A growth mindset is a way of envisioning your goals, and you setbacks along the way in a more positive light. It means you view yourself as adaptable, forever improving and learning. You only focus on your ability to grow.
The opposite is a fixed mindset. People with this mindset often feel their intrinsic qualities are why they fail. They have a fixed view of themselves. Often, seeing other people doing better than them can mean they’ll question why they never seem to struggle. And that leaves them thinking others are just more talented and there is nothing they can do about it. But there is.
It allows you to focus on what you’re doing well. Belief in yourself and self-care are the core foundations of a growth mindset. You can target your procrastination and finally overcome it for good with a change in attitude. Getting a first back on that piece of coursework, or sticking to that new diet are based on habits that are based on a growth mindset.
Here are some tips to achieve that coveted state of mind:
1. Accept Your Imperfections
Denying uncomfortable truths about yourself will only make them worse. Hiding from them can mean they overpower your mind when you try to go against your past mistakes without understanding why you made them. When you acknowledge where your weaknesses are you can see where you need to improve. One of the first rules is to realise that you will always have parts of yourself that you like less than others. That’s okay. By accepting your imperfections you give yourself the best grounding to build on.
2. Celebrate your successes
When you start having negative thoughts about yourself, counter it with an opposite argument. This will train your brain to speak positively about yourself. It helps to shift to a future focus. Focus on how you will feel if you do succeed, even if you think it is only a remote possibility right now. These visualisations are powerful tools. When you do achieve a goal, you will genuinely feel proud of yourself and acknowledge it because you have constantly been dreaming about it. By letting yourself want something, you become vulnerable to letting yourself down, but when you do succeed, you force yourself to acknowledge your successes.
3. Develop a sense of purpose
Keep a goal in mind to motivate yourself. This needs to be something you truly want. Doing something because other people want you to will not motivate enough during the tough times. Taking time to think about what you really want will focus your time and energy. It’s useful to list your strengths and what you like about yourself here. Use your enhanced understanding of yourself to work out where you should go next. This exercise will help you cultivate self-love and a sense of purpose.
A growth mindset is not something that comes overnight. And it needs to be regularly maintained. By reviewing progress, weaknesses and success, you can stay on track for your goals. But the main lesson is that believing in yourself does affect your growth and success. And remember, go easy on yourself