How to encourage a growth mindset

In terms of ‘growth’ or ‘fixed’ mindsets, most of us go about our days utilising a mix of both. Perhaps you generally advance in your career, but put off exercising because you’ve never really been a sporty person. Or, everyone says you’ve got a knack for counselling, but you weren’t academic at school, so you think getting a degree is forever out of reach.

When you’re operating from a fixed mindset, you believe that your abilities, talents or flaws are traits you’re simply lucky to have, or stuck with for life. On the other hand, when you invest in fostering a growth mindset, you understand that all abilities can be improved and flaws overcome. Let’s take a look at how to do it.

Welcome every challenge

Welcoming challenges always brings rewards. If you conquer them, you increase your knowledge, skills and confidence. When you fail, you learn how to do something better, next time. It’s about knowing that each time you leap a hurdle, regardless of the result, you’ll prove (to yourself) that it’s entirely possible to do so.

Believe you will succeed

Henry Ford said something along the lines of, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right”. This is so true, because your behaviour is consistent with your beliefs. A growth mindset means believing there’s an answer to every problem. This, in turn, directs your brain towards finding a solution, rather than dwelling on the pre-conditioned excuses of a fixed mindset.

Expect and embrace setbacks

Considering it’s almost impossible to conquer any goal, without minor setbacks at the least, they shouldn’t come as a surprise. Whether you’re raising children, training to climb Mount Everest or learning how to invest your money, setbacks occur to direct you off the wrong path, towards the right one. When things get tricky, persistence develops a growth mindset, while giving up or playing the ‘blame game’, keeps you locked in a fixed one.

Know that there’s no ultimate goal

You know that saying, ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’? It rings true, when you’re encouraging a growth mindset. While it’s great to focus on each new goal, doing so to the detriment of all else actually puts you in a fixed mindset. You start to ignore other aspects of your life, forget to enjoy the little things and small wins seem fruitless, on the way to one of many end results.

With a growth mindset, you’re able to expand in all directions of life, even if it’s just a little bit each day. Why? Because you believe you can.