Definition of a Growth Mindset
And why you need one.
It's funny, but many of the individuals I work with don't start with a growth mindset. They hire an executive coach to help them uncover issues and areas where they can be more effective, but when we get into the hard work of really looking at what is holding them back, I get many excuses. My clients like to frame these excuses as "context," – but the reality is that a limiting belief plagues them, and they can't see past it. They are stuck in a fixed mindset and wonder why the issue isn't improving. So, we get to work identifying how they can move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset – and it's amazing the see the insights and results.
Growth Mindset Defined
Carol Dweck, the author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, states:
I love this definition because it's about ACTION. It's not enough to believe you have a growth mindset, but you must also think that you can change, be willing to put in the work, and (gasp!) get feedback. This is the crucial difference between being "stuck" vs. moving forward. And when you can start moving forward, the momentum will happen.
It would be great if we could all stay in the state of growth mindset, but the reality is, we don't. The trick is recognizing when you aren't leveraging your growth mindset and deciding to take action to change.
When to leverage a growth mindset
Boredom/Comfortable
Are you bored? Don't feel like you are pushing yourself? Same thing, day in day out? I get it.
It's comfortable. Sometimes we want comfort. But when we get sucked into the comfort and aren't growing, it might be time to shift into a growth mindset. Ask yourself:
What is it that's causing the boredom?
Do you have a goal or objective that you want to achieve?
Are you surrounding yourself with others who aren't challenging you?
Where do you need to focus, and what skills do you need to develop?
Are you playing it safe in your career? Why?
"We find comfort among those who agree with us, and growth among those who don't." -- Frank A. Clark
Rigidity
Do you feel yourself becoming very inflexible? Is it with your interactions with another person or persons at work? Or are you getting specific feedback that you can't hear? It's hard because you think, "I'm fine the way I am. Why do I need to change?" Being rigid is an example of not having a growth mindset.
Having a growth mindset would allow you to look at that feedback or those comments and examine what's driving this information. Then, you would look at it and evaluate the situation. Finally, you ask yourself, "How could I have shown up differently in this circumstance or this situation?" When you look at the problem, you may find that you can genuinely answer that it's not you; it's the situation. Which allows you to ask yourself, "Do I need to change the situation?" There are many options with a growth mindset.
"A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake." -- Confucius
Avoidance/Inertia
Maybe you're not ready to face the situation. And perhaps you want to avoid it. And that's fine because sometimes we don't have the space or the energy to address what's in front of us. And so sometimes, we may choose not to be in a growth mindset. But when we're ready, we must confront and address what's in front of us, even if we don't like it.
When you are ready to move into a growth mindset, examine where you need to focus first.
Is there a boundary that needs to be established?
Are you afraid of making a tough decision?
What would it mean to you if you could confront the situation?
What opportunities might be presented if you moved forward?
"To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." – Unknown.
Choose a Growth Mindset Today
Take a minute and decide to choose a growth mindset today.
What is one thing you can do to move toward growth?