The 5 G-Model Explained: The Key to a Success Mindset
MINDSET – Your mindset is the way you think, perceive and interpret the world. It is clear that it has a big impact on your emotions, behaviours and overall life experiences. Every day, you engage in thousands of thoughts, many of which occur automatically without much conscious awareness. These thoughts shape how you feel and ultimately determine how you react to different situations. Imagine if you could master your thoughts and that you could change the thoughts you have. What if you could transform limiting beliefs into empowering ones? And guess what, you can! One of the most effective tools to help you do this is the 5 G-Model.
Albert Bandura (psychologist)"The most powerful weapon for changing your Behaviour is belief in your ability to change."
The 5 G-model is a powerful tool from Dutch psychology, it offers a structured way to understand and shift your mindset. This model can help you break free from limiting beliefs and develop a growth-oriented mindset. It’s a tool that helps you identify:
- What happens (Event / Gebeurtenis)
- What you think about it (Thought / Gedachte)
- How these thoughts make you feel (Feeling / Gevoel)
- How you react based on those feelings (Behaviour / Gedrag)
- The results of your actions (Consequence / Gevolg)
By becoming aware of this cycle, you can break negative thought patterns and replace them with more constructive, growth-oriented ones. The key is to recognize that your thoughts are not facts, they are interpretations. It is your interpretation of the what happens. Since you have control over your own interpretations, you have the power to reframe negative thinking and create a mindset that works for you, not against you.
In this article, we will explain how the 5 G-Model works. Additionally, a worksheet is available to help you apply this model in practice. This worksheet will guide you through each step, allowing you to gain clarity, take control of your thought process and cultivate a mindset that stimulates resilience, success and overall well-being. With this, you will also have all the knowledge and tools to take that next step in your development!
Dr. Daniel Amen (psychiatrist and author)"Your brain is shaped by what you think, feel, and do. You have the power to change the way your brain works."
What Is the 5 G-Model?
The 5 G-model (5 G-schema in Dutch) is a framework used in cognitive-Behavioural therapy (CBT), coaching and personal development. Our coaches are also educated to implement this in coaching sessions.
The schedule breaks down our reactions to events into five key components, each beginning with the letter “G” in Dutch. This is where the name of the model originates from:
- Gebeurtenis (Event) – What happened?
- Gedachte (Thought) – How did you interpret it?
- Gevoel (Feeling) – What emotions did that thought trigger?
- Gedrag (Behaviour) – How did you act based on those emotions?
- Gevolg (Consequence) – What was the outcome of your Behaviour?
This model reveals how our thoughts shape our emotions, which then drive our actions. By changing our thought patterns, we can influence our behaviours and create better life outcomes.
Dr. Aaron T. Beck (founder of cognitive therapy)"We don’t react to events, but to our interpretation of them."
What Makes this Model the Perfect Tool to influence Your Mindset?
Your mindset plays a crucial role in how you interpret events and respond to challenges. According to Carol Dweck, mindset can be categorized into two types:
- Fixed Mindset:
You believe your abilities and intelligence are static. You avoid challenges and fear failure. - Growth Mindset:
You believe abilities can be developed through effort and learning. You embrace challenges and see failure as feedback.
The 5 G-model helps reveal and challenge a fixed mindset by breaking down thought patterns. Here’s how:
- Event:
You receive criticism at work. - Thought:
“I’m terrible at my job.” (fixed mindset)
→ “This is a chance to improve.” (growth mindset) - Feeling:
Shame and insecurity (fixed)
→ Motivation and curiosity (growth) - Behaviour: Avoiding feedback (fixed)
→ Seeking feedback to grow (growth) - Consequence:
Stagnation (fixed)
→ Personal and professional growth (growth)
Dr. Carol Dweck (psychologist and author)"Your mindset determines whether you see obstacles as threats or opportunities."
How to Apply the 5 G-Schedule for Mindset Shifts in 5 Steps
If you want to rewire your thoughts for success, follow these five steps using the 5 G-model:
1. Identify the Event (Gebeurtenis)
Write down a recent situation that triggered strong emotions or self-doubt.
Example: You made a mistake at work, and your manager pointed it out.
Dr. Daniel Kahneman (Nobel-winning psychologist)"Awareness is the first step to change."
2. Analyze Your Thoughts (Gedachte)
What automatic thoughts ran through your mind? Were they negative, self-critical or growth-oriented? Write them down.
Example: “I always mess things up.” (self-defeating thought)
Dr. Martin Seligman (founder of positive psychology)"Our thoughts, not circumstances, determine our happiness."
3. Notice Your Emotions (Gevoel)
What feelings followed your thought? Were they helpful or harmful? Recognizing emotions helps you detach from them.
Example: “I felt embarrassed and anxious.”
Dr. Daniel Goleman (emotional intelligence expert)"Emotional awareness allows us to manage our responses instead of reacting impulsively."
4. Observe Your Behaviour (Gedrag)
What did you do as a result of your emotions? Did it help or hurt your situation?
Example: “I avoided my boss the whole day.”
Dr. Judith Beck (cognitive therapy expert)"Unconscious Behaviours keep us stuck in old patterns. Awareness breaks the cycle."
5. Assess the Consequence (Gevolg)
What was the result of your Behaviour? Did it reinforce negative thoughts, or did it help you grow?
Example: Avoiding my boss made me feel even worse. Instead, I could have asked for feedback to learn from the mistake.
Dr. Carol Dweck"Small mindset shifts create a ripple effect of positive change."
ADHD & the 5 G-Model: Extra Challenges and Opportunities
For people with ADHD, implementing the 5 G-model can be more difficult but also highly rewarding. ADHD often comes with:
- Impulsivity:
Reacting before processing thoughts. - Emotional dysregulation:
Intense emotions that can hijack rational thinking. - Cognitive rigidity:
Getting stuck in negative thought loops.
How the 5 G-model helps ADHD brains:
- Encourages self-reflection → Slows impulsive reactions.
- Creates awareness of thought-emotion links → Reduces emotional overwhelm.
- Promotes structured thinking → Helps with cognitive organization.
Actively writing down and working through the 5 G’s, people with ADHD can build stronger self-awareness and emotional control over time.
Dr. Russell Barkley (ADHD expert)"ADHD is not a deficit of attention, but a deficit of self-regulation."
FAQ: The 5 G-Model & Mindset
1. Is the 5 G-model the same as CBT?
It is inspired by CBT but focuses more on breaking down reactions step-by-step to make thought patterns visible.
2. How long does it take to change my mindset with this model?
Mindset shifts take time, but with consistent practice, you may notice changes within weeks.
3. Can this model help with anxiety?
Yes! The 5 G-model helps identify negative thought loops and replace them with healthier perspectives.
4. Is this model useful in professional settings?
Absolutely! It’s used in leadership coaching, conflict resolution and workplace communication to improve reactions to challenges.
5. How can I start using the 5 G-model daily?
Keep a journal and write down one situation per day using the five steps. Over time, your mindset will shift naturally.
6. Can the 5 G-model help with personal development?
Yes, this model is a great tool for personal growth. It helps you become more self-aware, identify limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering thoughts.
7. How does the 5 G-model relate to emotional intelligence?
The 5 G-model enhances emotional intelligence by helping you understand and regulate your emotional responses to situations, improving your overall emotional awareness and control.
8. Can the 5 G-model improve relationships?
Absolutely! By recognizing and shifting negative thought patterns, this model helps improve communication, reduce misunderstandings and stimulates healthier interactions with others.
9. Is the 5 G-model applicable for people with ADHD?
Yes, while it can be more challenging due to impulsive reactions and distractibility, the 5 G-model can be a helpful tool in creating more intentional and thoughtful responses by slowing down the reaction cycle.
10. Is the 5 G-model supported by scientific research?
While the model itself is not based on a single body of research, it is grounded in cognitive-Behavioural principles, which are well-supported by scientific studies on mindset, emotional regulation, and Behaviour change.
Louise Hay (motivational author and speaker)"The thoughts we choose to think are the tools we use to paint the canvas of our lives."
Final Thoughts: The 5 G-model Is Your Answer to Change Your Mindset
The 5 G-model is a powerful mindset tool that reveals how your thoughts shape your emotions, actions and life outcomes. By breaking down your reactions into five clear components, it allows you to gain insight into how each part of your thought process influences your overall well-being.
Dr. Wayne Dyer (psychologist and author)"Change your thoughts, change your life."
The beauty of the 5 G-model lies in its simplicity and its ability to make complex thought patterns visible. By consistently reflecting on and adjusting your thoughts, you can shift from a reactive mindset to a proactive one. This model not only helps in personal development but also improves communication, emotional regulation and decision-making in both personal and professional settings.
Are you ready to take control of your mindset? Try the 5 G-model today with our worksheet and see how it transforms your thinking!
