Fixed to Growth: 11 Strategies For Mindset Change
Do you have a growth mindset? Most people will answer this question with a yes. When I polled my readers, only 7% said they didn’t.
Various surveys have shown that while many people are familiar with the concept of mindset, around 40% to 60% of individuals experience challenges related to mindset change. They lack awareness about the differences between fixed and growth mindsets. This is called a ‘false growth mindset’ or ‘yes autopilot’ because everyone everywhere keeps talking about having a growth mindset, and you naturally start believing you have one, too!
Let’s identify triggers of a fixed mindset, maximizing growth strategies suggested in the article later.
What is a Mindset?
Our beliefs about our abilities and potential shape the core of our mindset. We can either adhere to them rigidly or adapt to changing circumstances.
American psychologist Carol Dweck explains the two main mindsets in her bestseller book Mindset, which describes how we approach new challenges — or life in general.
“In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like failure, means you’re not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn’t need effort. In the other world, effort is what makes you smart or talented. You have a passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when things are not going well. In this world, effort is what ignites your growth.”
- Fixed Mindset: Those with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are innate and unchangeable, leading them to avoid challenges and give up easily in the face of failure.
- Growth Mindset: Individuals with a growth mindset embrace challenges, persevere through setbacks, and believe their abilities can be developed through dedication and effort.
Let’s understand this with an example. Imagine you’re part of a team working on a new project at your job.
With a fixed mindset, you might believe that your abilities are limited for this type of project, which predetermines your success even before you start working. When faced with any challenge or setback, you will interpret that as proof of your belief, leading to giving up on things as fear and doubts grapple your mind.
In a growth mindset — while, of course, mastering a new project will take its time- you will keep trying with your persistence and resilience. You see every failure as a lesson and start improving your strategies to accommodate new learnings because your focus is on the process, not the outcome.
Identify Your Fixed Mindset Triggers!
Before focusing on growth strategies, it’s crucial to identify your own fixed mindset triggers. Though fears like lack of ideas, motivation, and fear may seem universal, every fear is different. Knowing your unique triggers can help you find tailored solutions instead of relying on generalizations.
- Would you say that you feel overwhelmed when you have to complete tasks that require a lot of time and effort? A fixed mindset makes you more likely to give up on the work or feel frustrated.
- Do you compare yourself to others and feel demotivated when they achieve more with less effort? Feelings of superiority and inferiority creep into a fixed mindset rather than focusing on your own growth.
- When you encounter a difficult task or obstacle, do you perceive it as a threat to your self-image of competence or an opportunity for growth? A fixed mindset acts as a roadblock that will make you stay out of such situations in the future.
- Do you take constructive feedback as a personal attack on your competence or intelligence and reinforce the belief that your abilities are fixed and unchangeable? A fixed mindset limits improvement.
- Do you panic in high-stakes situations? In a fixed mindset, the fear of making mistakes or the pressure to perform becomes so important that your entire focus shifts to avoiding any negative outcome instead of finding creative and innovative solutions.
You may have more subtle mindset triggers, such as relying on your family to recognize your work or attributing your success to luck. Still, it is very unlikely that you don’t have any triggers.
Take some time to explore your thoughts and emotions, and practice self-compassion. Increased self-awareness can lead to more effective self-improvement strategies.
How to Foster a Growth Mindset?
My answer without a second thought is to keep going.
A growth mindset never stops you from doing anything you want. Success, failure, blockers, resistance, everything can be overlooked when you have a growth mindset.
Keep going. One day, your persistence will transform into a growth mindset.
You may or may not achieve victory, but you’ll become wiser, more positive, and more resilient, enabling a happy life and spreading happiness around.
Convinced? Here are eleven strategies you can use:
- Embrace Failure: Identify lessons learned and consider how they have contributed to your personal and professional development. Adopt a “not yet” mindset and reframe your thought processes.
- Take calculated risks: Step outside your comfort zone and embrace new challenges, knowing that failure is not a reflection of your worth but a natural part of the learning process.
- Focus on progress: Focus on resilience and perseverance rather than dwelling on past failures. Think, “What’s next from here?” Don’t worry too much about the actual result. Shift your focus from outcomes to the process of learning and moving on.
- Cultivate a love for learning: Approach new experiences with curiosity and enthusiasm, seeking opportunities for growth and expansion. Enroll in new skills, read books, or join meetups to learn from what other people are doing. It will help you keep up with the world with a growth mindset.
- Practice self-awareness: Tune into your thoughts and feelings, recognizing moments of self-doubt or criticism with compassion and understanding. Acknowledge that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process.
- Treat yourself with kindness: Offer yourself the same empathy and support you would give a friend facing a similar challenge or setback. Acknowledge your efforts and progress, even small ones, and cultivate a mindset of resilience and self-acceptance.
- Remember the concept of neuroplasticity. A lot of research shows that your brain’s structure is not fixed, and your mind should not be fixed either.
- Grow with others. Learn from other people’s mistakes and take risks with them. Don’t try to look your best; show how hard you’re willing to work and how comfortable you are with experimenting. Seek feedback from trusted sources.
- Challenge Fixed Beliefs: When your beliefs conflict with reality, ask “why” and replace them with growth-oriented thoughts. Cultivate your sense of purpose.
- Cultivate gratitude: Practice gratitude for your own strengths and accomplishments rather than fixating on perceived shortcomings.
- Practice positive affirmations: When faced with any difficult situation, recite positive affirmations to keep going. My favorites are: -
- I am not defined by my failures but by how I respond to them. — Success is not immediate; it’s a journey of continuous improvement.- Mistakes are proof that I am trying and learning.- Others’ opinions do not determine my worth. I trust my own judgment and instincts.- Each day is a new opportunity to start afresh and pursue my goals.
There are probably more growth mindset techniques out there, but these will help you get the gist of them.
Growth Mindset Challenge
Are you ready to level up your mindset and embrace growth? Set aside some time each week for self-reflection and personal development. Whether it’s on a Sunday evening or Monday morning, these four questions will guide you on your journey:
- What are the areas I am struggling with currently?
- What do I want to learn by the end of this week?
- What is the one thing I can do to get out of my comfort zone?
- Who can I reach out to for help this week?
By embracing this challenge, you’re on track to see tangible improvements in your mindset within just four weeks!
Developing a growth mindset is a lifelong process. Beware of false assumptions, and enjoy your growth journey.
This article was originally published on Linkedin.com
