Growth Mindset 101

We all change in some way or another, whether through conscious effort or as a consequence of a changing environment, we evolve and adjust over time.

But what if we wanted to really change, become completely unrecognisable in the eyes of someone we haven’t seen in some time?

What if we want to change the way we see the world, our beliefs, and how we think and act?

For this, you’re going to need to adopt a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that abilities, performance and intelligence can be learned, and are earned through hard work and dedication.

A person with a growth mindset is always looking to improve in some way. They become so good at learning that it becomes fully subconscious, they no longer have to think of ways to improve, it’s almost an automated process.

This person learns faster, goes further and is usually able to change any aspect of their lives they choose. 

If you’re looking to get a better job, improve at sports, become a better speaker, be a better partner or parent, or just generally get the life you want, you’ll want to adopt a growth mindset.

Having a growth mindset means not only wanting and believing you can improve at something but also having the desire and drive to go and do so.

Here are 3 characteristics you’ll need if you want to become this person.

Embrace Discomfort 

I want you to think of your comfort zone, it’s safe, warm and cosy. Now think about leaving your comfort zone, this means anxiety, stress and uncertainty. 

The problem is, you can’t grow and change unless you leave your comfort zone. If it’s comfortable, it’s familiar, and if it’s familiar, nothing has changed, and if nothing has changed, well..... nothing has changed. 

This directly means that growth requires discomfort, and if you view and react to discomfort as though it’s something to avoid, although you’ll be shielding yourself from uncomfortable feelings, you’ll also be shielding yourself from growth.

This is why challenges feel uncomfortable, if you’re challenged by something, it means you’re facing something that is above your current level of competency, it’s outside your comfort zone. 

We all know that challenge is good for us, it would be very difficult to find someone who disagrees, but it doesn’t always mean they react to it the way they should.

As I said, challenge means discomfort, and if you’re averse to discomfort you’re going to react to challenge as though it were a threat, not as an opportunity for change.

It’s the latter that someone with a growth mindset reacts, and it’ll allow them to grow faster than anyone who doesn’t.

If you want to adopt this mindset, you need to embrace discomfort. You need to view it as a positive, something that’ll improve you.

Discomfort is the number one sign of growth, but this can only become true if you see it as such.

Seek Failure

I think there are two forms of failure. There is the literal form, that the word was invented for, like a rocket that explodes on the way to space, or a heart surgery that goes wrong. And then there is the one that people like to call failure, like starting a business that doesn’t work or applying for a job and not getting it.

One is a failure, the other is a setback, a big difference.

The problem is, through school and our elders, we’ve been taught and conditioned to avoid setbacks like the plague, as though setbacks are something we can’t come back from. 

Just think of our only metric for success during our developing years, did we pass the test or did we fail the test? Good if you did, bad if you didn’t. An over-simplistic and self-limiting way of learning.

The truth is, life just isn’t this simple, and it’s this form of conditioning that keeps people living lives they hate. If you want to change and adopt a growth mindset, you’re going to need to change the way you see “failure”.

If you’ve run into a setback, you have two options. You can either see it as a sign of incompetence, or a failure. Or, you can see it as a sign of growth, and an opportunity to learn.

The same problem, completely different paths.

The truth is learning from a setback is an option anyone can choose, but people let the discomfort of failing keep them away from even trying.

And if we’ve learned anything from discomfort……

Someone with this sort of mindset understands the difference between a setback and a failure, and they; 'll know deep down that the only true form of failure is giving up.

Resilience

The truth is, the first two points sound amazing as written text, but will undoubtedly come with a lot of struggle.

Knowing that discomfort and failures are good doesn’t magically mitigate the way they make you feel. And considering a lot of ventures take a while, you’ll probably experience these feelings for a long time.

You’ll need the ability to feel shitty, sometimes very shitty, without letting the feelings stop or slow you down.

You’ll also need to withstand being different, changing doesn’t change the people around you, so you’ll have to get used to outgrowing people and handle negative comments that get thrown your way.

You’ll have to be able to bounce back quickly. Get knocked down, but quickly get back on your feet.

And this all comes down to resilience.

Become formidable in the face of fear, uncertainty, worry, stress, and pain, and become someone who no matter what happens, still continues to push forward and improve.