A growth mindset makes it possible to keep growing throughout life. People with a growth mindset believe that their talents, intelligence and personality can be developed at any time. They enjoy learning and discovering new dimensions to themselves. They do not shy away from challenges and look at life as a journey.
Recently I coached a man who had a fixed mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe that their talents, intelligence, and personality are determined. His wife described Paul as being set in his ways. He firmly believed that he was the way he was and that he could not change. It was a whole new concept for Paul to learn that there was another way to think.
Paul realized that if his marriage was to continue he had to make some changes. He became intrigued with the concept of a growth mindset. Once he opened himself up to the idea that he had control over his mindset he began to take some risks with himself. He went from “this is how I am” to “I will discover who I am”. Paul made the greatest changes in how he viewed himself. He was in the habit of judging himself and frequently felt like a failure. He found that by developing a growth mindset he was able to enjoy life a lot more.
