Published at personal development by Sael
on 30th May 2023
Steps to transform your Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset
Published at personal development by Sael
on 30th May 2023
Are you someone who embraces challenges? Or Are you someone who doesn’t like to get out of your comfort zones?
If your answer to the first question is yes, it reveals that you are in a growth mindset. And, if your answer to the second question is yes, it means you are in a fixed mindset.
You might be wondering, what makes you have a particular type of mindset? Mindsets are influenced by various factors including your upbringing, beliefs, culture, past experiences, and learning environment.
Now that you know what mindset and why you have it, it's time to deep dive and improve your mindset. By going through this blog, you can increase the understanding of your mindset and get steps to transform a fixed mindset into a growth mindset.
Table of Contents
- Why is a Growth mindset different from a Fixed mindset
- Characteristics of a Fixed Mindset
- Actionable strategies to turn a Fixed mindset into a Growth mindset
3.1 Look at challenges as opportunities
3.2 Understand neuroplasticity
3.3 Stop looking for validation
3.4 Celebrate others’ success
3.5 Accept feedback
3.6 Choose growth over speed
3.7 Be imperfect
3.8 Value process over results
3.9 Cultivate determination
3.10 Embrace the ‘not yet’ technique - The Bottom Line
1. Why is a Growth mindset different from a Fixed mindset
A fixed mindset and a growth mindset are completely different. Because someone with a fixed mindset strongly believes that their talent or intelligence cannot be improved with time and effort. People with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges and easily give up in life. Most of the time, fixed mindset people are super result-oriented, and they don’t focus much on the process.
But a person with a fixed mindset believes the opposite. People with a growth mindset embrace challenges that come their way and take failures as a steppingstone to success. Growth mindset people view feedback as a tool for self-improvement.
2. Characteristics of a Fixed Mindset
But a person with a fixed mindset believes the opposite. People with a growth mindset embrace challenges that come their way and take failures as a steppingstone to success. Growth mindset people view feedback as a tool for self-improvement.
People with fixed mindsets always look at the world from the angle of scarcity. Listed below are the characteristics of a fixed-mindset individual. If you encounter that you possess these characteristics, scroll down and follow the steps to develop a growth mindset.
3. Actionable strategies to turn a Fixed mindset into a Growth mindset
A fixed mindset is not something that is set in stone. It is highly possible to change a fixed mindset into a growth mindset through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Buckle up, and let's look into the steps to transform a fixed mindset into a growth mindset.
3.1 Look at challenges as opportunities
It might be easy to say look at challenges as opportunities, but it is not that easy to do. In everyday life, we face a lot of situations where we have to decide something out of our comfort zones. Deciding to try something out of our comfort zones also comes with the cost of fear of failure. But facing that fear will make us a better person. So, be willing to face challenges and convert fear into enthusiasm.
3.2 Understand neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s capacity to develop and adapt throughout the course of a person’s lifetime. Our human brain consists of billions of neurons and it keeps increasing throughout our lifetime. Neurons communicate with one another through chemical and electrical signals through connections called synapses.
When you go through a new experience in life such as learning a new skill the synapses get strengthened. It means your cognitive ability is not fixed and changes continuously throughout your whole life. So, we cannot blame ourselves for telling our brain isn’t smart as we can train it and make it smart. Consequently, a fixed mindset is a false belief.
3.3 Stop looking for validation
Validation is a very common part of our life. But too much external validation is not good for your growth mindset. So, come out of your shell and start doing things independently. Although this can be difficult at the start, it will improve your self-worth over time.
Also, replace external validation by engaging in self-care activities like meditation or swimming. Focus more on your good qualities and nurture them. By stopping to look for external validation you will begin to make decisions that align with your desires.
3.4 Celebrate others’ success
Wanting to have a growth mindset is ultimately to succeed in life. In the middle of your quest for success, your friend or colleague might succeed before you. Naturally, we tend to hate their success, but instead, we should celebrate it.
Celebrating others' success brings a positive attitude toward a growth mindset. Rather than being jealous of someone’s success try to learn what it took for them to be successful. It will help you to improve and grow in your career. Also, watching them succeed will inspire you to do more.
3.5 Accept feedback
When you have given your best and someone ends up giving negative feedback, it might be heavy to accept it. But always remember feedbacks always hold enough space for growth, but it all depends on how you take it. Feedbacks are a tool for self-improvement. Take any negative feedback and change it into constructive feedback.
In any case, if you are not sure about your feedback, ask questions and get clarity on it. Take some time to reflect on your feedback and take action.
3.6 Choose growth over speed
Speed is important in certain situations, but when you are working towards a growth mindset always choose growth over speed. Trying to learn something fast can mask your mistakes and you will not have space to grow.
Choosing speed over growth can lead to stress and burnout as it keeps reminding us of results. Choosing growth over speed can help you have sustainable progress and promotes creativity and innovation.
3.7 Be imperfect
Be okay with being imperfect. When you start to learn or experience something new, you cannot be perfect. Perfection comes as a result of consistent practice. So, don’t try to be perfect at the start of something. Setting unrealistic standards to be perfect puts more pressure on you and makes you give up easily.
To be honest, perfectionism is unattainable as each one of us has a different definition to be perfect. Striving hard to be perfect only leads to procrastination and hinders our creativity. So a person with a growth mindset should try to improve slowly and not have the goal of perfectionism.
3.8 Value process over results
People with a growth mindset always enjoy the process rather than the results. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s speech mostly includes this phrase “Worry only about the controllable and not about the uncontrollable”.
This phrase means that in most cases results are not within our limits, but what we can do are within our limits. So, we must enjoy and do what is possible at the moment and not worry about the results.
Focusing on process over results requires a lot of discipline. Also, you might think you will be happy and satisfied in life when you attain success. But human minds are not wired that way. Even when you attain success, you tend to think about what to do next. It is because our wants and needs are endless. So it is better to train our brain to enjoy the present.
3.9 Cultivate determination
Determination is an important feeling that keeps you moving toward your goals by overcoming obstacles. People with a growth mindset naturally cultivate grit. They don’t seek the approval of others because they believe that they can develop their skills over time.
Whenever you feel stuck, remind yourself of all the times you battled hard and you reached your goal. This will give you the feeling of you can do it again. Having a growth mindset fosters confidence and motivates you to work harder.
3.10 Embrace the ‘not yet’ technique
Not yet is a technique that emphasizes success is a journey and not a destination. This technique is very straightforward, you just have to add ‘not yet’ at the end of the statement.
For example, instead of telling “I have not excelled in the growth mindset.”, you can tell “I have not excelled in the growth mindset yet.” By using yet, you tell yourself and also others that you are capable of achieving that goal but just that you have not done it yet. You also recognize that the obstacles or failures that come your way are just temporary.
4. The Bottom Line
Developing a growth mindset can bring about a huge change in your professional and personal life. Remember, the growth mindset doesn’t come easily and when it comes it should become a lifelong commitment. Adopting the above steps and using the not-yet technique can help you foster a growth mindset. So, why not see how they can help you improve your growth mindset?
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