The Most Dangerous Improvement Project

I recently watched a video where I was told to not think about a tree. Guess what I immediately did? Yep, I thought of a tree.

As it turns out, psychologist Daniel Wegner studied this so-called “white bear effect” phenomenon, since if I ask you to not think about a white bear, it’s nearly impossible to not imagine a white bear! See what I mean?

Along these same lines…think about how often we do the same thing with our thoughts and language. For example, do you ever say, or think, any of the following?

• Don’t mess this up.
• Don’t forget to pick milk up after work.
• Don’t embarrass yourself.
• And, perhaps worst of all, don’t fail.

Now, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably said, or thought, these things (or similar things) many times.

But what if this type of thinking is actually pointing our minds in the wrong direction?

The Improvement Project Nobody Sees

As Lean and Six Sigma practitioners, we’re trained and encouraged to improve processes. We’re great at mapping the current state, eliminating waste, and reducing all that pesky variation. This is all very good, obviously.

But here’s a critical truth I want you to hear: there’s another “process” running all day long…it’s the conversation happening in our own heads. And, unfortunately, for some reason, we almost never stop to examine the harm that can be done if care isn’t taken.

Yet this negative self-talk influences our confidence, our decisions, our relationships, and most definitely our results in all phases of life.

How to Improve

If you find yourself in this negative self-talk mindset, here’s what I want you to do (and I need to do it, too!).

1. Notice the language you’re using
2. Choose a better target

Put another way, instead of obsessing over what you don’t want to happen…focus on what you do want to happen.

So, instead of thinking “what if I freeze up in front of the room?” think “let’s deliver max value to the audience.”

Instead of, “Don’t fail,” think, “What’s the next step I can take and what do I think will happen?”

Instead of, “Don’t mess this up,” think, “I’m excited to see what I learn!”

It’s a subtle shift, but subtle shifts often create big results. After all, that’s a lesson we lean thinkers should know better than anyone. Small improvements, repeated consistently over time, can transform an entire system.

And make no mistake…your thinking is most definitely a system.

So this week, pay attention to the conversation happening in your head. Notice when your mind focuses on what you want to avoid. Then redirect it toward what you want to achieve.

Because improvement isn’t just about fixing processes. Sometimes the most important process to improve is the one running between your ears.

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