Fixed vs Growth Mindset

Most people have heard these terms but do you really know what it means? Do you have a clear understanding of how much a growth mindset can change the direction you may be heading, enhance your motivation or provide stability to emotions in the face of perceived failure.

A mindset is a series of self-perceptions or beliefs people hold about themselves. These determine behaviour, outlook and mental attitude. Mindset influences how you think, feel and behave in any given situation. It means that what you believe about yourself impacts your success or failure.

A growth mindset allows you to embrace failure and learn from it. A growth mindset is critical to adopting learning-oriented behaviour. People who believe that effort matters respond with more positive, sophisticated strategies to tasks and increase their learning as time goes on. Learning from failure causes substantial changes in the brain throughout life and is vital for resilience.

Fixed Mindset – What we might think or say

They are just too stuck in their ways, this is just who I am.

I just don’t know if they are capable.

I’d never be able to do that. I expect

xxx will respond just like xxx

They always do it that way. This always happens to me.

They never do it the way they should. I never get to xxx.

Growth Mindset – How can I help?

Imagine if…

I wonder if…

How could I influence that?

What am I not doing or saying that could help?

What ‘glasses’ am I wearing right now?

Take the time to think about your mindset and how it may assist you to set goals, move past obstacles preventing learning, increase motivation and get your mojo back if needed.

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