For those of us who consider ourselves goal-oriented, the idea that we can achieve great things with the right mindset is a given.
But exactly is a mindset, and how do you "get" it?
Well, while there's no surefire way to make it happen overnight (as many promises!), understanding the underlying psychology can definitely get you on your way toward producing better outcomes in any area of life.
Welcome to the first part of our series about the mindset, where we'll dive into the psychology behind attitudes.
We will also focus on what makes up a successful mindset, and in the second part of this series, we will share some actionable strategies to help you reach your goals.
So buckle up - we've got plenty of exciting ideas to explore!
Understanding The Concept Of Mindset
So much of how we think, feel, and behave is determined by our mindset.
Understanding the concept of mindset is paramount to assessing why certain things transpire in our lives - from successes to job changes and everything else in between.
Mindset refers to one’s attitude or outlook about something or even themselves, ultimately influencing their life as a whole.
Depending on the circumstances, it could give someone an extra boost of confidence that can help during accomplishments, or it can severely hinder them if their thoughts tend toward the pessimistic.
It's vital to recognize when our mindsets may be taking hold of us and take the necessary steps to change our thought patterns if needed.
It's not always easy, but with practice and self-awareness, bettering our mindset can lead to progressively growing personal and professional success.
So far, so good, but let’s dive even deeper into the types of mindsets we have.
What Are The Types Of Mindset?
As you might have guessed, you can hold more than one mindset.
In fact, there are believed to be two main types.
Psychologist Carol Dweck first proposed the concept of having two mindsets fixed and growth.
Fixed Mindset
A fixed mindset is when someone has a set idea about their capabilities and potential, believing that their talents and abilities are innate and thus they cannot develop these further.
Failure is a very scary concept for people with fixed mindsets as it would just signify the end of this particular road.
Having a fixed mindset means focusing on a given situation's outcome rather than the steps taken to reach it.
Growth Mindset
On the other hand, those with a growth mindset view opportunities for improvement and development, regarding themselves as people who can always learn and advance.
By opening ourselves to criticism, reframing our perspectives, and taking risks to explore what we can do, we can benefit from failures rather than shying away from them.
Thus understanding which type of mindset we have allows us to constructively manage our abilities and nurture them toward meeting our full potential.
How Does Mindset Affect You?
Growth and fixed mindsets can profoundly affect your overall attitude, motivation, and accomplishments.
As already mentioned, a growth mindset involves believing that intelligence and skills are not set in stone but rather malleable through hard work and dedication.
Adopting this mentality allows you to take risks and approach obstacles with positivity.
You will be more likely to push yourself to reach your goals rather than become discouraged when faced with difficulties.
Moreover, when faced with failure, people with growth mindsets are more likely to accept it and take it as a lesson.
This is what learning from experience is, and being able to practice it will give you a massive push toward accomplishing your goals.
On the other hand, a fixed mindset implies that you believe that your abilities are limited by genetics or other external sources beyond your control.
This can lead to complacency and an unwillingness to attempt more challenging tasks due to fear of failure or criticism.
You can imagine how limiting this mindset is, as it will ultimately make you stay in your comfort zone.
Ultimately, having a growth mindset is essential to foster creativity and self-improvement.
Summing Up
In this first part of our series about mindset, we have looked closely into the mindset and its two main types - fixed and growth.
We think it's safe to say that we all have a little bit of both fixed and growth mindsets in us.
The challenge is recognizing which one is driving our decisions and reactions and then working on cultivating the aspects of the growth mindset.
It's not easy – but it can be incredibly rewarding when we see ourselves growing and learning new things.
So if you want to figure out which mindset is more prevalent in you and how you can change it to help your growth, jump on to the next part of our mindset series.
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