Tha real battle is in your mind. When tha doubt comes, when frustration leaves you wanting to give up, do you know how to take control of your thoughts before they derail you. Successfulness think differently in tha face of challenges and opportunities. There are numerous ways this phenomenon manifests itself, but one of tha most powerful is one I want to remind you of : your mindset. One of my favorite researchers, Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University, discovered that we can have either a “fixed mindset” or a “growth mindset,” depending upon how we approach challenges.....If you’ve often been praised for your intelligence or beauty or talent, it can be easy to develop a belief that those attributes are “fixed.” For example, you may believe your intelligence is set. You are either intellectually gifted or you are not. Tha problem with this belief is that you may shy away from challenges that don’t further affirm your high intelligence. You might also frown upon tha idea of “effort,” seeing too much effort as a sign that you are not all that gifted since you have to try so hard. Think of tha “A” student who brags casually, “I didn’t even study for tha test.”
Tha alternative is a growth mindset, which says that where you are right now is just a starting point. Your intelligence, your talent, your creativity, your capacity for a successful relationship – all have room for growth. If that’s tha case, every opportunity and challenge is an opportunity to grow, to learn, to unleash tha potential that comes from stretching beyond your comfort zone, a willingness to fail and venture into unknown territory. With a growth mindset, you don’t need to fear that falling short is somehow a condemnation on your abilities. Instead, it is an opportunity to learn something new that may help you get a step closer to your goal.What if you tackled your current goal with a growth mindset? What would that change for you? If you let go of a stringent timetable or the need to move from point A to point B in a straight line, what would it free you to attempt? If you haven’t taken any new steps towards your goal since tha first of January, try again tha first of February. Learn from what didn’t work last month. Make tweaks. Give yourself permission to do it imperfectly. Ask for advice. Try again.
