Growth is something most people want but not everyone has the grit to work for it. Growth is challenging and we in live in a culture where challenges aren’t promoted but rather discouraged. If you’re serious about your own growth, don’t give up on what you want because the only person who is going to get you there is yourself. Take an inventory as frequently as you need to gauge where you are at.

Growth Mindset
  • Seeks Challenges
  • Optimistic
  • Views failure as a chance to grow
  • Open to feedback
  • Perseveres
  • Inspired by others’ success
  • Believes mistakes are a part of learning
  • Accountable
  • Solution-focused
Fixed Mindset
  • Avoids challenges
  • Pessimistic
  • Views failure as unintelligent
  • Ignores feedback
  • Gives up easily
  • Threatened by others’ success
  • Hides flaws
  • Blames others
  • Problem-focused

If we only focus on what we do well, we miss out on the opportunity to develop in our areas of weakness. Don’t get discouraged by the process of growth, remember that there are no shortcuts to excellence. Just consistent hard work, a relentless effort and commitment to improving.

Healthy perspective is the attribute that distinguishes between having a growth mindset and staying stuck in a fixed one. If you find yourself in a fixed mindset, try changing your perspective on things. Visualize the journey of accomplishment instead of journey of failure. Don’t focus on all the things that can go wrong and all the barriers to achieving what you want to do. That will lead you down a self defeating path as you come up with all the excuses as to why you aren’t able to succeed. Rather, visualize where you want to be and all the new and exciting experiences you get to encounter on your way to your destination. Visualization will promote healthy self talk regarding all the reasons why you will succeed which will empower you to keep going. Remember that what your brain notices gets reinforced. Therefore, be sure to reinforce it with growth mindset characteristics and challenge your perspective when stuck in the fixed.

Tips to grow your mindset:

  •     Accept feedback as a gift
  •     Seek the positive in all situations
  •     Embrace failure as apart of the process
  •     Be responsible for your thoughts and attitudes
  •     Stop seeking the approval of others
  •     Value the process over the end result
  •     Stop comparing, rather celebrate others
  •     Live authentically in order to cultivate your purpose

So ask yourself: Where is your mindset today?