Growth Mindset for Lifelong Learning

What is a Growth Mindset?

The Growth Mindset is a concept created by psychologist Carol Dweck which shows that intelligence and ability can be developed and learned.

On the flip side, people with a Fixed Mindset believe they were born with a fixed set of skills and abilities that will stay stagnant their entire life. The way you view yourself determines everything.

If you believe you cannot change you will want to prove yourself to everyone around you instead of learning and improving from your mistakes.

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Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

Cultivating a growth mindset starts with identifying your current mindset. You may not even be aware you have a fixed mindset because you have grown so used to these limiting beliefs. Start noticing how you think and feel in moments of failure, feedback, and challenge. People with a fixed mindset avoid challenges, ignore useful negative/constructive feedback, and view failure as the limit of their abilities.

When challenges arise, focus on the potential you can have to learn and improve your skills. By approaching challenges with a growth mindset, you can build resilience and become better equipped to handle whatever comes your way.

The Fixed Mindset person sees valuable constructive feedback as embarrassing. They may blame others or make excuses when criticized.

Adopting a Growth Mindset means seeing feedback as a good thing, even if it's negative, and even seeking out feedback and using it to improve. Accepting failure isn't easy and in some instances can be a painful experience.

But failure doesn't define you. It is something to be faced, dealt with, and learned from.

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Celebrating the Success of Others

An important part of creating a Growth Mindset is learning to celebrate the successes of others. It is easy to see others' achievements and become threatened and jealous, especially for those who have a fixed mindset and believe that success is based on talent and that making an effort to improve your skills doesn't help.

Finding lessons and inspiration in the success of others is key to cultivating a growth mindset.

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A Lifelong Journey....

Overall, people who have a Growth Mindset tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset. This is because they worry less about looking smart and put more energy into learning. They are also much more realistic about their current levels of talent and how long it may take to improve their skills. People with a fixed mindset usually stop trying the moment they fail because they aren't innately talented at it.

Start reminding yourself that you may not be good at it yet!

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Conclusion

A growth mindset means:

      * Embracing challenges

      * Persisting in the face of setbacks

      * Acknowledging that effort is the path toward mastery

You can live a more purposeful and meaningful existence by being open to everyday challenges through learning and development. You can put aside thoughts of what "has to" happen in life and opt for acceptance of what life brings.

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Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/message-against-bullying-6936081/

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