Do you live your life with a growth mindset or a fixed mindset? The growth versus fixed mindset philosophy is growing in popularity, but if you aren’t familiar with the different mindsets let me define them for you.
Individuals with the fixed mindset believe that their abilities are fixed from birth, that these abilities are either there or they are not. In the fixed mindset individuals generally feel like they are constantly trying to prove themselves. They avoid challenges and they lose interest when things get difficult while placing emphasis on success and trying to prove that they are the best at any given thing. Individuals with a fixed mindset generally fear failure and let it define them.
Individuals with growth mindset on the other hand believe that their abilities can be developed and learned even if they are not an expert at something in the moment. Instead of feeling like they constantly need to prove themselves, individuals with the growth mindset place emphasis on learning new things and trying to develop their abilities and themselves. When faced with challenges individuals with the growth mindset thrive, in fact they will often seek out challenge in order to push themselves to learn more and progress. Those with a growth mindset are not defined by failure (although failure still might hurt), they are able to see other paths to success and push forward despite facing failure.
So after reading those very brief descriptions where do you fall. If you’re anything like me you may be thinking well I kind of fall somewhere between the two and that is completely normal. Although there are some areas of my life where I feel like I’m consistently learning, growing and pushing my abilities there are other areas of my life where I don’t necessarily implement the same thing. So what does it all mean?
The mindset that you operate under can have a profound effects on your life overall. It can play a role in whether or not you become the person you want to be or you accomplish the things you want to accomplish. It can allow you to thrive or struggle in some of the most challenging moments in your life. Overall, these mindsets are actually a set of beliefs you hold about your abilities which means that they can be adapted and modified. Just by knowing that these two mindsets exist you will become more aware of how you react in specific situations and you can begin adapting in new ways if that is what you desire. It’s also important to note that just because we can change something doesn’t mean it needs to be changed. Sometimes we want to accept some of our imperfections as well but becoming aware of them is the first step on the way to making changes in other areas.
So how do we change out mindset? Well the first step is becoming aware that there are two different mindsets and noticing where we fall with regard to each of those mindsets. Remember that you may notice that you fall in the middle on some things while you may take a more growth mindset in other areas and a more fixed mindset in still others. Start by thinking about something you need to do or want to learn and then put a plan in place to achieve it. It’s not only important to make the plan but also to carry through with the plan. In this plan you will want to lay out strategies to help you progress and learn along the way. It will feel uncomfortable at times but it’s vital to push through this. Accountability partners or coaches can be very helpful to keep you on track of the plan you have laid out. As you move on your path towards more of a growth mindset remember that there will be times or moments when it will be difficult and there will be setbacks along the way. When this happens use these setbacks as learning experiences instead of coming down hard on yourself for them.
Once you begin to make change and feel successful with that change remember to check in and modify your action plan. Often once we achieve goals as human beings we just move on and we forget that these changes need to continue to be nurtured. Just because we have moved towards a growth mindset with regards to a specific area doesn’t mean that those fixed mindset values are not still there (they most certainly are) and there will likely be times when they will creep forward so we must remain aware and check in with ourselves consistently.
Changing your mindset can be an incredibly difficult thing to do, but it will bring more positivity and joy into your life. Living life with a growth mindset will help increase your confidence, help you accomplish your goals and see the best in people and situations. The growth mindset will help you pursue challenge head-on and and look at failure in a new light. By being aware of the two different mindsets and setting an action plan in place to work towards improving your growth mindset you are setting yourself on a path that will bring you more happiness and joy in your overall life.
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