How can you benefit from a growth mindset for Personal Development?

We are part of nature and in nature, everything is either growing or dying. If we don't use our muscles or our brains, the cells don't grow. They atrophy or waste away. Therefore, growth is a must. If we want to live a full and rich life, we need to adapt our world view. We need to adapt a growth mindset - be open to perspectives differing from our own and to embrace new experiences. It is essential to constantly upskill and work on ourselves cognitively, emotionally and spiritually. In order to grow, we need to adapt the mind of a beginner, for the beginner's mind always has room for growth. The Zen master, Shunryu Suzuki, once said, 'In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are a few.'

We need to understand well what we are looking to provide as feedback, from my point of view, saying only good things motivates but for a little. We need to know what we are good at, but also what we need to improve, whether we are bad at something, and it's necessary to know about our gaps in a good way. Only if we realize what we need to improve can we do something to improve it, and that's a growth mindset.

Our words shape mindsets. A growth mindset sees challenges as opportunities, embraces feedback, and values progress. A fixed mindset, on the other hand, can limit potential with a focus on limitations. Choose words that nurture growth.

First and foremost, evaluate yourself and ask 'do you really want to progress in your career?' If the answer is 'Yes' start looking to build and develop new skills relating to that chosen career path. For example: ??I am looking for a role in (add the area) ??How will you do it? Does it require more reading/taking courses/networking etc. ??Once you have figured out the above, add a (completion date) to that skill to help you stay clearly on that path. Before you take any courses, have your pros/cons ready, speak to people who have done those courses/skills, find out their experience etc. Review and find opportunities in your current role, ask for more responsibilities to develop new skills.

In my experience as a barber, I listened to my clients and developed a keen sense of need that I was lacking to provide them. Early in my career, it was just about cutting hair and getting recognition for my skills. As I grew mentally and spiritually, I began to incorporate coaching into my skillset to enhance my clients' lives by giving them advice and encouraging them to grow and learn new skills to become more marketable and earn more money in their careers and businesses. Later, I felt a spiritual calling and decided to pursue it further, so I became a certified spiritual life coach. I have since added more services to my calendar to enrich the lives of my clients beyond looking good. My goal is to help them experience growth as well.

The most important benefit i see is when you apply these principles in the family core, it can become the strongest tool to bond with kids and spouse, at the same time that fosters a continuous improvement to themselves. In the workspace it promotes healthy feedback and sets the team prone to challenges instead of adopting a mindset of a confort zone.

When it comes to leadership, I have no idea what I’m talking about. Because… I joined the RAF, and not the Army, the ‘real’ service. I only joined as a reserve, not a regular, so I’m “just a civilian in uniform”. The military is apparently too “pink and fluffy” these days. I’m a woman. I’m a menopausal woman. I’m too old to understand what the next Gen wants from a leader. Did I miss any other reasons?? Don’t let the opinions of others form a list of excuses as to why you can’t realise your potential. Just smile and thank them for the ammunition. And ditch the ‘because list’. Onwards.

it's an effective way to hack somone into a more productive and problem-solving person, thus leading to a healthier mindset and a better way you interact with yourself :)

Understanding that there is so much more to learn, adapting to the change that is occurring in trends and technology, and the expectations of people in various roles, is an important reason to adopt a growth mindset. It's challenging to apply yesterday's learnings to today's problems, so we must learn as a habit and adapt to what comes in front of us. This understanding will require humility (we don’t know everything but we can learn something new), confidence (we are capable and sufficient for doing today’s work), and vulnerability (share what we don’t know and ask for feedback). With some encouragement and intention, we can all adopt this mindset!

In my experience, you can develop a growth mindset by viewing challenges as opportunities to grow rather obstacles to avoid. Tackle difficult tasks and see them as ways to learn and develop new skills.

Let's not forget childhood: I was fortunate to have been raised by parents who never ceased affirming and celebrating their children. While it helped me develop a healthy sense of self, as an adult, I struggled to engage in tasks that didn’t receive recognition and celebration from others. This fixed mindset meant I only pursued tasks that would validate me through external acknowledgment. Children who are encouraged to explore and solve problems independently, without constant praise or excessive celebration for their achievements, are more likely to develop resilience and a willingness to embrace challenges- which is reflective of a growth mindset.

Consistency... starting on a growth mindset don't mean you will be in a better shape by tomorrow, consistency can ensure better results for you and the ones around you.