Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset?
Well, how you answer that question can determine how successful you are in school, at work, and in your relationships.
According to research on the nature of success, people with a growth mindset tend to be:
- More productive.
- More motivated.
- Higher achievers.
- More content with their lives.
And here’s the good news. While you might have a fixed mindset right now, there are things you can start doing today that will help you to develop a growth mindset.
The Growth Mindset vs. the Fixed Mindset
In her bestselling book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, renowned psychologist and Stanford University professor Carol Dweck describes the two different mindsets.
Those with a fixed mindset believe your basic qualities are fixed. You only get a certain amount of intelligence or talent, and no amount of study or practice can truly change those things.
On the other hand, those with a growth mindset believe your basic qualities can grow and develop. Whatever intelligence or talent you have right now is just a starting point. You can get better at anything—be it cooking, writing, or solving math problems—if you study or practice.
According to Dweck, your mindset can have a huge impact on how successful you are in all areas of your life. She has spent decades studying successful people. And she found that mindset, rather than intelligence or innate talent, is often what sets the successful apart from the unsuccessful.
So developing a growth mindset definitely has its advantages. And here’s how you do it.
3 Ways to Develop the Growth Mindset
1. Make the Choice
The first step to changing your mindset is believing that you can.As Dweck puts it, mindset is a choice. You can consciously decide whether you’ll view anything with a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.
So start right now. If the first cake you make in two years turns out to be a disaster, don’t see it as proof that you don’t have “the baking gene.” See it as proof that you haven’t had much experience making cakes. And remind yourself that you can get better at baking with practice.
2. Change Your Self talk
Do you have what Dweck calls a fixed mindset voice?If you do, this voice will start whispering in your ear the minute you try to do something you’re unsure about. And, on some level, you’ll believe what that voice is saying to you.
Say you decide to write a short story for the first time in 10 years.
In response, your fixed-mindset voice might say something like this:
“Stop! What if the story you write sucks? It’ll prove that you don’t have the talent to be a good writer. Is that what you want? No, it’s safer to just forget about it.”
It’s so easy to give in to that voice. Just think of all the times you’ve talked yourself out of doing something you really wanted to do.
Luckily, you can counteract the fixed-mindset voice. How?
With growth mindset self-talk. For example:
“If the story I write sucks, it’ll be because I haven’t written one in so long. And if I don’t start writing again, I’ll never get any better at it. Besides, even writing a bad story is practice, and practice will help me improve.”
The more you use growth mindset self talk, the less power that fixed mindset voice will have over you.
3. Act Like You Already Have a Growth Mindset
Feeling sometimes follows action. If you act confident, you will start to feel confident. If you smile, your mood will start to improve.And acting like you already have a growth mindset will help you develop a growth mindset.
You do this by taking what Dweck calls “growth mindset action.”
The next time you’re about to do something you’re unsure about, keep the following tips in mind:
- Approach the task enthusiastically, seeing it as a challenge that will help you learn and grow.
- If things don’t go well, it's not proof that you’re somehow lacking. It's a sign that you need more practice or experience.
- Decide going in that you’re going to learn from any mistakes you make. If you experience a setback, you won't give up. You'll try again, using what you learned on your "failed attempt" to make improvements on your next attempt.
Look for opportunities to take “growth mindset action” in every area of your life. The more you do, the faster your growth mindset will develop.
If you want to change your mindset, just follow these three simple steps:
- Make a conscious decision to view the world with a growth mindset.
- Use growth mindset self talk to challenge fixed mindset thoughts.
- Practice your new mindset by taking “growth mindset action.”
It might take a conscious effort at first. But, before long, seeing things with a growth mindset will be second nature.
To learn more about the power of the growth mindset, you can visit the Mindset website .
