Mindset is a term that gets used a lot these days, but what does it mean, and why it is so important in every facet of our lives? Just to make sure that we are on the same page, let’s define what is meant by the word mindset. Merriam-Webster defines mindset as, A mental attitude or inclination. A fixed state of mind. The Cambridge English dictionary defines it as, a person’s way of thinking and their opinions.
Having an effective mindset is key for our personal growth and development, because our mindset can make all the difference in how we navigate life. There are eight qualities we can develop to optimize personal growth:
1. Have an open mind. Personal growth requires considering new perspectives, ideas, habits, and beliefs. If you’re absolutely set on approaching the world in one particular way, you’re greatly limiting your growth. Are you open to the idea that you might change your mindset based on what you discover about the world and yourself?
2. Show an interest in learning. Are you willing to learn about goal setting? Overcoming fear? Communication skills? There are things that you may not know yet that you need to know, in order to reach your full potential.
3. Be willing to fail. Failure is a normal part of attempting something new. Whether you’re learning to be a better public speaker, taking a cooking class, or mastering a new language, you will experience failure. Not only is this absolutely normal, but failure also provides the opportunity to learn from it. Then, you can apply this new knowledge in the present and the future.
4. Experiment. For example, should you eat a vegan, vegetarian, or paleo diet? Try them all to see what works for you. You can’t be certain what you want to have, do, or be until you’ve experimented and found the best answer for yourself.
5. Set your ego aside. Your ego can be an obstacle when it comes to maximizing your personal growth.Your ego makes you more likely to be certain you’re right, when you’re actually wrong. It leads you to blame others, instead of taking responsibility for your own mistakes. It also instills a fear of failure, which can be detrimental.
6. Value improvement over perfection. Daily improvement is incredibly powerful. It’s not possible to be great at something instantly. When you can get excited about improving even 1% at something, that’s part of a great mindset for personal growth.
7. Have patience. Personal growth is an ongoing process. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and optimizing your mindset requires patience. There often is the component of trial and error, too, as you experiment and identify what works best for you and what you like and don’t like.
8. Have determination. It’s important to be determined and committed to changing your mindset. Keep at it!
Personal growth can be challenging, but it can be a lot easier with a mindset that supports your desire to grow. Your mindset is the pathway to meaningful personal grow, so, on an ongoing basis, examine your mindset to identify what thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are serving you well and which ones need some tweaking.
If you want to learn more about mindset, check out Episode Five: Mindset Matters of my podcast, Elev8 Your Life with Kristi, on Tuesday, January 17. We are going to break down our thoughts and how we can become a better thinker, in order to shift our mindset. So, make sure to listen!
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