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Ever wonder, "How do some folks seem to tackle challenges with a super high level of grit and keep leveling up in life?" Well, my friend, you might just be peeking into the world of a growth mindset – a game-changer in actually achieving your goals. Today, we're diving deep into why you should adopt a growth mindset and how you can turn your "I can't" into "I can and I will."
What is a Growth Mindset?
First, let’s look at the two extreme mindsets that we tend to have:
Growth Mindset
Imagine that person again, the one with all the resilience and grit. There’s a good chance they have a voice in their head shouting, "I can learn this, I can conquer that!" or “I failed, that’s okay, I learned something important”. With a growth mindset, challenges become opportunities, setbacks are just detours, and the word "impossible" actually starts to sound a bit suspicious.
Fixed Mindset
On the flip side, there's the fixed mindset crew. Let’s imagine them as the skeptics in the room, convinced that abilities are set in stone. "I'm just not good at this" or "I'll never get it" – that's their anthem. It's like living in a world where the road is blocked, and there's no detour sign in sight.
At first glance it might seem like there are only two camps, like you’re either going to have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. But in reality this is not the case – it’s not like choosing between Team A or Team B – it's more like a sliding scale. Picture it as a spectrum where you can find yourself hanging out on different points depending on the day, the task, or even your mood.
Think about it like this: you might be rocking a growth mindset at work, tackling challenges head-on and believing in your ability to learn and improve. But then, when it comes to, say, trying your hand at painting, suddenly that fixed mindset monster creeps in, whispering doubts about your artistic abilities.
The cool thing is, you're not stuck on one side or the other. You can start to nudge yourself toward the growth mindset end of the spectrum, today. Your first step is to gain some awareness of where you may have limiting beliefs about yourself and then make a conscious effort to allow yourself to evolve. And the key to making this work? Small changes! Please don’t try to make huge, life altering shifts, as these rarely work.
Story time! There's this friend, let's call them Alex. Alex got all pumped up with the idea of a major lifestyle overhaul. He decided, "Okay, I'm gonna hit the gym every single day, eat kale and quinoa for lunch 4 times a week, and start meditating twice a day."
Guess what happened? Burnout city, that's what. Alex went from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye. Gym sessions turned into torture sessions, kale became the sworn enemy, and the quest for instant zen felt more like a stress marathon.
Here's the deal: big, sudden changes can be like trying to sprint a marathon. You might start strong, but you risk running out of steam before you even hit the first mile marker.
So, the takeaway here? Slow and steady wins the race, my friend. Instead of going full superhero mode, start with baby steps. Maybe aim for the gym a couple of times a week, toss in some veggies with your usual meals, and sprinkle in a few minutes of chill time each day.
It's like planting seeds. You water them, give 'em some sunlight, and watch them grow. Small changes add up, and they're way more likely to stick around for the long haul.
Now, let’s dive into some actionable steps you can take today to start shifting your mindset. We’ve created a FREE Mindset Makeover worksheet for you to work through the next 3 steps. Download it here before you read on.
Figure Out Where Your Head’s At
First things first – as we said, let’s become aware of your current mindset. Pay attention to the thoughts and beliefs you have about your abilities, intelligence, and potential. Notice when the fixed mindset sneaks in and try to shift those thoughts to positive, growth-focused cheers. Instead of "I can't do this," it becomes "I can't do this yet," and suddenly, you’ll notice that possibilities start to open up.✨
Celebrate Your Hustle
Sure, results are sweet, but moving forward can we please give more recognition to the hustle and celebrate the process of learning and putting in the effort? We find that there is so much emphasis put on the destination – like it's this fixed point on the horizon. Truth is, the destination is a bit of an illusion. It's ever-changing, shifting with every step we take.
So there’s Amy, one of our fearless leaders at Stillwater. She told us how she’ll reward herself with a gummy candy after every task she completes while cleaning her kitchen. We love this effort to celebrate every victory! It’s a simple and surprising way to help foster a growth mindset. You see, when you celebrate every effort the impact is two-fold. First, you’re given a boost in motivation because you’ve created a positive feedback loop and as you appreciate the process, you are fostering resilience and reinforcing a positive mindset. 🍬
Look at Your Life from a New Perspective
Okay, we’re about to go cheesy on you. Life throws curveballs, right? And, what if instead of seeing setbacks as roadblocks, we viewed them as springboards? I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes right now. We’re all heard it and it’s not so simple when you’re in the thick of it, right? Now stay with me. Here's the real deal: when we're knee-deep in the chaos, it's like wearing blinders. The “thick of it” can be blinding, making it hard to see beyond the immediate struggles. But, what if, just for a moment, we took a step back? Picture this – what if we viewed our life from space? Suddenly, the setbacks that feel colossal on the ground might seem like mere blips on the cosmic radar. From up there, the journey, the struggles, and the triumphs all become part of a bigger, awe-inspiring picture.
If you haven’t already, download your FREE Mindset Makeover worksheet. It will help you reflect on your past decisions, shift your mindset to one that will serve you best and give you direction to set intentions for your future.
We could go on about this (and we do in our courses), but we’ll leave you with just a few more tips you can start implementing in your life to help build a growth mindset.
Surround yourself with a squad that vibes with growth. Seek out those folks with the "we can do this" spirit.
Why not start your day with a little self-love pep talk? Positive affirmations are like a launchpad for your mindset that day. Read our blog post about self-pep talks here.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you dove headfirst into your passions? Don’t know what your passions are? That’s fine too. Let’s start with something that you’re curious about. We want to encourage you to feed your curiosities and passions: attend workshops, join forums, watch videos and immerse yourself in communities that resonate with the topic. You may be surprised how something so small can change the trajectory of your life.
We hope you've found some nuggets of inspiration to carry with you. If you didn't have time to work through the worksheet, no problem! Download it now and work through it when you have a few spare minutes. This free resource is designed to guide you through reflective exercises and actionable steps that will set you on the path to a mindset reset. Click here to download your FREE Mindset Makeover worksheet.
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