I recently attended a conference where the speaker explained her theory about mindset. She believes there are two kinds and both have a huge impact on the course of your life. At first I sat there thinking that her talk would be boring, and yet another "positive thinking" seminar. But, as I listened closer, I realized that she had to be reading my thoughts at that moment....The first approach to thinking is called a fixed mindset. In this thought process, an individual has all the answers (right or wrong) and is very rigid on their outlook on most things. They see life as black and white, with a right and a wrong choice paired with every decision we make. People with fixed mindsets do not see the possibilities in life, instead they see a sequential set of steps that should be attained at a certain age, almost like a checklist for their existence. While people with this line of thinking may seem very steady and reliable, they can also be the most judgmental and difficult. This is especially apparent when they stumble upon people or challenges that do not fit in their little box of a world or have no simple answer.
The second mindset is called a growth mindset. This schema sees life as a fluid and ever-changing path. While you can make plans, you have to be flexible and understand that things may or may not work out they way you started out, but life will continue regardless of the outcome. People with growth mindsets are open to change and actually seek it out. They know that sometimes there is not an easy "right" or "wrong" choice, just different doors to open with a myriad of outcomes on the other side. The focus of their life is to learn, from everyone and everything. These are the people in life that do not fit inside any mold that society mandates. They know that their thinking affects everything they do. They truly live life outside of the box and keep growing and changing each day.
This workshop had a huge impact on my view, even of the workshop. My thinking that this seminar would be another boring talk about positive affirmations -- that was a fixed mindset. I need to be more open to what anyone, including the speaker in front of me, had to say about things that are around me. It made me think, "How do I approach things in my life...with a fixed or growth mindset?" Well, I can honestly tell you that it depends on the area of my life. But, it also made me realize that needs to change.
Today I learned that is not about thinking "good thoughts", rather it is being open to learning what the world around me has to offer. It is about knowing that there is always a choice in the way you approach it. Having a growth mindset in every area means that you won't expect ideas, people, or events to be any particular way. They just are what they are. You have to realize that the only thing you have a real influence over is your own mind, but that is SO powerful.
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| Which one are you??? |
