Growth Mindset-The Second of Three Articles Article Two-Grow Your Mind: Strategies for Developing a Growth Mindset

Key takeaways from last month's newsletter article included the premise that a growth mindset sees intelligence and abilities as changeable, while a fixed mindset views them as static. We discussed that our ability to learn and grow is not limited. When we adopt a growth mindset, we unlock our full potential. In this three-article series, this second article further explores the concept of a growth mindset. It equips the reader with practical strategies to cultivate a mindset that empowers us to view challenges as opportunities for learning and setbacks as critical steps to success.

Unveiling Your Mindset

The journey to a growth mindset begins with self-awareness. Recognizing our current mindset and understanding how it manifests in our lives is crucial. Here's why:

• Identifying Limiting Beliefs: Self-awareness helps us pinpoint any fixed beliefs holding us back. Limiting beliefs could include fear, such as the fear of failure or of being judged. However, by identifying these limiting beliefs, we can challenge and replace them with growth-oriented perspectives, such as yes, I may fail, but I will have learned in the process, and I am now better equipped for next time.
• Facilitating Change: Understanding how our mindset influences our thoughts, behaviors, and responses to challenges empowers us to make intentional changes.
• Taking Responsibility: Self-awareness empowers us to take ownership of our mindset and its impact on our lives. Rather than blaming external circumstances for our lack of progress, we recognize our role in shaping our mindset and outcomes when we have self-awareness.

Common Fixed Mindset Traps

Dr. Albert Ellis, a noted cognitive behaviorist, may have referred to common fixed mindset traps as part of our?irrational belief system . Our thoughts drive the way that we feel and influence our behavior. Check out this list below; if any of these scenarios sound familiar, note it, as you may have fallen prey to the "self-entrapment" of a fixed mindset.

• Facing Challenges: People with a fixed mindset tend to shy away from challenges, fearing that taking on a challenge will expose their limitations.
• Receiving Feedback: Constructive criticism is internalized as a personal attack. Individuals with a fixed mindset will likely become angry, defensive, or resigned to being inadequate.
• Comparing Yourself to Others: Others' success, real or imagined, can be perceived as a personal threat, leading to discouragement instead of inspiration.
• Fear of Failure: An acute fear of failure often prevents those with a fixed mindset from taking risks or trying new things. In their mindset, the desire for control and stability far outweighs any benefits from stepping outside their comfort zone.
• Attributing Success/Failure to Traits: Success or failure is viewed solely as a result of inherent ability that can't be altered rather than as a result of effort and strategy.

By being aware of these fixed mindsets or limiting thoughts, we can begin to challenge and reframe our thinking and cultivate a growth mindset. In practice, I like to use reflective questions to spark growth. When we ask ourselves, "What challenges have I faced recently? How did I respond? What did I learn? How can I use this knowledge in the future?" we begin to understand how closely our mindsets and thoughts influence our feelings and behavior.

Building Your Growth Mindset Toolkit Through Practice

The good news is that there are strategies that we can practice that will help us in growing our mindset. The key word is practice. Take a moment to think about the first time you tried a new skill. The result may not have been pretty. Earlier this year, I started using Canva to add interest to my posts. My first attempts were far from perfect, yet the more I practiced, the more I learned how to use the tool. I grew more confident in my abilities and started enjoying the creativity my learning afforded me.

These are all practical strategies to embed a growth mindset that we can practice daily. Select one or two that resonate with you and work to integrate those practices into your daily life. Refrain from tackling the entire list at once by remembering that the development of a growth mindset is a journey, a lifelong journey, filled with opportunities to practice each day:

The First Strategy Involves the Conscious Practice of Embracing Challenges as Opposed to Avoiding or Running from Challenges:

• Start by Setting Personal Growth Goals: Focus on what you are learning and how you are developing, not just on the outcome. Step outside your comfort zone and embrace or run toward those challenges that push you to grow. I recognize this can be terrifying, but instead of letting your fear hold you back, focus on how proud you will be for putting yourself out there.

• Reframe Challenges: Instead of viewing challenges as roadblocks, see them as opportunities to learn and improve. Approach your challenges with curiosity. Ask yourself, "Is there another way to go about this task? What could I do differently? I wonder what would happen if I tried this approach?"

• Seek Feedback: Actively seek honest feedback as a valuable tool for growth. Be open to hearing feedback, all feedback. Begin to see constructive criticism as a gift, not as a judgment about you as a person, but as a chance to refine your skills. We all have blind spots, and feedback can help us gain insights into those blind spots.

A Second Strategy Encourages Perseverance or "Staying Power" Through Setbacks-When the Going Gets Tough…the Tough Get Going:

• Develop Resilience: Failures and setbacks are normal parts of learning. View them as opportunities to learn and grow. One of my?favorite books ?on this topic is John C. Maxwell's Failing Forward. We are human, so we will not always get life right. Yet, instead of letting our failures define and stop us in our tracks, we can walk away with lessons learned as preparation for our next attempt. We are not stuck or going backward; we are failing forward.

• Focus on Effort: Shift your focus from outcomes to your effort. Celebrate your progress, no matter the immediate results. Understand that sustained effort leads to mastery. Embrace that you can develop intelligence, abilities, and talents through dedication, effort, and hard work.?

• Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself when faced with setbacks. Setbacks do not define us as people; they are simply the result of an action. Treat yourself with understanding, acknowledging that everyone experiences challenges. It matters whether we get back up, brush ourselves off, and try again.

A Third Strategy Promotes Learning from Criticism and Feedback:

• Stay Open-Minded: Guard yourself against internalizing negative feedback as a "personal attack." Approach feedback and criticism with a willingness to learn rather than a time to put up a shield of defense. Purposefully step into each conversation with a sense of humility. In any situation, remember that you may or may not be "in the right," and it is about perspectives. Remain open to different perspectives and listen with curiosity and a desire to understand how to improve. Ask questions and check for understanding.

• Vulnerability: Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Being vulnerable creates an environment for all parties to feel heard and understood. Vulnerability encourages open communication, which helps dissolve misunderstandings or conflicts. When we allow ourselves to lower our guard, we step into a place of self-acceptance, warts and all. We embrace different aspects of ourselves in this space, building greater confidence and authenticity.

• Extract Key Insights, then Move On: Keep yourself from taking negative feedback and internalizing that feedback to mean something about you personally. Humans tend to fight, take flight, or freeze in response to something our minds perceive as threatening. Don't let your mind take you there; it isn't productive. Instead, actively seek valuable nuggets of truth in the criticism that can help you develop and then discard the rest.

The Final Strategy is to Cultivate a Love of Learning for the Sake and Enjoyment of Learning:

• Embrace Curiosity: Be curious by asking questions, exploring new ideas, and seeking learning opportunities. Approach each day with a desire to expand your knowledge. The secret is to stay open to acquiring new information. Often, as a way of "protecting" us, our brains will automatically reject new information, especially if that new information challenges a long-held belief or our worldview. These protective mechanisms are called cognitive biases. The key to overriding our cognitive bias is recognizing first that it exists and, second, consciously working to keep an open mind. Search for multiple perspectives, even those that cause a twinge of unease. This practice is not a judgment of your long-held beliefs and values but an opportunity to expand and enrich your beliefs and worldview.

• Value Process Over Outcome: Focus on the learning journey rather than solely on the result. Enjoy the process of discovery and growth, recognizing that learning is lifelong. Celebrate the steps to achievement, not just the achievement itself.

• Diversify Your Learning: Explore different areas of interest and engage in activities and conversations about topics you know little about. I thoroughly enjoy conversations with a particular coworker who has embraced AI (artificial intelligence) as a student, practitioner, and advocate. Our conversations stimulate me to think about the practical use of AI in my life and the lives of people I work with.

Mindfulness: Cultivating Your Growth from Within

Mindfulness is not mystical. It is not something we have to learn how to do; we already have the ability to be mindful. We simply have to learn how to access that ability. If we are paying close attention to the person or task at hand, instead of multi-tasking, we are being mindful. Being mindful is consciously practicing awareness of where we are, what we are doing, and the thoughts and feelings we are currently experiencing. Practicing mindfulness is an effective tool for developing a growth mindset because it promotes self-awareness, emotional regulation, and innovation. Benefits of being mindful:

• Increased Self-Awareness: Mindfulness practices like deep breathing exercises, progressive relaxation, and meditation all promote awareness of our present thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations such as tension or discomfort. These practices allow us to press pause and check in with ourselves, effectively creating the option of actively choosing our next response instead of just reacting. In essence, mindfulness allows us to take back control.
• Emotional Regulation: Mindfulness techniques help us observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment. When we recognize our thoughts and how those thoughts impact our feelings, we enable ourselves to take a step back, realize what is happening, and question the validity of those thoughts or feelings. For example, let's say that fresh from a public speaking engagement, a person didn't get the response from the audience that they had hoped to achieve. That may lead to the person picking apart not just their performance but also making that outcome mean something about them personally and then proclaiming that the whole world now believes they are a failure since nobody laughed at their joke. In this example, I can challenge the concepts of the "whole world" or "being a failure," which are both examples of catastrophizing (a cognitive distortion.) Regulating our emotions allows us to have a more productive thought dialog, such as, I guess I didn't pick the proper joke for the right audience… I'll make them laugh next time. The ability to consciously regulate our emotions reduces stress, fosters better sleep, and, from this example, prevents us from developing an irrational fear of public speaking!?
• Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills: Mindful reflection allows us to approach obstacles with a clear and focused mind, which, in turn, facilitates creative problem-solving and adaptation.?

Examples of Mindfulness Practices

• Breath Work: This simple practice is about taking moments during the day to focus on our breath. It involves consciously noticing the sensation of air entering and leaving the body. By closing our eyes, concentrating solely on our breath, and blocking other stimuli, we have effectively taken a mini-vacation from everyday life stressors. It's a short pause to refocus our minds.
• Body Scan Meditation: This beneficial practice involves becoming aware of what in our body feels comfortable and uncomfortable by systematically moving our awareness throughout our body, head to toe. It is another way to check in with ourselves and our current state of mindfulness. During this exercise, we are instructed to notice any areas of tension or discomfort, such as a clenched jaw, hunched back, or tightened fists, then purposefully tense and gently release those areas of our body until the feelings of tension ease.?
• Mindful Walking: Focusing on the movement by directing attention to the sensations of each step and the sights, sounds, and smells around you.?

Embracing the Development of a Growth Mindset as a Journey-Closing Thoughts

Cultivating a growth mindset equips us to view challenges as opportunities. This article acknowledged the importance of self-awareness, the foundation for understanding how our current mindset shapes our thoughts, behaviors, and responses. We identified common pitfalls of a fixed mindset to guard against as we navigate our growth mindset journey. We learned that with deliberate practice, we can cultivate a growth mindset and discussed multiple cultivation strategies! Finally, we explored how mindfulness can be a powerful tool to support our growth mindset journey.

By being more aware of our thoughts and feelings, we now know that we can regulate our behavior and approach challenges with a clear and focused mind. Always remember that developing a growth mindset is a lifelong process. By embracing and practicing the strategies and tools we've explored, you can unlock your full potential and approach life's obstacles with greater confidence and resilience. I encourage you to continue on this journey of growth and self-discovery!

Are you ready to transform your career, leadership, and life? I can help! The origin of your success already lies within you! Discover or rediscover your passion and purpose by connecting with me at:?https://originsofsuccess.com

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