So, do you have any guesses?
Is it mystery? memento? maybe magical?
Well, actually the answer is Mindset.
Your mindset is the view you adopt for yourself, which significantly influences how you lead your life. In her bestseller book “Mindset,” Dr. Carol Dweck introduced two different mindsets that I would like to tell you all about, but first, let’s start with a little pulse check taken from her book:
Read each statement and decide whether you mostly agree with it or disagree with it:
You are a certain kind of person, and not much can be done to change that.
No matter what kind of person you are, you can always change substantially.
You can do things differently, but the essential parts of your identity can’t be changed.
You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are.
Which statements did you agree more with? The Fixed Mindset (1, 3) or the Growth Mindset (2,4)?
The fixed mindset is a world where your qualities are carved in stone and can not be changed, causing you to constantly look for validation from others. Many of us are trained in this mindset from an early age, and as we experience life as a series of tests to prove our intelligence, personality, or character, we are less likely to try new things, take risks and challenge ourselves, or see our failures and new experiences as opportunities to learn.
In the growth mindset world you believe that your initial talents and qualities are just your starting point and can be cultivated, meaning you can get smarter and more talented by putting in time and effort. This mindset enables people to grow beyond themselves, to thrive and to accomplish their desired life even during the most challenging times, as they perceive any experience as self-development.
So which one are you, a fixed mindset person or a growth one?
The truth is that it’s not an either-or thing, we’re all a mixture of the two, depending on the situation or topic. Since the growth mindset is an acquired belief system, we can all cultivate it. The key to doing it is understanding what triggers our fixed mindset, meaning what circumstances or situations bring us to a place of judgment instead of development.
It’s in pretty much every situation that your mindset comes into play and determines how you’ll react. Ready to get some tools to change your reactions and activate a growth mindset?
Recognize - “This is a fixed mindset reaction.” Usually, there are repeated areas in which this mindset comes up, be aware of them as well as the words you’re using. Don’t suppress the thought; see if you can learn something from it as it’s your fixed mindset persona talking. Some researchers even encourage you to name your persona and acknowledge when it shows up.
Remember - Recall times that you’ve developed your abilities through effort and experience to boost your confidence in your capacity to change.
Respond - ask yourself how you could respond with a growth mindset. If you tend to overgeneralize using words such as: always, never, everybody, etc., that is a fixed mindset response that you can change by simply using the magic word YET:
❉ I will never be able to run 10 km → I’m not able to run 10 km YET.
❉ I’m not a good cook → I’m not a good cook YET.
❉ I have always been unorganized → I’m not organized YET
Other ways of replacing definitive thoughts:
❉ This is too hard → This will take longer than I thought.
❉ This is not for me, I give up → I’ll try a different approach.
❉ I’m just not talented at this → I can practice and get better.
And just because I genuinely love you and want you to experience true success, here are a couple of extra tips for you:
Changing your inner talk is not enough, you must also commit to do the required work. It’s a combination of changing the narrative in your head + taking action.
Do not compare your performance to others. Focus on your own self-improvement by comparing your current performance to past one and acknowledge your progress by tracking and appreciating it.
If there’s only one thing you will take from this article with you, I would like it to be your belief in yourself. Having a growth mindset is not some magic wand that will lead you to your goals. You will need to put in hard work and perseverance, but it will give you confidence in the process and will help you enjoy the ride. You have the ability to stretch your limits to develop, grow and thrive, and become the person you want to be, so why not go for it?
More recommended resources on Mindset:
Book: “Mindset” - Dr. Carol S. Dweck
Ted Talk: The power of Yet - Dr. Carol Dweck
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