Many people believe that they don’t have time for mindset work. However, they don’t realize that mindset work is always happening, whether they like it or not. Learn the science behind mindset work, how your brain can run on autopilot, and why even a little proactive mindset work can help to radically shift your trajectory in life. To learn more, read and/or watch below.

“I don’t have time for mindset work.”

I hear that all the time.

And honestly, I get it.

You probably don’t have extra time to sit on a mountaintop and journal about your feelings for three hours a day.

You’ve got meetings. Family. A relationship to maintain. Groceries to buy. Maybe even a dog or cat who thinks 3:47 AM is a perfectly acceptable time to start the day.

So no, I’m not going to tell you to “make time” for something that seems like a luxury from your point of view.

But here’s what most people don’t realize:

Your brain is already doing mindset work. Every single day.

Whether you like it or not. Whether you direct it or not.
And you might not like the results it’s creating.

Let me explain.

The Garden in Your Brain

Imagine your brain is a backyard. Whether you tend it or not, something is going to grow there.

If you say, “I don’t have time to take care of it,” that doesn’t stop things from growing.

It just means the weeds take over.

The same goes for your mindset.

If you’re not intentionally planting beliefs, you’re reinforcing the ones that show up on autopilot. They’re often the loudest, most critical, and least helpful thoughts in your mental soil.

Things like:

• “I’m not doing enough.”
• “I’ll probably mess this up.”
• “What if they think I’m not qualified?”
• “I should be better at this by now.”

That’s not neutral.
It’s not passive.
That’s your brain doing mindset work without your supervision.

Neuroplasticity: Growth Is Always Happening

Let’s get a little science-y for a second (don’t worry—I’ll make it fun).

Your brain is made to adapt and change. That’s thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself based on your experiences, habits, and focus.

Whatever you think and feel on repeat?
That’s what gets stronger inside your brain.

Here’s the kicker: your brain doesn’t care if those thoughts are helpful or harmful.

Which brings us to the plastic paradox.

The plastic paradox illustrates that your brain is always changing, for better or worse. It can change in ways that help you or ways that hurt you.

In your brain, growth and change are inevitable. Direction is not.

In other words: If you’re constantly rehearsing thoughts like “I’m failing,” “I’m behind,” or “They’re probably judging me,” your brain is literally laying down highways for those thoughts to travel faster and easier next time.

That’s mindset work.
Your brain is doing it already, on autopilot.
The question is: is it the kind of mindset work that you want to be happening in your brain?

Mindset Autopilot Is Real, and It’s Costing You

Let’s make this practical.

Have you ever avoided a hard conversation with your spouse, then spent days overthinking it, feeling anxious and frustrated?

Or maybe you’ve hesitated to speak up in a meeting because your brain whispered, “Don’t screw this up,” and you didn’t know how to challenge that voice in the moment?

That’s mindset autopilot in action.

It’s not always dramatic. Sometimes it shows up as:

• Overthinking a decision until you talk yourself out of it.
• Replaying a mistake in your mind for the rest of the week.
• Saying yes when you want to say no, just to avoid conflict or feeling guilty.

None of that means you’re broken. It means your brain has developed patterns that encourage those choices. And those patterns can absolutely be changed.

…But not by accident.

You’re ALREADY spending time reactively… start spending time PROACTIVELY.

Busy, overextended, stressed-out people spend a lot of time in mental and emotional reaction mode.

Worrying about whether they’ll get it all done in time.

Stressing about things they can’t control.

Avoiding conversations they know they need to have and actions they know they need to take out of:

• Fear of judgment or rejection
• People-pleasing
• Fear of failure
• Overwhelm
• Uncertainty
• Indecision
• Self-doubt.

All of that? It’s kind of a form of mindset work, in a way… REACTIVE mindset work.

And it’s reinforcing the patterns that are keeping you stressed out, stuck, unhappy, and unfulfilled.

You’re ALREADY spending time and energy in your mind, reacting to people, things, and circumstances in ways that aren’t helping you.

What if you were to shift some of that time and energy to doing PROACTIVE mindset work, instead of REACTING to your life?

You’d cut down on the time and energy (and stress) you spend reacting, and set yourself up for greater mental and emotional resilience.

Less worry. More clarity. More self-trust. Better decision-making.

That’s what’s possible when you shift from reactive mindset work to proactive mindset work.

Intentional Mindset Work Isn’t Fluffy. It’s Foundational.

Let’s reframe what true “mindset work” really is.

It’s not just journaling and affirmations.

It’s the work of:

• Understanding how your thoughts, emotions, actions, and results are connected.
• Learning to coach yourself in the moment when emotions like fear or self-doubt show up.
• Choosing beliefs that serve your goals and values – not just rehearsing old mental scripts.
• Building the kind of emotional resilience that lets you navigate difficult circumstaces without falling apart.

This is what I teach my clients to do. I train them on tools rooted in neuroscience and cognitive-behavioral science. And it doesn’t have to take hours a day.

Sometimes it starts with a single thought:
“Maybe that belief isn’t the whole truth.”
Or a single question:
“What else could be true here?”

From there, you build the ability to lead yourself.

And that changes everything.

Your Relationship With Yourself Is Always at Work

Here’s one of the core principles I teach:

Your relationship with yourself is the most important human relationship you will ever have.

Why?
Because it affects everything else.

The way you talk to yourself becomes the way you show up in your work, your marriage, your friendships, your parenting, your boundaries, your dreams. It can even impact your relationship with your Higher Power, if you are a person of faith.

If your internal voice is anxious, critical, and exhausted, that’s the version of you that walks into every room.

Mindset work isn’t extra.
It’s not self-indulgent.
It’s the maintenance required to keep showing up as who you want to be.

And if you DON’T actively engage in mindset work throughout your days and weeks, your brain will be automatically doing it FOR you – prioritizing immediate comfort, safety, and conservation of your energy, rather than supporting your long-term goals, growth, and well-being.

By the way – if you’d like to work on your relationship with yourself, I have a low-cost, on-demand workshop that will help you get started.

Don’t Let the Weeds Win

I’m not asking you to overhaul your life today.

But I am asking you to stop pretending that “not doing mindset work” is neutral…

Because it’s not.

Just like a garden you ignore, your brain will grow something. The only question is whether it’s weeds or nourishment.

And the good news?
You don’t need a machete and a weekend retreat to get started.

Sometimes, all it takes is a single workshop.
One that teaches you how to pause, reflect, and start making intentional choices in how you think, feel, and show up.

That’s where your mindset transformation begins.

Not with more time.
Not with perfection.
Just with one small shift in direction.

The Bottom Line If You’re Too Busy for Mindset Work

Your brain is always changing and growing – either on autopilot, or under your direction.

Mindset work is always happening for you – it just might not be the kind of mindset work that will benefit you.

By taking a few minutes throughout each day to work on your mindset, you can start shaping the direction of your brain’s inevitable growth, instead of allowing it to unfold on its own, based on automatic priorities you probably wouldn’t choose.

If you’re ready to proactively work on your mindset, sign up to get your free copy of my 5-Minute Confidence Anchor. It’s my gift to you when you join my email list.