In her book “Mindset”, Carol Dweck talks about the importance of having a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work, dedication, and resilience.
Growth vs Fixed Mindset
What happens when you run into a big brick wall? And it seems like you can’t get over it? Well there are two types of people: those with a growth mindset and those with a fixed mindset.
People with a growth mindset love a challenge! They believe that their talents and skills are not set in stone; they can always improve with effort. The key is hard work and focus.
On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities and intelligence are set in stone. They either have it or they don’t. It’s a win or lose situation. They think that they are either “good” at something or “bad” at something. People with a fixed mindset often give up easily or when they hit a wall because they don’t think they can improve.
I was like this with my music career for a long time. I was like, “Spotify is only going to pay me 0.000000003 parts of a penny. No one goes to see shows anymore. The music industry is dead. I may as well go for a long drive in my car again.”
Little did I know I was in the fixed mindset. It was just so much easier to do this than to go home and to practice.
Putting in the Work
The great thing about putting in the practice and the hard work is that that is when the muse shows up! And that’s when the invisible paths begin to open up. The success is often a byproduct of all the hard work that someone puts into what they love.
Now does this mean you will always “succeed” in the traditional way? No. But you will get something amazing out of going down the road. The most important thing is that you show up and put in the work and where you need to go will present itself.
And if you don’t have a direction? Just start going on in the one that looks the best. Eventually you will see where you want to go.
I gotta tell you I love this book because it says something really cool – that you CAN improve. All that it takes is hard work. The rest is noise.
Which mindset do you have?
If you have a fixed mindset, don’t worry! You can always develop a growth mindset. It just takes some effort and practice. Here are three reasons why it’s important to have a growth mindset:
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A growth mindset leads to greater success.
People with a growth mindset are more likely to take risks and persevere in the face of adversity because they believe that their talents and abilities can be developed over time. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset are more likely to give up when things get tough because they believe that their talents and abilities are static.
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A growth mindset leads to greater happiness.
People with a growth mindset tend to be happier than those with a fixed mindset because they believe that their happiness is not determined by their current circumstances. They know that they can always improve their situation by taking risks and learning from their mistakes. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset often feel like they’re not good enough because their happiness is determined by their current circumstances.
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A growth mindset leads to greater creativity.
People with a growth mindset are more creative than those with a fixed mindset because they believe that their talents and abilities can be developed over time. They’re not afraid to experiment, try new things, and learn from their mistakes. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset often stick to what they know because they’re afraid of failing.
How to Incorporate a Growth Mindset into Your Life
If you want to start incorporating a growth mindset into your life, one of the best things you can do is start using affirmative statements. For example, instead of telling yourself “I’m not good at math,” try saying “I’m getting better at math every day.” Every time you catch yourself using negative self-talk, replace those thoughts with positive ones.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day” is another helpful mantra you can use to remind yourself that change takes time. Be patient with yourself and don’t expect overnight results. Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes—they’re part of the learning process!
In Sum
We all have the ability to improve our skills and intelligence if we’re willing to put in the effort. Our brains are like muscles—the more we use them, the stronger they become. So next time you’re feeling discouraged, remember that you have the power to change your mindset and improve your situation with hard work and focus.
Kerry Heffelfinger is the co-founder of Sunflower Counseling in Missoula with his wife, Marie Pettit, LCPC. They created Sunflower together to help people get better counseling in their lives. With their team of therapists and client care coordinators they have helped thousands of families in Montana by getting people the counseling they need. Before this, Kerry ran Highwood Music where he taught 80 students in classes how to play classical piano and guitar. He graduated from UM with a Master’s in Education.