Mindset Makes A Difference

 

I went to school during the time that at a certain point we were all herded into a room and given a sheet of paper with a lot of questions on it to determine our “aptitude”. Then later called into a small room with someone I recognized as a staff member of the school and while looking at my test proceeded to tell me what I would most likely be good at and recommended that I peruse that field of endeavor. That, my friends is called a “Fixed Mindset”.

 

 We have come a long way in the way things are done scholastically since those days so I’m not going to rail against the good intentions of the people in charge of molding young minds in that era.

 Fortunate for me my father was more of a “Growth Mindset” kind of guy, but of course we didn’t have those fancy terminologies to throw around at that time. Don’t think he or the teachers gave it much thought, everyone was just doing their job and evidently my father’s way of thinking was that certain skills needed to be developed and we could do it the easy way or the hard way, either way I did learn the skills whether I had an aptitude for it or not.

 

 

 

 Unfortunately today we have many people who are stuck in the Fixed Mindset. Some don’t know they are in that mindset and some know but don’t want to change because it’s scary and uncomfortable.

 So what are the characteristics of a Fixed Mindset?
A person with a Fixed Mindset is convinced that they are who they are. They were born that way and nothing can change that, no use in fighting it. They believe that success is a result of being inherently very smart. They strive for success and avoid failure at all cost to maintain the feeling of being smart and of well being.   

 Contrasted to a person who has a Growth Mindset.
A person with a Growth Mindset thinks that in the process of who you want to be there will be painful learning experiences, but this is an acceptable part of the journey of developing a talent or skill. Failure then becomes just another stepping stone on your way to success.

 

So how would these two mindsets react to life’s walk?

 

Challenges 

Fixed mindset Avoids. Growth mindset Embraces

 

Obstacles

Fixed mindset give up easy. Growth mindset, persist in the face of setbacks

 

Effort 

Fixed mindset, If it don’t come naturally, forget it. Growth mindset, no pain, no gain.

 

Criticism          

Fixed mindset, ignores negative feedback. Growth mindset, learns from criticism.

 

Success Of Others.

Fixed mindset, Feel’s threatened. Growth mindset, finds inspiration

 

 Don’t believe anyone who tells you that you are not good enough in any way; just be persistent in your efforts. In time you will do just fine. Life if full of challenges, obstacles, critics and people that are better than you, this is normal. It’s up to you to develop positive coping mechanisms for each of these life issues that are a part of any path you choose to walk.

 

 Here are some quotes from people with a Growth Mindset.

 

An obstacle is often an unrecognized opportunity. - Petteri Tarkkonen

 

I do not fix problems. I fix my thinking. Then problems fix themselves. - Louise Hay

 

Outward change comes after we change from within. – Bob Proctor

 

Better to be an optimist who gets disappointed than a pessimist who has no hope.– Robin Sharma

 

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.  Wayne Dyer

 

 

To change your life, you have to change yourself. To change yourself, you have to change your mindset.

 

The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.

 

Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right. ~Henry Ford