Mindset bridge hiding in a word you can’t pronounce (yet)

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THE ART & SCIENCE OF LEADING SELF
The Instructive Power of Language

My friend, this week, we are continuing the Mindset series where I am outlining my entire framework for Mindset development.

Last week, we broke down the role the subject-object shift plays. I shared that it is essentially the skeletal frame of a house.

That house sits on the foundation of awareness that Mindset work is a function of Mindfulness, aka M = f(m).

Having established the foundation and skeletal frame of the house, let’s move to the next key structural item: floors.

Floors facilitate movement throughout a home. And what I am about to present is what facilitates Agility, deepens Courage, fosters Resilience, and unlocks Innovation. But it’s a concept that is often incredibly misunderstood.

So, I decided to come at this a bit differently. Follow me on a brief, but meaningful, exploration of the Spanish word abstraerse. Trust me: it will all make sense shortly.

Language as a Teacher 🚀

Spanish speakers will tell you the everyday use of the word abstraerse can be interpreted to mean:

 • “To zone out”

 • “To get lost in thought”

 • “To stop paying attention to what’s around you”

Those are the colloquial uses. This is where philosophers and writers contribute so much. They bring a richness and nuance to language that is often taken for granted. Their command of etymology (the origin and evolution of words) and creativity empowers them to do so.

You probably already know where I’m going next. Let’s look at the etymology of abstract. Its Latin root is abstrahere, which means “to draw away.”

Why should you care about this?

What does this have to do with Mindset?

Building the Bridge 🌉

Well, I see the word abstraerse as an excellent bridge to the nuanced, often misunderstood concept of Detachment.

Abstraerse, in its richer, more nuanced form means:

• “to withdraw into oneself”

• “to detach yourself from”

Writers and deep thinkers have also used it to express withdrawing into a contemplative state or viewing reality from a higher vantage point.

If you are familiar with Spanish, you know that reflexive verbs (verbs that have -se at the end of a root verb, like abstraer) often convey:

 • Action taken on oneself: lavarse (to wash oneself), calmarse (to calm oneself).

 • Entering a state: dormirse (to fall asleep), enojarse (to get angry).

This is why I wanted to center abstraerse today!! 😬 Because....stay with me:

If we really look at the nuance this word offers, then we cannot overlook how the use of the reflexive turns a cognitive act into a shift of being. That’s right. This one word carries a sentiment that:

 • Is about more than just “abstracting” an idea. It’s about “abstracting oneself.”

 • Connotes more than mere thought; it’s about a reorientation of presence that shifts you from the external world toward an internal locus.

I can’t think of a better way to explain what detachment is at the macro level.

Detachment is a state of being that reorients you towards:

• non-clinging to people, objects, ideas, causes

• acceptance of impermanence

We’ll dive deeper into it all next week, but what we’ve covered today was designed to highlight the power of one nuanced word to lay out a framework for how you might think about it.

The Recap 🔄

Let’s put this into context of where we have already been.

The frame of the house is the subject-object shift. Remember: when you are subject to certain things, you identify so closely with them that you are not able to see them clearly or reflect on them.

Over time, with intentional effort, you can shift what is subject to object, which means that you can now view it as something you can observe, examine, question, and work with because you see it as distinct from yourself.

To detach yourself (abstraerse), you need the awareness and presence that comes from cultivating the capacity to make the subject-object shift. This growth and development is what empowers you to abstract yourself.

What do I mean when I say “abstract yourself”? 

I’m referring to mentally detaching and stepping back to see the bigger picture rather than remaining consumed by what you are immediately confronting. Consider the nature of abstract art. Because the focus is not on a representative rendering of reality, it shifts your focus to the essential qualities you observe.

Abstracting yourself demands the same.

And this is critical to the reorientation of your presence from what is happening externally. As that shift in your focus occurs, you naturally increase your capacity to more closely observe and manage what is unfolding internally.

Hopefully you are starting to recognize how Detachment, a key component of Mindset, facilitates Agility, deepens Courage, fosters Resilience, and unlocks Innovation. If it’s still fuzzy, don’t worry. We’re not done laying the floors. 😊

I’m going to pause here today. But stay tuned. Next week, we will look at Detachment through a few different lenses. This is where we will make the relationships with other leadership capacities more explicit.

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🎤 Speaking Engagements: My mom can attest to the fact that I LOVE to talk. 😂 Now, I put that talent to work delivering talks on Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation.

A few past clients include KraftHeinz, Amazon Women @ Payments, PAHEi, & the Panamá Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (I delivered this talk in Spanish).

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Until next Sunday,

Shawnette