Mindset. It’s more than a buzzword. Research shows that success is 80% mindset and 20% strategies and tactics. My experience, both personally and having worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs, supports this finding. Oftentimes, people spend so much time focused on the “doing” that they forget it’s the “being” that ultimately determines your level of success. Of course, taking action will get results. The challenge is: how long will action alone support this?
People fall into one of two mindsets: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Which mindset you choose to have determines how you view your potential to achieve high levels of success. Carol S. Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, breaks down the mindsets in this graphic.
Two Mindsets – Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. – Graphic by Nigel Holmes https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/Impact
In a fixed mindset, you believe you either have the intelligence or you don’t. You believe you are “that” type of person or you’re not. Everything is not static; it’s very black and white. There’s no room for growth or learning.
When you fall into a fixed mindset, you’re bound to remain stagnant. You’re constrained by the fear that prohibits you from taking risks or overcoming challenges necessary to create a successful business.
As a result, your business suffers. You can’t seem to move forward because you have a deafening voice inside your head that tells you that you’ve already maxed out your potential. This can be fed when you see others succeed and you feel threatened, or you see the necessary work as uncomfortable or pointless as those things have never worked for you in the past. If you find yourself identifying with more on the left side of the graphic than the right, keep reading. I have good news for you.
Fortunately, and I’ve repeatedly witnessed this through my experience as a coach, you have the power to change a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
With a growth mindset, you recognize that you have the capacity to grow, extend your learning, and accomplish more based on your growth. You believe you can reach a higher level of success.
Therefore, your business is full of never-ending possibilities. The maxim, “If you can dream it, you can achieve it,” is, indeed, a reality.
A growth mindset sets you up for success because:
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Your Main Focus is the Journey
In an interview with the Harvard Business Review, Carol Dweck explains that with a growth mindset “challenges are exciting rather than threatening” because “you’re focused on the process, the process that you engage in to bring about your successes, and the processes you engaged in that may have created your failures, but you can learn from them and do better the next time.”
When you have a growth mindset, you welcome criticism and failure. You know it’s not the end of your journey. Instead, you reflect on the process to find a new strategy to continually improve.
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You Understand You’re Constantly Learning
A growth mindset allows you to believe that you’re a life-long learner. You’re always on a path of discovery. You don’t have to have the right answer all the time. Instead, you acknowledge that you’re just figuring it out as you go, and that is OK. Instead of allowing the fear of not knowing hold you back, your quest to find the best way empowers you to reach higher levels of success.
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You’re Unstoppable
The road to success will present challenges and obstacles. This isn’t a concern when you have a growth mindset. Adversity doesn’t stop you from moving forward. Instead, you face challenges and setbacks with a purpose of finding a solution. You welcome them and recognize that each challenge offers you an opportunity to grow and create an even better result than if it were smooth sailing.
Unfortunately, even if you generally operate from a growth mindset, you can find yourself stuck in a fixed mindset from time to time. Whether you’ve slipped into a fixed mindset, or find yourself operating mostly from that space, hope is not lost. You can employ strategies to change your mindset and take control of the future of your business. Check out Carol Dweck’s steps to develop a growth mindset.
If you’d like a more hands-on approach to getting out of a fixed mindset, let’s talk! Email me at lauren@coachwithlauren.com. Together, we can move you into a growth mindset, so you can achieve the success you deserve.