I believe that working on your mindset early on will equip you to better handle any setbacks in the future. Sure, you will have setbacks (we all do), but if you have worked on yourself; your goals, your motivations, your values, your mindset; this will help you better address any setbacks.
What is a Growth Mindset, and a Fixed Mindset?
Carol Dweck is an American psychologist and researcher who coined the terms growth mindset and fixed mindset. She has written books about the mindset and did a famous TED talk “how to develop a growth mindset.” Her work is important because the mindset is a key determinant in success.
People who have a growth mindset believe their intelligence and abilities can grow through their hard work. They step outside their comfort zone to try something new and learn from their mistakes when an error is made. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset believe their intelligence and abilities are unchangeable, and static. They usually stay in their comfort zone; they only do things they are good at. Additionally, they are afraid of making mistakes and when they make one, they don’t learn from it. Based on this information, it is evident that people with a growth mindset have higher success rates at achieving their goals.
Here are more differences about these two mindsets.
Why does our mindset matter?
Your mindset determines your ability to maneuver challenges, criticism, effort and how you view others’ success – all which affects your success. A person with a growth mindset possesses a strong mental capacity to try something new, fail, make mistakes, correct their mistakes, learn from their mistakes and carry on. In addition, if they receive criticism, they use that criticism to improve and continue pursuing their goals.
A fixed mindset will keep you in the same place. You will be too fearful to try out for that sport, start a new club, join a club, run for a leadership position, apply for that job, apply to your dream university, start writing a book, and even start your own business. It will hold you back from taking the next step. A fixed mindset keeps people (that have wanted to move on to something else) in the same job for years. People who have a fixed mindset, make mistakes, do not correct them, do not learn from them, and instead, they run away from them. Your mind will guide your behavior. Change your mind, change your behavior and change your outcome.
How to learn a growth mindset?
First, practice learning a growth mindset by changing your self-talk. Words can have a powerful impact on our ability to improve. Use the word “yet”. “I haven’t learned that yet.” “I haven’t mastered that sport yet.” I haven’t mastered that skill yet.” “I haven’t achieved my goal yet.” Using the word “yet”, provides a portal in the future and leaves it open for you to continue pursuing it.
Second, rather than praising your intelligence and talent; praise your efforts, your focus, your perseverance, your strategies, and your improvements. Third, step out of your comfort zone and attempt what you have been too nervous to start. Do not get discouraged if you are not very good at it right away or if you make mistakes. That is part of the process. It is growing your skills and your mindset.
Finally, I leave you with some wisdom:
“The expert at anything was once a beginner.” – Helen Hayes