If you’re like most people, you started the year with a head full of steam and a pocket full of good intentions. Research shows that nearly 50% of adults in the US make New Year resolutions, while only about 10% actually follow through for more than a few months.
One obstacle that may be holding you back from keeping up with those New Year resolutions is your mindset.
If you think about it, we teach, encourage, motivate, and guide our children toward better versions of themselves all the time. We believe they have the ability to learn new skills and develop new abilities.
We just assume these mysterious creatures possess a growth mindset — the belief that they CAN grow, learn, and change.
But do we believe the same about ourselves?
Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University is a researcher and professor who studies transformative growth mindsets. She writes that a mindset is a “self-theory” or a self-perception that we hold about ourselves; these mindsets are either fixed or focused on growth. A mindset is a group of beliefs you hold about yourself as a person — as a student, parent, or employee. And this mindset plays a key role when it comes to New Year resolutions.
What Is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is a belief that you can and will learn and achieve new things. It has the power to propel you forward or hold you back.
A fixed mindset believes talents are set in stone and intelligence is nailed in place at birth. But a growth mindset knows that neither of these is true.
A growth mindset involves embracing these basics truths:
— Even when you fail, you’re not defeated. You examine the situation, find what went wrong, and work on ensuring it doesn’t happen again. You turn failure into a lesson learned.
— Even while you’re growing, you will make mistakes. You’re human. Mistakes are part of being human. You don’t blame yourself or anyone else. It’s all part of the process.
— Even if it’s hard, you can step outside your comfort zone.
Even when the end isn’t in sight, it’s possible to hold on to the powerful belief that you can and will learn and achieve whatever you’ve set your mind to.
A Growth Mindset Isn’t For Wimps
A growth mindset is the connection between realizing there’s a better way and turning that idea into reality. But it involves some effort on your part.
Seeing Yourself As Pliable
Possessing a growth mindset involves knowing that you are capable of doing what you set out to do. The most vital factor in any equation of the mind is believing in yourself and visualizing a better you, a stronger you, a more powerful you.
Seeing Yourself as Innovative
A growth mindset involves the idea that we can think outside the box, which allows us to approach life like innovators, actively seeking new ways of seeing the world and ourselves.
Seeing Yourself as Positive
A growth mindset means we possess an affirmative power that impacts our lives daily through words and actions. Yes, I said affirmatively.
Positivity isn’t a gimmick. Psychologists have shown that taking the time to develop positive emotions can alter how we approach and view our daily lives, including our environments, jobs, and families.
Possessing a growth mindset allows us to build positive emotions, broaden our awareness, develop new thoughts, and entertain fresh insights. We become better versions of ourselves by riding the upward spiral of positivity.
Neuroplasticity Makes It Possible
When you learn something new, change your beliefs, or become aware of negative habits that need altering, you are actually altering your brain’s neurochemistry and structure. This is called neuroplasticity.
The fact that the brain can change based on its experiences is fantastic news. New thoughts and skills carve out new pathways in the brain, while repetition and practice strengthen these new pathways. Old pathways that aren’t used often, actually weaken over time.
When we’re not learning new skills, we’re not engaging the brain’s plasticity, and we’re missing out on the benefits of improved memory, faster processing, and increased creativity and problem-solving.
Reap the Benefits
Some people believe that mindset is the most essential attribute needed today by parents, leaders, and business owners because, without it, the value of growth is misplaced. Without a growth mindset, we fail to see the power of learning, the need for open feedback, and the confidence required for skill development.
It’s never too late to reap the benefits of a growth mindset. And it’s never too late to make good on those New Year resolutions either. Now that you know you’re more than capable of change and growth, nothing is holding you back.
Cheers to 2023!
Our best year yet!
