Unlocking the potential of a growth mindset is the secret sauce to improving your work performance into new heights. Let’s dive in and explore how you can adopt a growth mindset and make the extraordinary your new ordinary.
A study from 2019 found that the academic outcomes of adolescents could be improved by teaching people about having a growth mindset. Can this tactic be used to create success outside of the classroom, as well?
So far, signs point to yes.
What exactly is a growth mindset, though? Is it something that you can develop over time or do you have to be born with it?
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about having a growth mindset and how it can help you.
The Two Main Categories of Mindsets
The researcher Carol Dweck has found that there are two different types of mindsets that people can have. These are a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
When an individual has a “growth mindset” it means that they believe that their qualities and traits can be developed over time. They believe that intelligence and other abilities can be developed over time through dedication and hard work. Someone who had a growth mindset understands that they can always learn more and improve themselves.
1. What Is a Fixed Mindset?
When an individual has a “fixed mindset” it means that they believe that their qualities and traits are unchangeable. They believe that intelligence and other abilities cannot change over time and simply are what they are.
2. What Is a Growth Mindset?
When an individual has a “growth mindset” it means that they believe that their qualities and traits can be developed over time. They believe that intelligence and other abilities can be developed over time through dedication and hard work. Someone who had a growth mindset understands that they can always learn more and improve themselves.
The Importance of a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset has been identified as one of the five personal abilities that drive your adaptability quotient.
And adaptability has been identified as the #1 in-demand skill by LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, World Economic Forum, and Deloitte.
A growth mindset can assist you in overcoming obstacles in your life. When you are developing a new skill or learning something new, having a growth mindset can help you push forward and reach the goals that you have
Believe it or not, you can change the way you learn by changing the way you think. Understanding that your intelligence and your talents can be developed through hard work can help you to achieve more in life as well as have more meaningful and fulfilling experiences.
Growth Mindset Quotes
Sometimes it can be helpful to understand new concepts through the words of famous thinkers and people. Let’s take a look at a few quotes that reflect a growth mindset in some of the most successful figures in history.
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” -Albert Einstein
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” –E.E. Cummings
“You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By becoming a little better each and every day, over a period of time, you will become a lot better.” -John Wooden
“You’re in charge of your mind. You can help it grow by using it in the right way.” -Carol Dweck
Growth Mindset Examples
Now that you understand that there are benefits to having a growth mindset, let’s take a look at some growth mindset examples to help you understand what it means exactly to adopt this way of thinking.
An example of a fixed mindset is to say to yourself that “I’m either naturally good at something or I’m not.” A growth mindset approach to this same problem would be to say “I can learn to do anything I want.”.
Perhaps you have found yourself feeling jealous about people that are more successful than you. Maybe you envy them and hold a bit of animosity towards them. A way of seeing this same reality with a growth mindset would be that you actually find those successful people inspirational, as something that you can strive towards.
Another growth mindset example would be to keep going when you’re frustrated rather than giving up. You might even eventually find yourself actively seeking out challenging opportunities because you have learned how beneficial they are to your growth overall.
How to Develop a Growth Mindset
You will not necessarily develop a growth mindset overnight. It will take time and effort to train your brain to look at your life and the world through a different lens.
Two things that can prevent a growth mindset are fear of embarrassment and the need for approval from others. For this reason, it’s very important to cultivate self-acceptance as a part of your journey towards developing a growth mindset.
It can take time to break through old habits when you are learning something new. Try to see your mistakes and your errors as learning opportunities rather than being hard on yourself. When you encounter challenges or obstacles, try to see them as growth opportunities rather than something that makes you bounce off the project altogether.
Is It Time For Your Business to Grow?
Adopting a growth mindset can radically change your career, your academic life, and your life in general. It is an outlook that allows you to become who you want to be rather than settling for a life that you don’t find fulfilling. While it can take some time to develop, you will find over time that it gets easier and easier to see the world through a mutable lens rather than a fixed one.
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