The Power of a Growth Mindset: How to Unlock Your Potential

The world we live in dwells in the paradox of dualistic forces. Duality transcends into the nurture of every being that fights itself daily. With the advent of technology and the shift of humanity towards digitalisation, we are accustomed to forge a connection online but in real time, the connection is lost. The mind is a complex being and it is easily influenced by the things we are surrounded by, the content we consume and people that we deem close. Humans are complex individuals and we can never be satisfied with what we own in the present moment. Ambition and contentment are two sides of the same coin and one can only be one of them is a myth. You can foster a sense of contentment and yet be in the process of working towards your goals.

But what is it that generates higher success for some and lesser for another, or to be specific, what builds the perception of the external realm, the way we view the world? The answer is the mindset that we cultivate. An established set of attitudes about culture, values, philosophy, frame of mind, outlook, and disposition that apply to an individual or group is known as a mindset. It might also result from one's worldview or their beliefs regarding the purpose of life. Mindset develops itself over some time. It develops itself over the period in which we expose ourselves to different thoughts, opinions, cultures, customs and beliefs. Society is also greatly responsible for garnering the mindset we hold.

But what separates the successful from the unsuccessful, the doers from the thinkers, the happy from the sad? It is the rigidity to adapt to change and their incapability to be flexible. Here is what differentiates a fixed mindset from a growth mindset. The mindset we hold holds very little contribution of our own, we grew up being instructed by our family about what is right and what is wrong, and what should be deemed worthy. Society is conditioned into believing the guidelines it inscribed into its establishment are the gospel truth that we should live by. The mindset we have owes its being to the conditioning we were fed.

A fixed mindset is the opposite of a growing attitude. An individual with a fixed mindset believes that their abilities are natural and fixed from birth, in contrast to a growth mindset, where one is more concerned with self-improvement and progress over time. A fixed mindset is placing more value on nature than nurture, as Dr. Paula J. Caproni of the University of Michigan says in the video below. People who have a fixed mindset think that everyone is born with certain traits, such as intelligence, talent, and personality traits.

A fixed mindset believes in its institution, it beholds the confirmation of its opinions and they should be identical for everyone. This mindset holds rigid perceptions of right and wrong, the way a person should lead his/her life. They believe that they can only live their life in their conformed beliefs and are not willing to accept, any new way of living or opinion and are inflexible in the face of change.

A growth mindset looks at life with a lens of curiosity, they question the conditioning that was fed to them for years and adopt an adaptable approach towards life. They are willing to learn new ways of living and unlearn the age-old, unaided perceptions that no longer serve them. A growth mindset can be defined as a traveller's mind, where individuals consider life not a novel with a fixed storyline but rather a book of stories where each realm of their existence teaches them something new. A growth mindset allows you to challenge yourself, not blindly accept the age-old way of traditional living and forge a path unique to you.

Here are a few examples of a growth vs fixed mindset:

1. Gaining fresh knowledge:

Growth Mindset: I may not know how to do this yet, but with practise and effort, I can learn."

Fixed Mindset: I'm just not good at this. It's impossible for me to learn.

1. Getting comments:

Growth mindset: "I'll be able to improve and get better with this feedback."

Fixed Mindset: This feedback is only criticism, in my opinion. There is nothing I can do about it.

Successful people often hold a growth mindset and adapt themselves in the face of time. This is how you can develop a growth mindset:

1)Recognize your mentality. You may figure out your present mindset by taking into account how you now handle difficulties, whether at work or in school. If you say something like "I'm a natural people person" or "I've learned to work well with people," for instance, can you honestly answer that question? Or would you say that she "worked her way up to the leadership role" or "she is a natural leader"? Such inquiries regarding your worldview can assist you in determining whether you have a fixed or growth mindset. Such understanding is the starting point for transformation, which can enable you to rethink your profession.

2. Examine your development: Consider a skill you possess today that you did not previously. What did you find challenging in the beginning? Why does it now seem simpler? And how did you manage to alter that much? These ideas may cause you to reflect on the time and effort you've put into developing certain skills, which are characteristics of a growth mindset.

3. Examine other people's achievements: Consider anything that you've seen someone else accomplish despite the odds. Consider their methods for success and what this implies about their capacity for skill development.

4. Get opinions: A growth attitude can be developed by asking for input from others, regardless of whether a project was successful or not. They could help you see where you need to grow or where you have made progress. This might then assist you in establishing improvement-related goals.

5. Use the strength of "yet": Dr. Dweck discussed the idea of "yet" in one of her TED talks. . This aspect of a fixed mindset involves accepting the fact that there will be abilities or disciplines that you aren't yet proficient in. You can get better in these areas, though, if you put in the effort and keep at it. Realizing that your deficiencies are also strengths you haven't necessarily acquired yet is the first step in adopting a growth mindset.

6) Gain new knowledge: Try something completely new, and put yourself to the test by learning something you're not already adept at. You might begin by picking up a new language, taking up an instrument, or mastering the fundamentals of economics. You can cultivate a growth mindset and be more receptive to learning new abilities by becoming used to stepping outside of your comfort zone.

7. Make errors: You won't succeed in doing everything correctly on your first attempt. Allow yourself to make mistakes so that you can learn from them. Think of mistakes as a necessary component of learning rather than as evidence of incompetence. Making mistakes allows you to discover any areas of weakness or ignorance that you may have. You can learn from mistakes by recognizing potential areas of weakness or ignorance where you can make serious progress.

8. Take care of yourself: Try to think of how you'd treat someone else in your situation rather than berate yourself for your mistakes. Would you tell someone they are useless if they failed at something you are an expert at, or would you encourage them to learn? You can have better relationships, communication, and emotional support if you practice mindfulness. It can also assist you in recognizing and avoiding thoughts that are related to a fixed mindset.

Numerous research has found potential advantages, albeit some contradictory evidence about the effectiveness of growth mindsets. It makes sense that having such an attitude could aid in your learning and development when combined with other good aspects. We hope that some of the growth mindset examples and advice we've included will help you decide whether adopting such a mindset would improve your life. You can focus on your objectives and personal growth by putting yourself through challenges and furthering your education.