A key to Success is a Growth Mindset

 

A key element in success in any field is the willingness and desire to learn new things and grow, and the acceptance of change.
This is why a growth mindset is strongly associated with success.

A fixed mindset can be seen in a person who masters something quickly, and then plateaus and fails to improve further.
The person will either succeed with a task at first try or give up in disappointment.
Their inner voice has already told them that they’re either good at or not good at the task at hand.
A growth mindset can be seen in one who learns slowly and gradually, accepting new challenges and solving problems along the way.

These different mindsets can be recognized in early childhood.
When given a challenging puzzle to solve, some children will try, fail, and become quickly disinterested and give up.
Other children try, and even though they don’t experience immediate success, they become engaged.
They see it as a problem to solve and spend time with it.
We often say of kids like this that they love a good challenge.

These mindsets also reveal themselves to us later in life.
Think back to someone you know in high school who had everything going well for them. They were intelligent, talented, and personable, and seemed to have everything in order. But in recent years, you reconnect with this person on social media or at a high school reunion.
You’re shocked to learn that their life took off early and then seems to have fizzled out or stagnated.
Most likely, this is a person who has a fixed mindset and could not continue growing and evolving in the way that you’d expected.

On the other hand, if you reconnect with someone who has a growth mindset, they might have gone on to achieve more than you ever expected.
The person may not have seemed like the type who was bound for great things, but over time, they might have started a business or achieved great success elsewhere.
Mindset is situational.
You may use one or the other mindsets in certain situations, as well as at different times of your life.

For example, when you’re facing a new situation where you’re unsure of yourself and not confident, you’re more likely to adopt a fixed mindset.
You may adopt more of a growth mindset in activities where you’re more engaged or experienced.

In any case, defaulting to a fixed mindset, whether situationally or for a large portion of your life, can limit your success, health, and happiness in the long-term.

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