Creating the Mindset for Success

“Whatever you want to do, or believe you can do, DO IT.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”

~~ Goethe ~~

Resilience, Determination, Strategy, Focus, Perseverance, Persistence, Vulnerability … these are qualities that motivate and move us towards our successes. But trying hard doesn’t necessarily guarantee results. So, how do you create success? With your MINDSET. Of all character traits, the MOST IMPORTANT is our mindset. Developing a mindset for growth is a paradigm shift that influences your behavior, setting the stage for your success.

How do you face failure and adversity when it stares you down?
– Do you give up, telling yourself that it’s just too hard for you?
– Do you tell yourself that you are too dumb, too slow, too short?
– Do you look at the adversity as an opportunity to learn something new?

Those who choose adversity as an opportunity are those that cultivate a Growth Mindset, accepting and operating from an platform that all experiences offer us a chance to grow into a new and better person. The opposite is the Fixed Mindset, which allows us to label ourselves as something, with a fixed idea that we cannot change. The reality is that WE CAN CHANGE. People labeled as dumb can study and get good grades. People labeled as tone-deaf can learn how to sing. People labeled as smart can fail a test. Growth mindsets allow us to change how we identify ourselves.

BE – DO – HAVE /// IDENTITY – ACTION – OUTCOME
To achieve your dreams, a vision of being/doing/having something, you must focus on learning and growing from where you are now. This isn’t about luck or chance, it is about changing who you are to align with what you want. It is about growing your IDENTITY to fit your dreams.

Your Identity is a composite of personal traits, beliefs, values, physical attributes, abilities and aspirations that make you who you are. A growth mindset allows you the flexibility to shift these concepts of who you are, to BECOME the person you want to be, which in turn creates the success you desire. You have to learn. You have to grow. You have to become your success. A fixed mindset simply gets you what you already have, over and over.

Determine Your Mindset Type (Growth/Fixed)

• Write down your vision/goal?
• Who do you need to BECOME to obtain that vision/goal? Describe those that achieve what you would like to achieve? What do they do? How do they think? What is their typical day?
• Define the necessary IDENTITY to achieve your goals/vision:
  • List attributes of a person who attains the goal you desire.
  • List knowledge (subjects and levels) required of a person who attains the goal you desire.
  • List talents required of a person who attains the goal you desire.
  • List experiences required of a person who attains the goal you desire.
• Check your Mindset: How do you feel about who you are in each area listed above? Do you have a fixed idea of whether you can achieve it? (Fixed Mindset) Or do you think you can study and learn the lessons necessary to achieve it? (Growth Mindset).

Tips for Shifting Your Mindset

Redefine the Idea of Failure
You didn’t fail, you just haven’t succeeded YET. Not yet. This creates the perspective that more is to be learned, more growth needs to happen, more lessons need to be completed.

Adopt the Concept of Fail Forward.
Instead of considering that failure is the final outcome, adopt the concept that I may fail several times before I succeed. Think of not succeeding immediately as a lesson you could learn, and never repeat. Learn it, then move forward. I call this Failing Forward. If you meet another lesson, then move forward. Life is a series of lessons, not failures. Each lesson leads to my betterment, which leads to my success. This is the journey I am on, and I am excited to be moving towards my goals.

Don’t Attach your Identity to the Outcome.
Just because you got a D on the test, doesn’t mean you are dumb, or that you can’t learn. Just because you got an A on the test, doesn’t mean that you are a genius and cannot fail. Because the outcome was {fill in the blank} , it means that I am {fill in the blank} . The outcome of an event does not define our abilities, qualities or virtues.

Align your identity with being someone who grows and learns from experiences.
– ” I am the kind of person who loves to learn.” (growth mindset)
– “Every failure is an opportunity to grow.” (growth mindset)
Remove the idea that your identity is attached to an outcome.
– “I just don’t have the natural talents to move up the corporate ladder.” (fixed mindset)
– “I could never give a public speech.” (fixed mindset)
– “I’m just not good at sales.” (fixed mindset)