Cultivating a Growth Mindset
One of the great classics of personal development is As A Man Thinketh, a literary essay written by James Allen. First published in 1902, the book has sold millions of copies worldwide. The title originates from a verse in the Bible: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV)
In the book, which is a short 50 pages and was designed to fit in your pocket, Allen argues that, by harnessing the power of our thoughts and developing a positive mindset, we can transform our circumstances, and create greater success – however we define it – in our lives.
In my work as a coach, and my study of success and personal development over the past 30 years, I’ve realized one of the things that holds people back the most is their own limiting beliefs about what’s possible. The starting point of achievement and success is developing a mindset that helps you accomplish whatever you set your mind to.
More recently, this concept has been described as “growth mindset.” It’s a term coined by world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., and examined in her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
Whatever label we attach to the concept, one thing is for certain: How we think about and approach our circumstances has a tremendous impact on the results we create. This can work in our favor, or to our detriment, depending on our approach. The extension of this is that, by taking control of our mind, we can take control of our life.
Here are some practical steps to help you develop a growth mindset:
1. Believe in yourself. In my book, Life Lessons: A Guide to Creating and Living Your Best Life, I devote an entire chapter to this concept. All great accomplishments require belief. If it isn’t the most important ingredient for success, it is certainly an essential ingredient.
Believing in yourself is like a muscle – it can strengthen over time. Positive quotes and affirmations can reinforce the idea that you are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. As your thoughts shape your actions, you will in time see positive results. Those positive results will reinforce your belief in yourself, and you will soon be unstoppable!
2. Accept responsibility. One of the traps people fall into is the “blame game.” It’s easy to deflect responsibility for things that aren’t going our way. We can blame our parents, our boss, the state of our society, the weather. The list goes on and on.
While we can’t always control our circumstances, we always have control over our reaction to those circumstances. That’s mindset. Realize that you are responsible for your life, and for the results you create. Accept responsibility, and move in the direction of your desired outcome.
3. Fail forward. One of the biggest things that holds people back is fear of failure. It’s part of that limiting belief system: we don’t fully believe in our ability to accomplish something, and that – coupled with a fear of failure – prevents us from trying it at all.
Failure is a part of life, and one thing you can do to strengthen your growth mindset is to reframe the meaning of failure. My friend and mentor, leadership expert John Maxwell, says “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.”
Rather than being defeated by failure, see it as an opportunity to learn. Use it as a stepping stone to success by evaluating what happened, and how to adjust going forward. Don’t fear it, and certainly don’t allow it to prevent you from taking action in the direction of your goals.
4. Tweak your vocabulary. Words are very powerful, and subtle tweaks to our vocabulary can significantly improve our mindset. Replace the phrase “have to” with “get to” and “failed” with “learned”, and avoid absolute phrases like “never” and “always.”
Words are powerful, and we want to harness the power of language for our benefit, rather than being an obstacle.
5. Keep your eye on the prize. You can’t reach your destination if you don’t know where you’re going. Knowing your purpose – your long-term vision of what success looks like for you – will help you to remember your “why”, and maintain your growth mindset.
Remain focused on your desired outcome, and stay the course. As I often say, If the why is strong enough, the how will come.
Your actions are outgrowths of your thoughts. By changing your thoughts, you can change your actions. And by changing your actions, you can change your life.
While a growth mindset is no guarantee for success, changing the way you think will improve the likelihood of achieving the results you desire, and living the life you want to live.
I’d love to hear from you! Please contact me, and let me know how you cultivate a growth mindset.
