By Tracy Bove-Dias
http://linkedin.com/in/tracydias
Have you heard of the term “growth mindset”? It’s mentioned almost everywhere these days. Entrepreneurs talk about it. Motivational speakers talk about it. There’s a hashtag with millions of posts. There’s even a book based on decades of research (“mindset” by Carol Dweck).
By itself, it sounds self explanatory. Right? Your mindset can grow, change.
But – it’s not that simple. More importantly- why should you care?
Because it can literally make or break your chances of success.
When I was in high school, I remember stressing (actually obsessing) about my grades. Not because they were good. Because they were awful. When I’d get my report card, I don’t remember if I was surprised at or expecting the ‘C’s. But I do remember that I couldn’t wrap my brain around how my friends were always receiving “Honors”, and I wasn’t. Maybe it was me. I was born this way. I didn’t have the ability to do any better.
That, right there, is a great example of a “fixed mindset”. Assuming you cannot get any better than where you are, at a particular moment.
By the end of my freshman year in high school, my grades had not improved. I realized I was starting to spend time with kids who didn’t seem to care about school, and it was making my association with learning even worse.
That summer I made a decision – if I stayed on this path, going to the college of my dreams and getting into a career in business, wouldn’t be in the cards. So what could I do? If I wasn’t “as smart as” my friends, how could I turn around my grades? I decided I had to study my ass off. I had to find a way to remember material so well, that, “not being smart enough”, wouldn’t matter.
And that’s what I did. I brought every single book home, every night (including Friday’s). I read, highlighted, made note cards, created my own tests. I did everything I could possibly think of to change my outcome.
Guess what? It worked. I got straight ‘A’s’ sophomore through senior year, I was placed in honors classes and received scholarships. And finally, the payoff. I was accepted to the college of my dreams.
Looking back, I now realize I moved from a “fixed mindset” to a “growth mindset”. I had refused to accept my destiny was predetermined, that I was born “dumb”, that I had to settle for less. I took control. I challenged myself. It was probably one of the biggest life lessons ever.
People with a growth mindset understand nothing is permanent. Nothing. Read that again. This is a POWERFUL way to think and live.
Here’s some simple steps to shift towards a growth mindset:
1-Acknowledge when your mindset is fixed. When you’re not happy with your outcomes, success, etc…look at your thinking. Am I assuming I can’t change this outcome?
3-Take action. Identify 1-2 things you can try. Start with a longer list. Pick the top 2 that could have the most impact.
4-Do NOT quit! Push through the ups and downs. Success is often just around the corner. Yet – people quit just before it comes.
Success is mostly driven by how you think. YOU are the only one who can control this belief system.