Growth vs. Fixed Mindset
According to a Stanford University study, researcher and psychology professor Carol Dweck, demonstrates that people cultivate one of two mindsets in a learning experience. In a fixed mindset, people believe that their qualities are innate and unable to change. They also believe that pure talent leads to success with no effort required.
On the other hand, those that have a growth mindset believe that learning and intelligence can improve with time and experience. They believe that their effort has a direct impact on their success, so they are usually more willing to put in the time and work since they believe that their abilities are just the starting point for potential.
It’s important to develop a growth mindset to realize your ability to succeed, no matter what obstacle you may face. It can also have a positive impact on your self-esteem and relationships. Here are some tips for developing a growth mindset:
- View challenges as opportunities. Embrace challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow. The more we challenge ourselves to achieve a healthier lifestyle, the more opportunities we open up for ourselves.
- Choose learning over approval. If we’re more concerned with getting acceptance from others, we lose perspective on the real benefits for reaching our goal. It’s important to focus on improving ourselves for our own benefit to increase our growth potential.
- Focus on the process. Major change usually does not happen overnight, so it’s important to be realistic about the timeline for reaching our goals. Implementing new, healthy habits in the learning process will make them more likely to stick over time.
- Reward your effort. Set mini milestone goals to reward yourself for all of the effort and progress that you’ve made along your journey. For example, if you’ve stuck to a healthy sleep schedule for two consecutive weeks, treat yourself to a massage or movie date with a friend or loved one.
- Reflect on your learning. Journaling is a great way to reflect on the new lessons you’ve learned. Keep track of healthy tips and also document your physical and emotional feelings to allow the lessons to sink in. This can help identify what is working well or if there are any changes that need to be made.