3 Mental Modes* a Startup Founder Juggles

MAKING OF THE 3 MENTAL MODES FRAMEWORK

[Mental Mode* - a temperament to act and think in a certain way]

“How can I optimise my mental energy and time?”

As a startup founder (my 4th one) I face this challenge everyday - to prioritise where, how and on what I spend my time and mental energy.

I devised a simple framework that maps ‘types of tasks’ and corresponding ‘mental modes’ to help me compartmentalise and remain creatively productive. Here is the unpacking (organised as three pillars in the corresponding diagram):

3 'MENTAL MODES' AND CORRESPONDING 'STATES' AND 'MINDSETS'

3 TYPES OF MENTAL MODES

I have realised that I do three ‘types of tasks’, and each one requires me to be in a different ‘mental mode’. The modes are:

1. CREATOR MODE [Concept & Product]when I am generating new ideas for our business concept and working on our ‘product’,

2. GENERATOR MODE [Sales & Capital]when I am generating money to fuel our business growth, either through selling our product or trading equity or credentials for capital to run the company,

3. MANAGER MODE [People & Money] when I am managing day to day operations, which involves managing people and managing cash flow, and escalations related to them.

I have tried to unpack 'mental modes’ in two more layers, each reducing the level of abstraction (Each mode has its unique ‘states’ and ‘mindsets & skills’):

I. 'States' in each mode (we can also call them sub-modes)

II. 'Mindsets and skills' required in each mode.

Let’s go through one by one.

I. States (or submodes) in each 'mental mode'

Each 'mental mode' can be unpacked in three 'states' (or sub-modes):

States’ in Creator Mode:

a. FLOATING [Wandering] - calms me, cuts the clutter, reveals things that are under the surface, makes me see things beyond,

b. INSPIRED [Wondering] - prompts me to think in new ways, gives me new ideas,

c. SYNTHESIS [Coalescing] - helps me in connecting ideas, and in developing product, service or business concept.

‘States’ in Generator Mode:

a. DEVELOPING [Putting things together] - developing our story and pitch,

b. SEARCHING [Focused and wide] - identifying and understanding our audience and casting the net (figuratively),

c. SELLING [Pitching & closing]  - the hard task of capturing value (money for our worth).

‘States’ in Manager Mode:

a. MAINTAINING [Nurturing] - understanding team and their needs, giving them the right environment and services (day to day operations),

b. TROUBLESHOOTING [Diagnosing and solving] - company operations related, customer related and financial escalations,

c. PLANNING [Foresight & anticipating] - long term, yearly, quarterly, weekly, daily tasks and responsibilities.

II. 'Mindsets and skills' required in each mode.

Each mode / state requires corresponding ‘mindsets and skills’:

‘Mindsets & skills’ in Creator Mode:

> Suspension

> Imagination

> Connection

‘Mindsets & skills’ in Generator Mode:

> Storytelling

> Networking

> Persistence

‘Mindsets & skills’ in Manager Mode:

> 3 way empathy (nurturing)

> Creative problem solving

> Proactiveness

Key is to ‘balance and optimise’ by being in the right ‘mode’ for the right ‘task’ or selecting the right ‘task’ for the right ‘mode’ (at the right ‘time’, and in the right ‘proportion’).

MULTIPLE ITERATIONS OF A 'LIVING' FRAMEWORK THAT CONTINUOUSLY LEARNS AND IMPROVES

How can we use this framework?

To optimise my ‘mental energy’ and ‘time’ I ask these questions to myself:

1. Am I aware which ‘mode’ I am in?

2. Is this the right ‘mode’ for me right now?

3. What do I need to do to change my ‘mode’ that is best for my current environment or needs?

4. Shall I prioritise ‘task’ that matches my current mental ‘mode’?
   

Have you ever felt that you are prioritising something that doesn’t feel right at that time?

Perhaps unpacking your tasks in three ‘mental modes’ can be of help to you:

~ to be aware of yourself (and ‘mental mode’ you are in),

~ prioritise your task(s)

~ plan you day or week while playing to your strengths?

FEEDBACK

Your feedback is welcome:

I will be happy for your feedback on:

i. Is there any other ‘mental mode’ that you operate in?

ii. Are there more ‘states’ (under each pillar)?

iii. What other ‘mindsets and skills’ can strengthen respective modes?

WORKSHOP

I am developing a workshop for startup founders: STARTUP MIND - HOW TO MASTER MENTAL MODES FOR CREATIVE PRODUCTIVITY. If you are interested to know more or contribute to the development of this workshop, I would be happy to welcome you. (please send me PM in LinkedIn or write me an email nav@ideactio.com)