Are You Narrow Minded?

Being narrow minded is not always bad.  It is a common practice actually.  On the other hand, habitually being narrow-minded limits a person’s view.  This plays a key role in adopting lifestyle change.  Let’s take a look. 

They are Vision Challenged

Narrow minded people do not usually challenge themselves.  They prefer to stay in the routine and short term.  As a coach, asking questions that challenge the coachee to think outside of the box can be a means to expand their awareness of the big picture.  For example, the coachee may have a small vision and the coach may say, “That dream seems really small and controllable; where would you like to be in five years with your God-sized dream?”

They are Self-Absorbed

Another flaw of extreme narrow-minded people is that they tend to think only of themselves.  They need reminders and questions that will cause them to think about how their lifestyle choices will affect other people.  A coach might ask, “How is this decision going to affect others around you?”

They are Spiritually Blind

Another temptation to the narrow-minded is to forget that there is a divine outlook.  Their mind is easily saturated with their own opinion that they fail to consult God about their choices.  “What is God’s perspective on this,” would be a great question to open their mind to other options. 

They are One Picture Minded

Are you familiar with those small pictures on your computer screen called thumbnails?  They are really useful when you are searching for a certain group of pictures in a large folder that contains photos from many days, weeks, or years.  Narrow minded people can tend to select one picture at a time in large scale and fail to miss the broader perspective.  A great way to redirect the coachee here is to ask, “Where does this rank in the big picture?” 

They take Baby-steps

When things get uncomfortable for the narrow minded person, they want to take small steps.  This is sort of related to how they do not challenge themselves, but it is more specific in that they are expressing resistance to the change.  Baby steps are good, but not when they could be doing more. 

So are you narrow minded?  I know that I have some of these tendencies myself in certain areas of my life.  A life coach can serve to reduce these blinds spots and work through the challenges associated with narrow mindedness.  Ultimately, I hope that you will evaluate yourself in this area, and take a look at the big picture when attempting to Break your Nature.

Nick Massey is a Life Coach, Speaker, and Writer.  To read more from Nick Massey, or to schedule him for a Life Coaching session, or book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at http://www.coachmassey.com. © 2014 Nick Massey