Taking care of our mentality is not only important to feel good but having an open mindset can make us see the world and react to life in a completely different way.
When you came across something you once failed to do, what was your reaction?
Have you ever thought that you wouldn’t be able to do it again? Or were you sure that this time with commitment you would be able to crush it?
Not everyone is aware of these two terms, but there are two types of mindsets in the world.
There are those who never let themselves be put down, and believe that by working hard they can improve.
And then there are those who think that if they fail, they have to give up.
But to be successful in life and improve yourself, it is important that you acquire a type of perspective.
In this post, I will explain what are the characteristics of the two mindsets people can have and how to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth one to reach your potential and become the best version of yourself.
And if you want to start a path of personal growth you can read this post.
Let’s start.
Growth mindset vs fixed mindset
We all have a mind capable of thinking, reasoning, and deciding.
However, not everyone uses this powerful tool in the same way.
In fact, in the world, there are two types of people with two types of mindsets: growth mindset and fixed mindset.
Depending on the mindset they have, they will build the foundation of the person they will be in the future.
But what are the differences between a growth and a fixed mindset?
Those who have a growth mindset think that intelligence and talents are not innate but are developed with hard work, persistence, resilience, and learning from their mistakes.
Those who have a fixed mindset, on the other hand, think that cleverness and skills are natural, either they have it or they don’t have it.
If they are not inclined toward something, they can’t do anything to improve it.
Personally, I believe I have a growth mindset, as I am more than sure that anything I am not capable of, I am also able to learn.
If you want to know how to shift your mindset that will change your life you are in the right place.
Below I have listed the main characteristics of the two types of mindsets and how these can influence the personal development path and life.
Fixed mindset
People who have a fixed mentality, are probably convinced that they have all the qualities from birth and that these qualities cannot be improved.
Simply put, either they are born smart, or they never will be.
This type of mentality leads nowhere, as it hinders and blocks the growth path.
Here are a few characteristics of the fixed mindset.
They don’t commit
One of the things they definitely don’t want to accomplish is commitment.
Obviously, with a fixed mindset, they will see hard work and dedication as something useless and wasteful.
They are convinced they don’t have to do things that go beyond the potential they were born with.
Therefore they will be inclined to think that it is not something they can do, and they give up.
They don’t appreciate constructive criticism
Unlike those who have a growth mindset, people who have a fixed mindset see criticism as personal attacks, something that lowers their self-esteem.
This simply happens because they are convinced that they are not doing anything wrong and that therefore they do not have to improve at all
It may happen that when someone gives valuable constructive criticism they don’t feel good about themselves.
They don’t like to experiment with new things
People with a fixed mindset don’t like to step outside their comfort zone.
They hate the sense of failure and to avoid it, they keep doing the usual things.
By acting this way, they don’t give themselves a chance to grow and discover new things, staying in their shell and avoiding any chance of being successful in life.
Growth mindset
People with a growth mindset, believe that if they put in enough effort, train, or learn, they can grow and improve in any area.
In fact, they are those who believe that any situation can be perfected, that the basic skills we possess, such as intelligence, can be improved with study, hard work, commitment, and perseverance.
There are certain characteristics that can help recognize if you are in front of a person with a growth mindset.
They don’t stop learning
The first characteristic of people with a growth mindset is the desire to want to continue learning.
They never tire of improving their knowledge and try to always aim high, learning from yesterday’s mistakes and improving more and more in the future.
By continuing to learn new things, they are able to broaden their horizons, create new opportunities and encourage self-improvement.
They allow themselves to be corrected
People with a growth mindset are not ashamed to make mistakes and accept corrections and support from others.
They are therefore guided by those who already know more than them and at the same time, they also help those who need a boost.
Learning and drawing inspiration from the successes of others is definitely an important aspect of their personal growth.
They have self-discipline
For those who are determined to achieve their goals, a little self-discipline is needed.
In fact, to be successful, they prioritize the things that help them get closer to their intentions and don’t let themselves be distracted by the things that can push them away.
Hence they are full of determination and until they have reached their goals, they do not stop. On the contrary, they look for new ways to reach their destinations.
They accept challenges
What do people with a growth mindset do? They don’t let themselves down!
In fact, they see difficulties as challenges and always try to find a way that leads them to a solution, without getting depressed.
Obstacles along the way help them challenge themselves and make them stronger.
They live in the present
People with a growth mindset are of the idea that the present is the right time to grow and learn, and that the past must be left behind.
Furthermore hey are grateful for what they have and know that by focusing on the past, they do not move forward in life.
Now that we have seen what the aspects of the fixed and growth mindset are, let’s see how to shift your mindset to change your life.
How to shift from fixed to a growth mindset
You are surely wondering if it will ever be possible to move from a fixed mindset to a growth one. It is possible.
First of all, you must be aware that you have a fixed mentality and want to change. This takes time and patience and is certainly a long way to go.
But there are also other triggers, such as understanding the mistakes that led to failure and learning from them.
One of the most common, for example, is to see the success of the peer or to begin to accept constructive criticism as a push to discover your weaknesses.
Here are 4 tips that can help you shift your mindset that will change your life.
1) Listen to yourself
If you have a fixed mentality, you tend to have doubts about yourself, to wonder if you have the skills or the talent for something, or you are afraid of failing.
Begin to use conscious thinking and cast out negative thoughts.
2) See problems as an opportunity
In life, there are and will always be problems or situations that put us in difficulty.
If you have a fixed mindset, you will surely see all of these things as failures, because you think you cannot overcome these obstacles.
If you want to shift your mindset, you need to stop being afraid and start seeing problems as something to learn from, challenge yourself, and work hard.
3) Challenge yourself
Have you ever given up on a problem just because you couldn’t get over it the first time?
Whenever you run into trouble, I want you not to back down.
You must know that you can always learn the skills to achieve your goals and even if you don’t succeed the first time, you must be ready to try again.
4) Take action
Whenever you find yourself with these thoughts and beliefs of not having the necessary skills, take action.
For example, if you have a running competition but you think you can’t do it because you’ve never raced, then change that thinking.
Start training and set goals. Think that with training and hard you will be able to win that race.
It is important that you are convinced that you will succeed.
With a growth mindset, you will be capable to see life differently, you will have many perspectives and you will be able to become a better person.
Conclusion
I hope the article has been helpful in making you understand what the differences between growth and the fixed mindset are.
This is the only mindset shift that will change your life and be the best version of yourself.
Those with a fixed mentality will never be able to develop the skills that will lead them to face the world.
Those with a growth mentality, on the other hand, have all the cards in hand to continue to develop personally and ensure happiness and health in the future.
If you want to be the best version of yourself, it goes without saying that you have to keep learning new things and having new experiences that allow you to get out of your comfort zone as well.
And all this is possible only if you can change your perspective.
With love,
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