The right mindset is your secret weapon in this game of life.
The human mind is one of the most powerful forces in this world. That very mind holds the power to be mouldable as well. It can either work in our favour in the smoothest way possible. Or, it can make every small situation look like a dreadful challenge. The reign of this very powerful mind is the hands of us humans. We can train our mind in ways which eventually allows things to se in place for us in the long run.
Let’s begin with knowing what we really mean by “Mindset”. In simple terms, it is essentially the way we perceive situations, opportunities and challenges in life. Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University coined the term growth mindset, to better understand this concept.
A mindset, according to Dweck, is a self-perception or “self-theory” that people hold about themselves. Our childhood experiences make a huge impact on the kind of mindset we adopt. However, what we make ourselves believe can help shift our mindsets.
What is a fixed and growth mindset?
Someone with a fixed mindset, often approaches the world and situations with a fixed outcome. According to Dweck, “In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits”. They are the ones who believe that effort and strategy is secondary to one’s natural abilities and talents. People with a fixed mindset seldom lose out on learning new things. Moreover, they only approach challenges they know they have the ability to sail through them. They don’t rely on the power of learning and subsequently bearing the losses or gains. In addition, they often say, “I can’t do this”, “ I am only good at xyz things”, “it’s too late to learn”, etc
On the other hand, “In a growth mindset”, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment,” writes Dweck. Someone with a growth mindset, approaches situations embracing the idea of trial and error and learning lessons on their way.
They approach most journey’s as an experience and their flexibility helps them make the most of it. One will often find them saying things like, “I will learn even if I fail”, “I’m open to trying this”,etc.
How to grow a mindset?
If you find yourself feeling fixated about yourself or situations in life, try telling your mind that you are open to change. That you are open to let go of your fixated approach and are ready to move towards a growth mindset. Your mind will catch the hints and allow you to view things in a light to allow growth to take place.
To make this shift you should actively catch yourself when you manoeuver towards a fixated thought. Then substitute it with a thought that reminds the mind that it is open to growth.
Once you subject your mind to a few instances of actively shifting its approach, it automatically starts developing the thoughts which align with a growth mindset.
So if you have been fixated on the fact that your mindset cannot be changed, here’s a cue to experiment with the most powerful force in the world. Here’s a cue to adopt a growth mindset and grow into the best version of yourself!
