Escaping your limits
This slogan doesn’t just refer to your physical limits in the gym, it also refers to your mental limits, emotional limits whether that be at university, work or in your relationship we can all strive to improve upon ourselves each and every day.
How long since you have taken a moment to reflect on your mindset? How do you approach situations? Do you often try new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone? Or are you resistant to change, challenge and growth?
Let’s explore what these mindsets mean, why they are important, how to determine which one you have, and how to change our mindsets.
In a fixed mindset, you are more inclined to believe you are either born with talent or you are not. You may find yourself often saying I can’t do that, I’m not naturally good at something, or you view intelligence as a fixed trait. You believe inborn talent determines success and therefore may be using this as an excuse.
Individuals with a growth mindset believe talent comes through effort, repetition, education and practice. They believe anyone can be good at anything; that their abilities can be developed through dedication, perseverance, and strategy.
The Dangers of a Fixed Mindset
Individuals who adopt a fixed mindset rarely excel at anything. Because they believe so strongly that their intelligence and abilities are what they are, and that investing any energy into learning and developing is pointless.
In a fixed mindset, as soon as you are met with failure, a roadblock or a NO. This “failure” will feel humiliating and you will avoid continuing with the activity as much as you can. You’ll make an excuse like, “business isn’t my thing”, “they are bigger due to genetics”.
If you believe someone is just a “naturally born with a 6 pack and muscles” or that you “just can’t get lean or in shape,” you’re holding a fixed mindset.
With a fixed mindset, you avoid new challenges like the plague because you are afraid of being judged. As such, when obstacles arise, you tend to give up quickly, or never attempt them for fear of failure.
Ultimately, in a fixed mindset, you don’t have a chance to develop your potential. You have created limits around yourself for which are only there as a result of your mindset. Let’s break these limits, challenge yourself every day. Tell yourself you can, because, although you may fail the first time, the second or even the third, eventually you will succeed. Fall down 99 times and get up 100 that is all it takes.
The Power of a Growth Mindset
In a growth mindset, you believe you can develop any ability through dedication and hard work. Because of this belief, you have a desire to learn. This enables you to embrace challenges and persevere when setbacks undoubtedly arise during the learning process.
With a growth mindset, you view effort as an essential ingredient on the path to success. You don’t shy away from effort; you embrace it. And when you see others succeeding on their path to mastery, you find inspiration and lessons to learn for your own development.
A growth mindset leads you into an upward spiral of continuous development, reaching ever-higher levels of personal growth, satisfaction, wonderment and achievements.
Remember that nothing worth having comes easy. Some may seem to get things easier than you, but it doesn’t make you a failure, it doesn’t mean you cannot achieve it and it definitely doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. I would rather get up there and try then sit on the bench never knowing.