(Well, only some of you. And you could get a free book out of it.)
What kind of mindset do you have: A) a fixed mindset or B) a growth mindset?
If you answered B, you can leave the room. But if you have more of a fixed mindset, I want to change your mind. (Hey, I warned you in the title.)
I recently read an amazing book by Carol Dweck, titled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, and I wanted to share some its useful lessons with you. The overall message of the book is the importance of self-awareness – whether in business or in life. As part of self-awareness, understanding your own mindset can have a large impact on what filters you use to see, understand, and react to the world. In this same vein, changing your mindset can improve your motivation, productivity, and your sense of purpose. And when you change your mindset, you can improve your chances for success.
What is a fixed mindset, and why should you change it?
This book does a great job explaining the differences between fixed and growth mindsets. I am going to give you a quick overview, and hopefully, show you how changing to a growth mindset can bring positive change to your business.
- FIXED MINDSET: Having a fixed mindset is believing your own basic traits are set in stone, that things like your intelligence and talents are fixed, and you can’t change them. You’re good at what you’re good at, and if you’re not good at something… well, that’s just how it is. If you didn’t get a new client or a promotion, it just means you weren’t good enough to succeed.
- An example of a fixed mindset might be, “I’m not a numbers person” or “I’m not an artist”. These statements preclude the fact that you could improve your skill set in either numbers or art.
- GROWTH MINDSET: Conversely, a growth mindset is believing that you can change some of your characteristics through effort. You believe putting in more effort makes you better and stronger. A setback or rejection is just an opportunity to work harder and improve next time. Experience teaches you and makes you smarter.
- An example of this would be, “I wasn’t very good at my business’ accounting at first, but I’ve really focused on improving in this area, and now I can confidently have conversations with my accountant.”
I liken this to nature versus nurture debate. If you believe that the intelligence you inherit is what you’re stuck with, you have the fixed mindset, while if you have a growth mindset, you believe that your intelligence, artistic, or other abilities can be developed and improved. Personally, I believe most people aren’t 100% one way or the other but tend towards one of the two mindsets.
Are you starting to see how your mindset (as well as your other stakeholders’ mindsets) can impact your business? A business environment filled with people who have growth mindsets is more likely to be a resilient environment. In these businesses, setbacks are viewed as opportunities to learn, improve, adapt, and come back stronger the next time.
How can you change a fixed mindset?
In some ways, shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is an exercise of mind over matter. It takes practice and repetition. There are many resources available, but here are the four ways Carol Dweck describes to help change your mindset:
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- Learn to hear your fixed mindset voice
- Recognize that you have a choice of which mindset to adopt
- Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice
- Choose to take the growth mindset action
Everyone is different, but I really believe this book, and the ideas within, can be a very positive change for your business and you. In fact, I am SO excited about the possibilities this book brings, I’ll make you this offer:
Come into my office, spend 15 minutes telling me about your business, and I will give you a FREE COPY OF Mindset: The New Psychology of Success! (Call me at 219-567-0348 to let me know you’re coming first.)
This can be your first step in adopting the growth mindset! Instead of thinking “There’s no point in getting a free book, because I can’t change,” think “I’m going to go see Jonathan, get the free book, read it, and learn about the positive things that can happen to my business when I adopt a growth mindset!”
I look forward to seeing a lot of you! ( and ordering a lot of books.)
O.K. all you growth mindset people can come back in the room now.
