avatarBill Abbate

Summary

The website content discusses the impact of mindset on life, contrasting the fixed mindset with the growth mindset and advocating for the latter as a means to personal development and success.

Abstract

The article "Change Your View of the World" delves into the concept of mindset, emphasizing its profound influence on an individual's life. It defines mindset as a pervasive frame of mind that shapes one's understanding of the world and oneself. The author distinguishes between two primary mindsets: the fixed mindset, which is self-limiting and avoids challenges, and the growth mindset, which embraces learning, accepts failure as part of growth, and leads to a more fulfilling life. The piece underscores the transformative power of adopting a growth mindset, drawing on the work of Dr. Carol S. Dweck and personal anecdotes to illustrate the benefits of shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset. The author encourages readers to embrace challenges and continuous learning as keys to unlocking potential and achieving personal and professional success.

Opinions

  • The author believes that a fixed mindset is restrictive and focuses on limitations and the fear of failure, while a growth mindset is expansive and encourages learning and development.
  • It is the author's opinion that individuals have the power to change their mindset, regardless of past beliefs or experiences.
  • The article suggests that a growth mindset is crucial to becoming a leader in one's own life and achieving desired outcomes.
  • The author credits the work of Dr. Carol S. Dweck as instrumental in understanding the significance of mindset and its impact on personal development.
  • The author shares personal experiences to illustrate the positive changes that occurred by adopting a growth mindset, including increased confidence and rapid professional advancement.
  • The article emphasizes that effort, when paired with a growth mindset, can turn abilities into accomplishments, and it challenges readers to embrace this approach for a better life.

Inspiration and Life

Change Your View of the World

The power of your mindset

Photo by rutchapong from Veceezy.com

Who doesn’t love the simple things in life? That first cup of coffee in the morning, the smell of fresh air, being with the one you love, and the many other beautiful experiences we have.

We long for the simpler days of our youth, but they are long past. Welcome to the complex world we live in today. With so many distractions, it isn’t easy to focus, much less find a peaceful moment.

Imagine discovering a simpler, more effective way to understand your life in this complex world. Wouldn’t that be great!

It all starts in the mind. Let’s look at a new way of seeing that can bring some of that simplicity.

The simple concept

Live long enough, and you will find the simplest concepts in life are often the most profound and life-changing. While you may have heard the term mindset bandied about, do you really understand what it is in its base form?

Mindset applies to everyone everywhere in the world. You carry it with you wherever you go. It provides a frame of mind about everything in your life, creating your world and how you understand it. It permeates every thought and action you take.

Considering all this concept involves, it is still easy to understand.

Uncovering your basic mindset is a life changer.

Once seen, it cannot be unseen. It runs through your entire life. It allows you to understand yourself and what you want. It permeates every interaction and relationship you have.

Here’s the good news — you can easily change your mindset, regardless of how long you have had it!

Mindset is a concept that is too important to pass up. It determines who you are and how you show up in the world.

“When you enter a mindset, you enter a new world.” Dr. Carol S. Dweck (1946-present

A basic understanding of your mindset allows you to take control of all you do. It will help you become the leader in your life.

“For twenty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value.” Dr. Carol S. Dweck

The two mindsets

Essentially, two mindsets determine who you are and how you live. One is the fixed mindset. It creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over.

The second is the growth mindset. In it, you do not place restrictions on yourself regarding your ability to learn and cultivate the qualities you want through your efforts.

You approach everything in life from one of these two mindsets. Recognizing which mindset you are using will dramatically affect your life and its outcome.

Let’s look at each mindset a little closer.

Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is self-limiting. It holds you back from moving toward something new that will stretch you. It focuses on what you cannot do and the abilities and capabilities you don’t think you have.

This mindset will cause you to steer clear of any possible failure. A fixed mindset says I can’t do it or may fail if I try. It can even make you think you are a failure if you fail.

The results received from this mindset will undoubtedly be few.

Bottom line: A fixed mindset restricts.

Growth Mindset

A growth mindset contains few self-induced restrictions. It holds the belief you can learn and grow almost any ability or capability. The growth mindset says you are not stuck with what you currently have.

You will take on a challenge, even if it means failing, because you know failing does not make you a failure. Instead, every experience becomes part of your learning and growth.

You know you can do more and have more when you do not place limits or restrictions on yourself.

A growth mindset says I’m going to try, regardless. If I fail, I will learn from it and continue moving forward.

Bottom line: A growth mindset expands.

Change your mindset, change your life!

Years ago, I learned that you don’t lose until you give up. Don’t let something like a bit of failure paralyze you in life. Pick yourself up and take action. Every successful person learns this lesson and continues to move forward.

Imagine living a life where a fixed mindset paralyzes your decision-making ability. You won’t try or take a chance because you don’t want to fail.

In my early 20s, I lived with this mindset. I was concerned about how others would see me if I made a mistake. I was stuck. Up to that point in life, I had little faith in my ability to achieve as I had done poorly in school.

As a navy brat traveling the world, going to 12 schools from first to twelfth grades, I had become very introverted, and the constant change didn’t help my self-esteem. I found some schools easy while I struggled in others. Some parts of the world were nice to live in, and others were not. This and my natural negative inclination led me to develop a fixed mindset — taking as little risk as possible.

Despite my view of myself, I wanted to be a good husband and father. I enrolled in a local college and began taking night classes. Before long, I became a manager. I remember thinking maybe I could do more and become more.

Little did I realize that I was experiencing a shift in my mindset. It was the beginning of moving from a fixed, risk-avoidant mindset to a growth mindset.

“Becoming is better than being” Dr. Carol S. Dweck

As I gained more confidence, I started to learn, grow and change. I began understanding it was okay to fail once in a while so long as my intentions were good.

During the next few years, although I didn’t have a name for what was happening to me, I experienced a dramatic shift in how I saw my world. I accelerated rapidly through the ranks and had no doubt I could succeed at anything I wanted. I credit a large part of this change to the insatiable appetite I developed for learning.

The effect of others on my life was profound. I sat at the feet of people like Jim Rohn, Peter Drucker, Earl Nightingale, Brian Tracy, Robert Fritz, and many others through their books and tapes. My thirst for learning and self-development continues today, even though I am retired. Gaining a growth mindset was crucial to my life and continues to shape my world.

Final thoughts

If you have yet to experience shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Dr. Carol Dweck’s book. Her book could have greatly accelerated my understanding of the changes I was experiencing those many years ago. I am thankful for the clarity Dr. Dweck brought to my life.

Adopting a growth mindset can lead to a far richer and more fulfilling life.

Think how much simpler life can become when you let go of your self-induced limitations and the fear and anxiousness created by the fixed mindset. Step into the life of the growth mindset to experience more freedom and a better and happier life!

I leave you with a challenge to live out these final words of wisdom:

“no matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.” Dr. Carol S. Dweck

Start where you are and make an effort to develop your growth mindset. You will not regret it!

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Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION

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