Growth Mindset Que…?

‘I think I can, therefore I do’, ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’, ‘What you feed your mind will lead your life’ read the notebook covers on the shelf in my local stationery store. TED Talks on ‘overcoming failure’ appear in my top picks. Podcasts on tackling the talent myth seem to be everywhere…

So, what’s the obsession with resilience, fear of failing and positive thinking?

It’s all about your mindset and how you approach problems, challenges and achieving your goals.  When it comes to mindset, there are two types of approach, the fixed and the growth mindset. So, what are these, and is one better than the other?

Fixed mindsets believe that their traits, beliefs and abilities are fixed and they have a certain capacity. They document intelligence and talent rather than trying to develop it further. Talent comes through hard work which leads to success.

Growth mindsets believe that their success comes through a mix of dedication, hard work, talent and resilience. They believe they can become smarter by trying and developing themselves. They have the potential to master something, they just haven’t got there yet!

Both mindsets can be very successful in their own right. However, a  growth mindset is all about reaching your potential through having a go, pushing yourself and learning from failures and mistakes. It’s about believing you can change, putting yourself into situations where you are uncomfortable and can push yourself and be resilient to set backs. Whilst some people naturally sway more towards one approach than the other, a large portion of it is conditioning, starting when we are very young.

Is it possible to change your perspective and develop a growth mindset?

Carol Dweck from Stanford University believes it is and has several short but highly impactful TED Talks on the topic. My key tips after listening to them are:

• Acknowledge your faults and weaknesses and embrace them – they aren’t necessarily a bad thing! Self-awareness is important;
• View challenges and set-backs as an opportunity to grow – face your fear and let it propel your forward not hold you back.
• Remember your brain is elastic and is like a muscle – the more you work it and use it, the more you can grow and develop. That old dog can learn new tricks!
• Learning is more important than seeking approval.
• Learning quickly isn’t always the best way.
• How you get there is more important than the end result – you might not have achieved your goal but what you have learnt along the way is invaluable.
• Reward effort and action not traits, as this encourages resilience.
• Constructive feedback is crucial in helping you adapt and gain a sense of perspective, achievement and to learn from your experiences.

Want to know more?  Carol Dweck’s YouTube channel is a great starting point, along with Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘The Talent Myth’.

Have fun exploring and finding out how a growth mindset could help your business!