One of the most important things for running, starting, or growing a business is your state of mind. It will be the driving force behind all your success. The greatest business leaders and mind in the world follow a “growth” mindset. Why? Because it keeps them open and agile, always learning and continuously evolving their business and its entire operations. They know nothing is fixed in concrete.
So what’s this mindset all about and how can it help you? You’ve probably heard about people talking about mindset: “Change your mindset about…,” “improve your mindset,” “the mindset of success” and “wealth mindset.” What does it mean?
The dictionary definition of mindset is:
1. an attitude, disposition, or mood.
2. an intention or inclination.
Think about the elements of mindset (how you perceive and interpret your life):
Cognitive: your perspective, meaning your thoughts and beliefs about a subject.
Emotional: how you feel about a subject; your attitude. Your emotions, even more so than your thoughts, determine your behavior.
There are two different kinds of mindsets:
Fixed (disempowering)
People with a fixed mindset believe that their basic qualities are cast in stone (“I am how I am”).
For example, intelligence (I’m no good at math”) and talent (“I’m a great singer”). They believe that without exceptional talent (or wealth, or connections, etc.) success is impossible.
Another example, “I’m not good enough as a photographer to make it in this cutthroat business.”
Instead of looking at their potential, people with a fixed mindset look at what is. They cannot see beyond the level they are because they believe they are not capable of ascending to the next level.
Growth (empowering)
People with a growth mindset believe that everything is changeable. Intelligence can be improved, talents can be developed, abilities can be learned, and attributes can be acquired. Intelligence and talent count for success, but a curious attitude, optimism and resilience are more important.
They are always asking, “What can I learn from this?” “How can I improve?” “What can I do differently to have better results?” and “I wonder what would happen if…?”
You’ve spent a lifetime acquiring beliefs about yourself. Even if you believe you can’t improve on anything, the truth is, you can. The brain’s neuroplasticity – its ability to change – ensures that throughout your life, you can (and do) constantly learn and improve.
Of course, everybody is different. But temperament and aptitudes are only the starting point. Add environmental influences, training, interests, experience and personal effort – including willpower and perseverance – and you end up with… potential.
Initially, a person may be better at something – say, balance and speed – than another. They may be a “natural” at sports. But a person who started out as a complete klutz can, with training and dedication, eventually outshine the natural athlete. The people who start out the smartest/fastest/strongest will not necessarily end up the smartest/fastest/strongest.
The Value of a Growth Mindset
You can cultivate and improve any aspect of yourself.
Having a growth mindset means that you believe in your potential. The very nature of potential is that it’s unknowable. If you keep learning and cultivating, you will keep improving. There are countless stories of people who were considered ordinary, untalented, stupid and worthless – who went on to do astonishing things because of their growth mindset!
To embrace the growth mindset:
Always look for more from yourself. What can you do just a little differently to get a better result? Where do you have to stand to see potential instead of limits? What do you have to think to imagine what can go right?
- See the world with a curious attitude. Keep learning. Always keep learning.
- Admit your fears. Admit that you’re vulnerable, and know that your vulnerability is a grand opportunity for acquiring more skills and knowledge.
- Get help! Surround yourself with people who challenge you, not just boost your self-esteem.
- Challenge yourself to reach higher by being focused on what can go right.
- Challenge yourself to be accountable and never quit.
Here’s the secret to changing your beliefs about yourself:
Your beliefs are just opinions! If you once believed you were good at drawing and an art teacher told you were no better than a chimp, your beliefs about yourself may have changed. But if one day you sell a drawing for a lot of money, your belief will change again. That proves beliefs are just opinions, and not the truth. Your beliefs are NOT cast in stone; beliefs can, and do, change. All the time. Emotions are also not NOT cast in stone; you can change your mind; if you’ve ever had something or someone “grow on you,” you’ve changed your emotions.
- Use self-talk to form a higher opinion of yourself – not in an arrogant way, but with the attitude of always reaching higher and improving.
- Instead of “I’m no good at math” say to and about yourself, “I am learning new ways to understand math concepts.”
- Instead of “I’ll never be an athlete” say to and about yourself, “I love training my mind and body to greater and greater athletic feats.”
These statements are all about potential. They do not see limits, they only see possibility. If you retrain yourself to self-talk in terms of possibility, you will change to a growth mindset that will cease to operate under self-imposed limitations.
Here’s a great example, taught by Tony Robbins. Robbins asks, “Is it easier to make $10,000 or $100,000?” People with a fixed mindset automatically say that it’s easier to make $10,000. Robbins replies: “The truth is it’s easier to make $100,000. If your goal is to make $10,000, what you’re really trying to do is make enough to pay the bills. I
f that’s what your goal is, if that’s what you represent to yourself about why you’re working so hard, do you think that you will be in an excited, empowered, and resourceful state as you work? Are you seething with excitement, thinking, Boy, oh, boy, I’ve got to get to work so I can make enough to pay my lousy bills?
I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t get my motor running. But selling is selling. You have to make the same calls, meet the same people, deliver the same products, no matter what you’re hoping to achieve. So it’s a lot more exciting, a lot more enticing, to go out with the goal of making $100,000 than $10,000. And that state of excitement is much more likely to activate your taking the kinds of consistent actions that will tap your higher potential than just hoping to go out and make a living.”
Self-talk yourself into a success mindset by being proactive and thinking only of possibility and not limits!
What kind of mindset do you have? Do you feel that you can do so much more? Are you willing to go out of your comfort zone and learning something new? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Share this to your friends too. 🙂