Our mindset plays a large role in how we react to life’s occurrences. You may have heard the saying that life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how you actually react to it. This explains why the same event can two affect people in very different ways – one person learns from it while the other sees it as the end of their world. I can certainly relate to this in my own personal life. I find that when i approach life with the attitude of my glass being half-full, I can embrace the experience and learn from it.
As we finish off the month of October and slowly head into the festive season, I feel it is the perfect time to talk about the power of our mindset and how it influences our day. After all, the festive season can be stressful and on the back of this, some of us start thinking of New Year’s resolutions…
Mindset /ˈmʌɪn(d)sɛt/: a set of ideas and attitudes that shape the way someone thinks about themselves and the world.
There are two distinct sets of mindset that one can adopt: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Individuals with a fixed mindset often believe that the basic qualities they have cannot be changed or fosters whilst those with a growth mindset believe that their basic qualities can be developed and enhanced with consistent effort. The beautiful thing about a person’s mindset is that if you are determined, you can actually change your mindset for the better. I have always been intrigued by the power of our mind and how it can be cultivated to help us reach our full potential. Here are some tips on how you can cultivate a positive growth mindset:
- embrace new things as they challenge your mind and help you grow
- celebrate your little wins and the big ones as well
- set yourself incremental goals as they help you to build your confidence, and build up on the skills you have gained
- when something doesn’t work out on the first attempt, use a different approach
Here are some book recommendations to help you further in developing a growth mindset
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell