Your mindset impacts your emotions and reactions in any given situation. Mindset has a critical role in how you cope and navigate life’s challenges. Setting yourself up for success is reflected in your mindset or “state of mind.” How you perceive situations that arise in your life as positive or negative, your perseverance, and self -discipline are all a
direct reflection of your mindset.
So how do you identify with your mindset ? This is key to better understanding how your thought patterns influence your actions.
Fixed Mindset
The termed fixed mindset comes from the concept that you have inherent “fixed set of skills and belief patterns”predetermined based on your place of birth, upbringing, and IQ level (1). Someone with a fixed mindset would more often feel victim to their circumstances, leaving them feeling powerless. The concept that you are the way you are, and that’s just the way it is. This mindset doesn’t leave room for growth, change, and evolution. A fixed mindset mentality can leave individuals feeling stuck in their circumstances, unable to shift out of it. This mindset stunts your growth.
How can you cultivate a growth mindset?
What is a growth mindset and why is it so important to success in life? A growth mindset embodies the belief that your skills and abilities are valuable. The idea that your abilities can continue to be developed, refined, and built upon through dedication and hard work (1). A commitment to your own personal growth and being willing to take action in pursuit of your dreams, goals, and ambitions, fosters a growth mindset.
Key Components of a Growth Mindset
You are in the driver’s seat of your own life. Embracing a growth mindset means taking control of your life trajectory and taking steps towards becoming the best version of yourself. The more you lean into your own personal growth, the more success you will find in all areas of life. Here are key components of how you can nurture a growth mindset.
• Resiliency. Resiliency is the psychological strength to cope with stress, uncertainty, and hardship (2). The ability to be resilient in tough times and overcome adversity is a key component of a growth mindset. Recognizing that you will move through different seasons in your life, that are more challenging than others builds strength, character, and fosters resiliency. Knowing you are capable, demonstrates a resilient -growth mindset that will support you in navigating life’s hardships.
• Take risks and face challenges. Step outside your comfort zone, try something new, take risks, and face challenges head on. This is all part of the growth mindset.
• Learn from failures. Failure is an essential component of growth and success. Fail forward. Allowing failure to be a growth catalyst will shape how you take your next steps in an given goal or pursuit.
• Sense of purpose. What is your drive and ambition that fuels your purpose or motivation? Ask yourself what is the purpose behind what you are doing and why is it important? What value does it bring for you personally or professionally? What contribution or benefit will this have on others?
• Self -Discipline (work ethic). Motivation and sense of purpose ties closely into self-discipline. First you must be motivated for change. Recognize what drives you and why it is important. Self -discipline will be what helps you move towards your intended goal, by implementing the action steps to get there. Self- discipline is the continual efforts you reinforce. This is demonstrated in your consistent work ethic, determination, and perseverance to achieve a particular outcome in any given situation.
• Enhance your self -worth. Recognize your own internal dialogue. What are the things you tell yourself on a daily basis? Your own self- worth is reflective in your mindset and how you view yourself as being capable, worthy, and deserving. Pay attention to your thoughts and how you speak to yourself. You, and only you has the power to shift the narrative of your own internal dialogue, choose to give yourself more empowering messages. Believe in yourself and trust in the process.
• Celebrate growth milestones. Take time to recognize your accomplishments and celebrate each milestone along the way. In taking time to stop and celebrate, you are rewarding the hard work and efforts you have made along the way. This will instill incentive to continue to push forward to achieve and actualize your dreams.
When you begin to change the quality of your thinking, you will begin to change the quality of your life. This is the shift in mindset. A growth mindset is key to finding success in life. Being open to new opportunities, challenging yourself, taking risks, failing forward, building up your self -worth, and self- discipline will point you in the right direction.
References
(1). https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/click-here-happiness/201904/15-ways-build-growth-mindset