What’s going on in your mind? Fixed vs Growth Mindset
September 9, 2020
What is a mindset? AND why should I care about this?
According to Stanford University psychologist and author of the book, MINDSET, Carol Dweck, mindset is a simple idea that has a profound effect on a person’s life. Mindset, Dweck says, is the view that you adopt for yourself that determines the way you live your life, see the world, and make decisions.
Mindset is essentially your particular perspective, or the way you view the world. It is the way your perceptions or your beliefs about your abilities and qualities shape the way you operate. Unfortunately, if you are not aware of your mindset and it happens to be fixed about particular issues and life in general, it can tend to calcify and stagnate as we get older. Yikes!
Think about some of your talents or qualities. Are you creative? Do you have musical abilities? Are you intelligent? Wise? Have you ever been told you have an open mind? Or perhaps that you are closed minded about something and should learn to open up a bit or be more flexible?
The way you answered those questions says a lot about your mindset and how you view yourself and the world around you. Your mindset is not a small thing. It is largely responsible for what shapes your reality, shaping your entire perception of what’s attainable and what’s out of your reach.
AND you care about this because once you are aware about mindsets, you can choose to access a mindset that serves you best in each particular situation. You have all the power and ability to choose how you view your life.
What is a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset? What is going on with our thinking mindset?
A fixed mindset has a belief that our skills, talents, personality, drive, setbacks, and intellect are inherently set and cannot be changed. It suggests that there is a ceiling of possibilities for us and we are essentially already there. BOOOOO!!!
It is a limited way of thinking and what we might hear in our minds or coming from our mouths are words like ‘always, never, can’t, I’m not good enough, I’ll stick to what I know, they always disappoint me, it’s not going to get any better…..’, its’ a very NARROW limiting view of life and unfortunately limits our opportunities in our world.
If you have a fixed mindset, it’s easy to get caught in a web of proving to yourself and others that whatever fixed level of talent and skill you have, it’s enough.
If a fixed mindset is left unchecked long enough, it can eventually lead to a failure mindset, in which you believe you simply can’t overcome challenges. OH NOOOOO! That doesn’t have to be the case.
A growth mindset has a belief that our skills, talents, personality, drive, setbacks, and intellect can change and have the ability to grow and be developed through practice and perseverance. You believe there are numerous stepping stones toward development and improvement. Growth mindset is founded on the belief that your basic qualities are cultivatable and flexible can grow with dedication, time and a commitment to getting better smarter and more talented. In fact, this mindset will lead you to study, learn, be curious, open and put the work into expanding your mind in order to become more intelligent. Also, if you have a growth mindset, you will believe that those around you can grow, change, improve and evolve too. YAY!!!!!!!
From our growth mindset, what we hear from our inner dialogue and coming from our mouths would be things like “I want to learn new things, is this really my best work, I know this will help me move forward, I’ll use another strategy, my mistakes often help me, I recognize my weaknesses and know I can work on them”. The scope and view of the world with a growth mindset is WIDE and there is a belief that anything is possible for us.
As Bradley Busch wrote in The Guardian:
…..research suggests having a growth mindset has other advantages, including coping better with transition, higher self-regulation, grit and pro-social behaviours. There is also evidence suggesting mental health benefits – those with a growth mindset have been found to be less aggressive, with high self-esteem and fewer symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.
Those are a lot of benefits to consider. A growth mindset is available to you.
Where am I? How do I get some of this growth mindset happening?
Take a minute and consider yourself and your perception. Are you a fixed mindset person or do you have more of a growth mindset perspective?
You can change your mindset but it is going to take a bit of work about how you think and what you tell yourself! You can absolutely do it if you put your mind to it.
An example: Leah Culver suggests that running changed her life and her mindset. She said: “I started to think of myself as a runner. I initially didn’t believe that I would be wanting to work out and run almost every day but running really snuck up on me. I just wanted to stick to my one goal and not quit. So I started small with my thinking and doing just small jaunts and didn’t beat myself up if I missed a day. I just got back up and went again the next day. The more I pushed my body, the more I realized what I was capable of. “
Leah changed her mindset which eventually led her to run in marathons and hire a running coach.
When we limit our beliefs, we also limit the possibilities for our best life. Knowing that with a growth mindset, anything is possible, why would we not think from that place all the time? Check out some of the phrases in the embedded chart. Are you able to change your thinking and incorporate some of these shifts into your daily practice? I know you can.
The moral? If you change your mindset, you can change your life.
If you want to notice where you are fixed in your mindset and want to open your mind and life to the gifts of a robust growth mindset, coaching can help with that. Message me and let’s get to it!
“I help remarkable women (and courageous men) overcome resistance, fear and limiting beliefs to unlock their innate wisdom so they can create their best life, career and relationships with compassion, confidence, and grit.” – Natalie Cutayne
What are we waiting for? If not now, when?
August 18, 2020
Have you ever thought ‘Is this it? There must be more for me out there. In my career? In relationships? Better health and wellness? More happiness and life fulfillment?’
Do you ever feel that ‘if I just had the confidence or more motivation, more knowledge or could make this difficult decision, then I could accomplish what I want and make my goals and dreams a reality?‘
You are not alone.
I’ve always believed that IF I just get fit, lose weight, try a different diet, get a better job or that promotion, engage in more education, find a different partner, get out of debt, be more positive, have a cleaner or nicer house, travel here or there, finish this project, start this project, THEN I’d be happy and content. It seemed like happiness and contentment were these elusive future events that were just out of reach. Have you every felt this way?
Now I am going to tell you what I’ve learned and then give you some fantastic news that will make you feel optimistic.
Do you want clarity and results?
“I help remarkable women (and courageous men) overcome resistance, fear and limiting beliefs to unlock their innate wisdom so they can create their best life, career and relationships with compassion, confidence, and grit.” – Natalie Cutayne
The reality is that when we get or achieve one of our perceived ‘conditions’ of happiness and contentment, the feelings are short lived and actually not that great. In fact, our minds will then quickly move to seek another ‘thing’ that we ‘need’ in order to be happy and content and we find ourselves back on that roller coaster.
We spend a lot of energy focused on that ‘thing’ that we think we need or want that will fill us up, but I am going to let you in on a secret. All that you need to be happy and content does not exist out in the world. It already exists within you. It is an inside job and this magnificent resource is waiting there for you. The last thing you want to do at the end of your life is reflect back and feel like you missed out while you were waiting and working for something externally to make you feel better. You can do and be all that right now.
The truth is that you are already an amazing, unique gift to our world, and you are right where you are supposed to be on your personal and professional journey. Without you, what you’ve gone through to get here and where you are now, you would not be in place to carry out your important purpose. We all have one, you know!
Let me show you how to make each day great while you are working on what is most important to you. Whatever it is that you want for your future, let the path of getting there be where the joy and fulfilment are, with the destination simply being the cherry on top.
It wasn’t until I started working with a coach that I experienced the most dramatic mindset and thinking shifts, and my world changed. Now I know that I am enough today and I am right where I am supposed to be on my journey. I enjoy every day even when those days present challenges. All that I had been seeking to get me to ‘happy and content’ is already in me, is within my control and is now helping me see beauty and appreciate each step of my journey. I am no longer existing for some future event but instead I’m relishing each moment of each day in happiness and contentment.
I want to share all that I’ve learned with you and help get you off that roller coaster. Let me help you make ‘the rest of your life, the best of your life.’
Contact me for a free powerful mini – session (30 minutes) and let’s see how coaching can get you the clarity and results you want.