The Mindset Challenge

One of the most valuable skills I've learned in my lifetime is when first meeting someone, allow them to do all the talking. They will teach you all that you need to know about them. Uncovering whether they have a positive or negative mindset will be easy.

Reading that may have triggered you. You may think back to times when you overshared or maybe you felt judged. That's okay. It triggers me too. In fact, that's how I learned the skill, by leaving a conversation fully aware that I overshared. I spewed alot of pessimistic views that I had to a stranger. Eeek! Instead of only choosing to be wiser during conversation, I decided to fix my negative mindset.

What is a Fixed Mindset?

A fixed mindset, proposed by Stanford professor Carol Dweck in her book Mindset, describes people who see their qualities as fixed traits that cannot change. With a fixed mindset, talent is enough to lead to success and effort to improve these talents isn’t required.

A person with a fixed mindset might say things like "Ah, they just got lucky." "We all weren't born with a silver spoon in our mouth." You'll hear a lot of "I cant" "It's not possible for me", "We can't all....." "I wasn't taught as a child so....", lots and lots and lots of excuses of why they can't do/achieve/create/learn something.

If you're an ambitious person, being around a person with a fixed mindset can be a real downer.

A fixed mindset is not to be confused with a limited mindset. A limited mindset is when a person chooses to only see the limits of themselves, situations, opportunities, and anything seemingly positive. Although both are negative, a fixed mindset has already made their mind up; it's not possible. A limited mindset can usually be worked on by showing them someone who's done what they deem impossible.

Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution-unknown

Growth Mindset = A Winner's Mindset

A growth mindset on the other hand is describes people who believe that their success depends on time and effort. People with a growth mindset feel their skills and intelligence can be improved with effort and persistence. They embrace challenges, persist through obstacles, learn from criticism and seek out inspiration in others’ success.

In every workshop or training that I teach the Mantra & Keyword are the same. Mantra: "If it is to be, it is up to me." Keyword: Ownership.

Why are they always the same? Well, I teach success skills to professionals. Any successful person will tell you that they took ownership of their life. They'll tell you that they did not allow what the world, statistics, peers, teachers, family members control the outcome of their futures. They knew if it is to be, it is up to me.

This is the foundation of a growth mindset. No matter where I am, what I am, who I am, I control my success. Any obstacle can be overcome, any thing I don't know; I can learn. This is a growth mindset.

In closing, even if right now, you identify with having a limited or a fixed mindset, you can turn things around. All that's needed is a change of mind.

To your Success!

~Sherisse

Sherisse Forrest is a training consultant in Communications, Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and Sales. For training inquiries fill out a form or email at [email protected].