Why a subtractive approach is good for the mind

In this extract from his new book ‘The Inner CEO’, coach Shane Cradock talks about mastering blind spots and learning to let go

Today huge attention is paid to what successful people and leaders have done to achieve their goals, 

but the same level of attention or priority is rarely given to how they work inside themselves to 

make that happen.

As a result, most people are obsessed with copying what achievers and leaders do ‘outside’ in terms 

of their routines, techniques and strategies. Yet rarely does copying these people’s actions lead to 

similar success, making it all too easy to become disillusioned. 

I know many successful people who will tell you what they ‘think’ they do or have done, but it’s not the truth. It’s not that they’re lying, it’s just that they’re not fully aware of what they’re doing inside themselves that makes the difference. 

By focusing only on what we ‘see’ people do or by listening to only what they tell us, we’re missing something vital: what is happening inside. 

The phrase blind spot is used most often in relation to driving a car. We all know blind spots are a recognised risk area for drivers, which is why I always look over my shoulder when overtaking, despite having mirrors to help me see. Why should your behaviour in life be any different?

I often hear people say to me “ Yes, I know I have ‘x’ as a blind spot.” This is a mistake because by definition, you can’t see a blind spot! It’s also one of the reasons why high performers in all fields place a high value on mentors and coaches to help them identify what they can’t see, because they know that is where they will make the real gains. 

Do you think it’s possible that you have blind spots in any of these areas? 

• Your communication 

• How you take feedback 

• Your approach to failure or success 

• How you think about the different people in your life 

• Why you think you’re not ‘there’ yet 

• Your health 

• Your ability to reduce stress 

• Your self-belief 

• Why you think ‘others’ have things worked out and you don’t 

• Your level of confidence

One of the most important but also the most challenging questions you can ever ask yourself is this: What can’t I see? 

It’s a VERY hard question to answer by yourself, and part of what I do with my clients is to identify those areas they can’t see. It has amazing value for people. Many are often shocked when I point out how some of their behaviours are counter-productive to the results they’re seeking, especially in terms of how they interact with people or, most of all, in how they’re thinking. But it has value only if they’re open to looking for those blind spots. 

One of the exercises I get clients to ask of people around them is to ask them this question: 

What is the one thing you believe I could do to be a better ‘X’? 

‘X’ can be leader, manager, parent, coach, friend, colleague, team-player, performer etc. The problem is that most people don’t want to hear what the answers might be – their ego doesn’t like it. Or if they hear something they don’t like, they react to it. My own experience over the last twenty-five years has shown me this: Uncovering your blind spots is the key to the success you’re seeking. 

The ultimate blind spot is that we have little real understanding of how much our inner worlds work, or of the role it plays in our success AND happiness. Why is this the ultimate blindspot? It’s simple, really: because it impacts everything we do, experience and create. 

What helped me to see this was exploring answers to questions like these: 

• Why do some people embrace change while others fear it? 
• Why do some people achieve their goals while others of equal potential don’t? 
• Why are some people very successful but very unhappy? 
• Why do some people master the art of reinvention, but others can
  get stuck in their situation? 
• How do you create meaningful relationships and genuine happiness, and still enjoy success in your career? 
• Why do people of equal potential and skill vary in their results? 
• Why does a solution to something challenging or complex appear
  at certain times and not others? 
• How do some leaders navigate successfully in turbulent times
  while others crash and burn? 
• Why are equally smart employees and leaders in one organisation more fulfilled and fully engaged than those of equal ability in another organisation?

The answers to these questions have never been more pertinent. Volatility and uncertainty are the 

norm in today’s world. A ‘VUCA environment’ is an acronym, coined by the U.S. military to 

describe certain situations on the battlefield, which is now fast gaining traction in the business 

world. VUCA stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.

The reality is that we live in a VUCA world, and we need to get used to it because it’s not going to 

calm down any time soon. To navigate this world more effectively, you need to learn how to 

manage your inner world better. To most, this will mean learning how to manage your mind but, 

perhaps surprisingly, it also means learning how to step outside it. 

There is an in-built assumption in our society that acquiring more knowledge to be at our best will 

help us to succeed.  Yet we need to look at reality.  Research is showing life outcomes amongst 

leaders are declining. Depression, stress and anxiety are on the increase.  (In 2020, the Journal of 

Psychiatric Research found that global incidents of depression had risen by 49% between 1990 and 

2017 – before the post-pandemic world!) 

Acquiring knowledge, or the ‘additive approach’ is always valuable but it’s not sufficient for the 

world we live in today. The evidence points to the fact that leaders at all levels are struggling with 

challenges no previous generation has had to deal with. They are being tested in ways they never 

have been before – what worked before most likely doesn’t anymore. We need a new way.

The quality of everything we do first depends on the quality of our inner 

worlds and how we can change it. What we need to do is more about ‘un-learning’ what we have

been conditioned to do or believe. A ‘subtractive’ approach. 

 

Grounded in research and science and in the practical and real world experience of a professional 

practitioner over 25 years working with top CEOs, leaders and top performers in many diverse 

fields, I’m challenging the conventional ‘additive’ approach to learning. 

Instead, this new approach sits on the premise that the ability to succeed and enjoy life is actually 

already hard-wired into us. The quality of everything we do first depends on the quality of our inner 

worlds and how we can change it. What we need to do is more about ‘un-learning’ what we have

been conditioned to do or believe. A ‘subtractive’ approach. 

What are we subtracting?

The interference being created by our minds. This can show itself in outdated mindsets, beliefs, 

assumptions or habits of stress, mental-fog and so on. It requires re-thinking how to get the best 

from ourselves and at it’s core is the challenge to become the boss of our minds, The Inner CEO.

By becoming better leaders of our inner worlds, we can radically improve our clarity, confidence, 

communication, creativity, collaboration and overall enjoyment of work and life – regardless of your 

age or field. Maybe most importantly we can learn how to tap more into our innate abilities of 

intuition, creativity and common sense.

The quality of everything we do first depends on the quality of our inner worlds and how we can 

change it. What we need to do is more about ‘un-learning’ what we have been conditioned to do, 

understanding how to subtract unhelpful thinking that is blocking our progress and growth.

Bizarrely, the real opportunity lies outside the hidden walls of our mind.

The conventional view is that we are what’s in our minds, which is why mental programming has become so popular. Indeed, this is where I started in my recovery from serious depression almost 30 years ago. To be fair, I did see some big improvements, but I also came to see that this approach has major limitations. 

The big mistake I made — and it’s one I see many others making now — is that I tried to control my mind completely. This simply doesn’t work. To get the most out of your mind, you have to learn when and how to nurture and lead it and when to let it off the leash. This is crucial.

Understanding how to lead and inspire your mind, and also when to let it go, is a much more productive and easier way to live. And I can tell you from my own experience and my clients’ that the possibilities it brings are incredibly exciting.