Do you have a Growth mindset or a Fixed mindset?

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Johncey George, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.

What is a Growth Mindset?

A Growth mindset is a belief that our efforts can improve our abilities and talents. It is based on the conviction that intelligence, creativity, and abilities can be grown and nurtured over time and with practice. In short, an individual with a Growth mindset believes everything is possible. The unlimited potential of a growth mindset gives an individual the freedom to grow.

What is the opposite of a Growth Mindset?

It is called a fixed mindset. People with fixed mindsets believe intelligence, talent, and skills are innate and cannot be developed. People with such mindsets are often constrained and limited by their beliefs and thoughts.

So what is the disadvantage of having a fixed mindset?

People with a fixed mindset often give up easily and avoid challenges. This mindset stops them from learning from their mistakes and can lead to stagnation. This can, in turn, result in low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. This can affect professional growth, and such people often get ignored for promotions to senior roles.

Let me share a few examples of people who have demonstrated a growth mindset.
• Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs had a growth mindset, always striving to improve and push boundaries in the tech industry. Despite multiple failures and setbacks, he never gave up and used them as opportunities for growth and development.

• Arundhati Bhattacharya: Arundhati Bhattacharya is a former chairperson of the State Bank of India and a prominent figure in the banking industry. She is known for her ability to adapt to changes and embrace new challenges and for her focus on personal growth and development.

• Michael Jordan: Michael Jordan’s growth mindset is evident in his relentless drive to improve and succeed. Despite being cut from his high school basketball team, he worked tirelessly to develop his skills and become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

• J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter books: J.K. Rowling faced numerous setbacks in her writing career, including multiple rejections from publishers. However, she never gave up and used her experiences to fuel her drive for success. Her persistence and growth mindset ultimately led her to create the Harry Potter franchise.

• Ratan Tata: Ratan Tata is known for his visionary leadership and ability to embrace challenges and transform them into opportunities for growth and success. He has led the Tata Group to become one of India’s largest conglomerates through his focus on innovation and continuous improvement.

Here are 8 practical tips for developing a growth mindset:
1. Set specific, achievable goals: Without a goal, you don’t know what to work towards. Identify areas you want to improve and set achievable goals to work towards.

2. Practise deliberate practice: Focus on specific skills and work to improve them through repeated practice and reflection. Deliberate practice is purposeful and systematic.

3. Seek out new experiences: Try new things, step out of your comfort zone, and embrace new challenges. For this, you should network with your peers, and bosses and seek opportunities.

4. Quit negative influence circles. This is an important aspect. The attitudes and mindsets of the people you surround yourself with rubs off on you. If you spend more time around people with a fixed mindset, you start to become that kind of a person.

5. Instead, surround yourself with positive influencers: Seek relationships with people who support your growth and development.

6. Keep a growth journal: Document your progress and reflect on what you have learned from your experiences.

7. Embrace failure: Don’t be afraid to fail; instead, see it as a learning opportunity. We do get disappointed when we fail; that is natural. But you should quickly recover from it and take action. That is the key to embracing failures.

8. Stay open-minded: Be receptive to new ideas and perspectives and continuously seek to expand your knowledge and understanding. So, when someone gives you feedback, evaluate it and learn from it.

A growth mindset is an important asset for career progression.

Johncey George is a leading Leadership Coach focusing on the growth of Introvert Professionals.