Are You Living With A Fixed or Growth Mindset?
We are constantly hearing the buzz about mindset, and I’m not going to lie, I’m someone who talks about the topic A LOT too. But really, how much does your mindset really matter?
Your mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world and yourself. It influences how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation.
In my experience, your mental muscle may be one of the most powerful and important assets, yet many of us neglect to flex and strengthen it. Take a moment to reflect on the power of your mindset. Do you notice how much your mindset impacts your daily life? Moment by moment, hour by hour, and day by day. Our mindset directly impacts the choices we make, the way we respond, our joy and fulfillment in life, and the way we act on our hopes and dreams.
Have you ever thought about how your mindset was developed? Like many things, research reveals that two primary sources of mindset development come from our early childhood. These two sources are known as personal praise and process praise.
Personal praise, praising a child’s talents or labeling them as “smart," promotes a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is when “people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits.” Personal praise sends a message to a child, that carries into their adult life, that they either have an ability or they don't, and that there is nothing they can do to change that fact.
Process praise emphasizes the effort a person puts into accomplishing a task, which aligns with a growth mindset. A growth mindset is when “people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point.” Process praise implies a child’s success is due to the effort and the strategy they used, both of which they can control and improve over time.
Adults can take steps to ensure that their children develop growth mindsets by praising efforts, not results–by focusing on the process rather than the outcome. Acting in this way will help kids understand that their efforts, hard work, and dedication can lead to change, learning, and growth both now and in the future.
When reading these definitions are you able to see the similarity and how they may show up in your adult life? Do you suffer at work from impostor syndrome? Do you feel that you need to validate and prove yourself? Do you feel like you're constantly fighting against the label that you have internally accepted? If you are answering yes to this, you may be living with a fixed mindset.
What can you do to support yourself in seeking a growth mindset?
1. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR A.N.T.S
A.N.T.S are “automatic negative thoughts.” They are that inner critic voice that is telling you false statements that are holding you back from being your best self. Replace those negative thoughts with ones that are forward-focused and curious. More positive thoughts will build a growth mindset over time.
2. FOCUS ON THE ENTIRE JOURNEY
One of the most important factors, when you're working on building a growth mindset, is seeing the entire journey ahead of you. When you are fixed on the end result, you will miss out on all of the things that you could be learning along the way. These lessons are little nuggets of joy that will keep you inspired and keep you growing in the direction of the results you strive to achieve. If you only focus on the end result and deny yourself the awareness of the moment you are in, you are missing out on the joy of the process.
3. VIEW ALL YOUR BREAKDOWNS AS FANTASTIC MOMENTS FOR BREAKTHROUGHS
Individuals who are seeking to live and learn through a growth mindset view all their breakdowns as moments and lessons to be learned. Every individual has breakdowns. Do you feel these are moments of failure or do you view these as opportunities for growth? Making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn. Instead of shying away from challenges to avoid making mistakes, embrace them. Seek improvement, not perfection.
4. SEEK OUT OTHERS WHO WILL SUPPORT YOU
Reaching out to others who can support you in your journey toward this growth mindset can be a key and instrumental addition. Having someone that can hold you accountable, challenge your mindset, and help you flex that mental muscle can make a huge difference.
Your mindset is a very powerful tool. It will support you throughout the various stages of life. When you focus on your mindset, you can unlock additional strength and better equip yourself to handle emotional experiences. If you find that you have a primarily fixed mindset, that’s okay! It is never too late to make the small adjustments and changes today that will impact tomorrow!
I’m Krista Ryan
My job is to help you learn a little, laugh a lot, and get clear on action steps for your success.
It may have taken a life changing event to shake me awake and decide I no longer wanted to live a comfortable life… I wanted to embrace the discomfort and live a life of courage and intention.
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