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In This Edition of Remarkable Monday
Imagine This
You’re sitting in a conference room, about to give a presentation you’ve been working on for weeks. As you glance around the room, you notice two colleagues. One is nervously flipping through their notes, clearly worried about making a mistake. The other is smiling, exuding calm confidence, even though they’re about to present an idea that’s slightly outside their comfort zone. Both are about to face the same challenge, but their mindsets are worlds apart.
This scenario highlights two very different ways people approach challenges: one with a fixed mindset and the other with a growth mindset. These mindsets, popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck, shape how we perceive our abilities, respond to obstacles, and ultimately, how we grow.
Growth Mindset:
Individuals with a growth mindset believe that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. They see challenges as opportunities to grow, view feedback as constructive, and embrace effort as a path to mastery.
Hallmarks include a passion for learning, resilience in the face of setbacks, and a belief that talents can be honed over time.
Fixed Mindset:
On the flip side, a fixed mindset is characterized by the belief that abilities and intelligence are static traits. People with this mindset often avoid challenges to protect their self-image, see effort as fruitless, and feel threatened by the success of others.
Key indicators include a desire to appear smart or talented, a tendency to give up easily, and a reluctance to embrace new experiences.
How to Identify Your Mindset
To determine whether you lean more towards a growth or fixed mindset, reflect on how you respond to challenges, criticism, and the success of others. Do you shy away from tasks that might expose your weaknesses, or do you see them as opportunities to improve? Are you eager to learn from feedback, or do you find yourself defensive when your shortcomings are pointed out?
If you often avoid new challenges or (let’s be honest here) feel threatened by others’ success, you might be operating from a fixed mindset. Conversely, if you view challenges as a chance to learn and grow and are open to constructive feedback, you’re likely exhibiting a growth mindset.
Comparing Thought Patterns
The internal dialogue of someone with a growth mindset differs significantly from that of someone with a fixed mindset. Here's how their thought patterns might sound:
Growth Mindset:
“I can improve with practice and effort.”
“This challenge is tough, but I’ll learn a lot by pushing through it.”
“What can I learn from this feedback?”
“I’m inspired by others’ success—it shows what’s possible.”
Fixed Mindset:
“I’m either good at this or I’m not.”
“If I fail, it means I’m not capable.”
“Criticism is a personal attack.”
“Their success highlights my inadequacies.”
When Each Mindset Can Be Useful
While the growth mindset is generally considered more beneficial, there are situations where a fixed mindset might be useful. For example, in highly specialized fields, where expertise is paramount, a fixed mindset might drive a professional to focus on honing a particular skill set to perfection. In these cases, the desire to maintain a high standard can push individuals to excel in their chosen niche.
However, a fixed mindset becomes limiting when it prevents exploration, innovation, or the ability to pivot in the face of change. A growth mindset, on the other hand, is invaluable in dynamic environments where adaptability, creativity, and the ability to learn from failure are crucial.
Embracing and Expanding a Growth Mindset
So, how can one embrace and expand a growth mindset? Here are some strategies:
Acknowledge and Challenge Fixed Mindset Thoughts:
The first step is to recognize when you’re thinking with a fixed mindset. When you catch yourself saying, “I’m just not good at this,” challenge that thought. Reframe it to, “I can get better with practice.”
Embrace Challenges:
Start seeing challenges as opportunities to grow rather than threats to your self-image. Push yourself to take on tasks that stretch your abilities, even if there’s a risk of failure.
Learn from Criticism:
Instead of viewing feedback as a personal attack, consider it valuable information that can help you improve. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?”
Focus on the Process, Not Just the Outcome:
Cultivate a love for learning by focusing on the process rather than the end result. Celebrate the effort and progress, not just the achievement.
Seek Inspiration from Others’ Success:
Rather than feeling envious or threatened by others’ achievements, use them as motivation. Let their success inspire you to keep pushing forward.
As Carol Dweck herself notes, “The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset” (Dweck, 2006). By adopting this mindset, you not only increase your potential for success but also cultivate a more fulfilling and resilient approach to life’s challenges.
If you are reading this far…
I hope this message finds you well. I’m sharing from my heart in hopes that you will be inspired to unearth and live out your God-given purpose. Hopefully, something I said resonated. I would love to hear from you if so. Please feel free to reach out to me on social media. FYI: I’m mostly active on Instagram these days. If you were forwarded this message, you can subscribe here to receive thoughts like this directly in your inbox. And don’t forget to check out the latest episode of my podcast, ConvoRoom with Mark Allen Patterson.
See you next week,
