Your powerful, changeable mindset

Do you believe that your abilities and talents are fixed and cannot be changed? Or do you believe that you can grow and improve through effort and learning? The answer to these questions can have a profound impact on your life, as it reflects your mindset.

A mindset is a set of beliefs and attitudes that shape how you view yourself and the world. 

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, Ph.D., there are two main types of mindsets: fixed and growth. A fixed mindset assumes that your qualities are innate and unchangeable, while a growth mindset assumes that your qualities are malleable and can be developed.

A fixed mindset can limit your potential and happiness, as it makes you afraid of failure, avoid challenges, ignore feedback, and feel threatened by the success of others. 

A growth mindset can enhance your potential and happiness, as it makes you embrace failure, seek challenges, learn from feedback, and celebrate the success 

of others.

The good news is that your mindset is not fixed in itself. You can change it by becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings, and by adopting a more positive and optimistic outlook. Here are some tips on how to cultivate a growth mindset:

• Replace the word “can’t” with “can’t yet”. This simple shift can help you see obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as dead ends. For example, instead of saying “I can’t speak French”, say “I can’t speak French yet”.

• Use the power of “yet” to set realistic and achievable goals. Rather than aiming for perfection or mastery, aim for progress and improvement. For example, instead of saying “I want to be fluent in French”, say “I want to learn 10 new words in French every day”.

• Praise yourself and others for effort, not ability. This can help you focus on the process, not the outcome, and appreciate the value of hard work and persistence. For example, instead of saying “You are so smart”, say “You worked so hard on this project”.

• Seek feedback and criticism, not validation and praise. This can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and learn from your mistakes and failures. For example, instead of saying “Did I do well?”, say “How can I do better?”.

• Celebrate the success of others, not envy or resent them. This can help you develop a sense of admiration and inspiration, rather than a sense of inferiority and competition. For example, instead of saying “They are so lucky”, say “They are so amazing”.

By changing your mindset, you can change your life.

 A growth mindset can help you achieve more, enjoy more, and live more. As Dweck says: “The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life”. So why not choose a powerful, changeable mindset? 😊