Mindset…
“The power of changing “I can’t” to “I can”. Overcoming the impossible, learning from failure, embracing life’s challenges, & defeating the odds with a simple thought.”
A positive lifestyle change starts with a growth mindset. Renowned Stanford University psychologist, Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. explains that it’s not only our abilities and innate talents that lead us to success, but whether we approach them with a growth-oriented mindset.
Many of us may have experienced a fixed mindset when we convince ourselves that we are not good at something or that we can’t achieve a certain goal, when we really haven’t given it a true chance. A fixed mindset limits our true potential, restricting our ability to maximize our success.
A growth mindset is the exact opposite of a fixed mindset. The growth mindset seeks out opportunities for improvement and believes that the individual will succeed no matter the outcome. A growth mindset does not give power to the negative chain of self-limiting thoughts. Instead, this type of mindset embraces hardships, perceives challenges as an opportunity, & works toward self-growth.
“Mindsets are an important part of your personality, but you can change them. Just by knowing about the two mindsets, you can start thinking and reacting in new ways.” – Carol S. Dweck
How can you start developing a growth mindset?
Focus on learning instead of achievement. What have you learned from your challenges, criticisms, struggles, and setbacks? Have these hardships made you a stronger person? They likely have! Your experiences, positive or negative, have shaped you into who you are as a person. We can’t always control the outcome of a situation & sometimes expectations can lead to disappointment. This is where we want to change our focus to a GROWTH MINDSET. Look for opportunities that will challenge you and those that will help you learn, grow, and enhance your self-development instead of only dreaming towards an entirely positive outcome. This small mindset change will help you view opportunities to learn rather than creating expectations. Train your brain to think in a growth mindset manner.
Growth is a process. Learn to love it! Celebrate every victory, every step (big or small), and view every new opportunity as a way to grow, despite challenges you may face along the way. “The growth mindset allows people to love what they’re doing and continue to love it in the face of difficulties” says Dweck. Often growth-minded people do not plan to go to the top – they get there as a result of doing what they love. Success is a byproduct of the growth mindset.
We’re all on the same journey and there is always a lesson to be learned. No matter the outcome of your efforts, even when things do not go as planned, you can always get back up and try again. Use setbacks & hardship as an opportunity to learn, grow, and become a stronger individual so that there is value in every experience regardless of the outcome.