you this week. Don't forget to get specific and objective. I send you much love and à bientôt.