A Growth Mindset
“I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,” (Philippians 3:13 NLT)
Leadership is constant growth. You cannot escape it. You must simply accept it. If you’re not being stretched and challenged, you’re not growing. Growing is accompanied by frequent spurts of real pain and frustration. Therefore, your threshold of pain must be increased if you’re ever going to go the next level of leadership. In order to grow, you must have a mindset to grow. You cannot have a mindset that is fixed.
I’m sure we’ve all made one excuse or another at some point in our lives. However, a permanence mindset will keep us stuck where we are. We’ll never get out of our current situation. A fixed mindset says…
Failure is the limit of my abilities.
My upbringing, social status, ethnicity, gender, etc. is to blame.
I can’t learn anything else. I’ve peaked.
I’m either good at it or not. I can either do it or I can’t.
I don’t like challenges.
I’m am comfortable where I am, so I will stay right here.
When I’m frustrated, I will give up. What’s the use in all the fuss?
Safety is important to me. So, I’ll stick to what I know.
I take criticism + feedback personally.
I get offended easily.
When people notice my deficiencies, I make excuses + defend myself.
In order to maximize performance, we must have an inner drive to want more and do better. This creates the necessary inertia to propel us forward. A growth mindset says…
I can develop my abilities + my intelligence.
My failure is an opportunity to grow.
Feedback is constructive and necessary for my growth.
I’m stuck in a pattern of repetition. I need to try new things.
I need to escape this echo chamber. There is more for me.
I need to be challenged with different experiences.
I need to hear a variety of opinions.
I need more options + diversity.
My effort + attitude determine my abilities.
I can learn to do anything I want.
A growth minded person is most likely to…
Be optimistic
Embrace Change
Seek meaningful connections
Resist negativity
Break static cycles
Make less excuses
Adopt better learning strategies
Overcome challenges
Persevere through hardship
Desire greater clarity
Achieve higher levels of competence
Develop more creativity
Be generally happier
In order to develop a growth mindset, you must…
Learn to speak candidly about your mistakes and what you learned.
Stay positive and proactive about your mistakes and struggles.
Reflectively admit your failures.
Focus on the effort that will lead to your success.
Use your past as a reference but never as a compass.
Monitor your self-talk. “When you talk to yourself, speak kindly.” ~ Zig Ziglar
Say, “I’m learning.” Don’t say, “I’m failing.”
What are some things you do and say to maintain a growth mindset?
