Cultivating a growth mindset could be the single most important thing you ever do. Good news is that no matter how old you are, changing your mindset is possible. And we have the science to prove it!
Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? The hare was so sure he would win the race that he sat down and went to sleep during the race. Whereas the tortoise plodded along, always thinking he had a chance of winning. When the hare woke, he started running as fast as he could, but he was just too late: the tortoise had won.
The hare had a fixed mindset and the tortoise had a growth mindset. He believed that he needed to work hard and keep going if he was to win. He was also not afraid of failure or he would never have agreed to race the hare.
Mindsets can affect the way that we think about everything
For example, a growth mindset can help you recover from illness because you believe that you can do something about the illness. They can also help you grow and develop in relationships.
It’s never too late to create new brain pathways
The neuroscience behind Growth Mindset shows your mindset can be cultivated and developed at any point in life. Our brains continue to develop and change, even into our twilight years! New brain pathways can be developed by doing or thinking particular things and these things can become hard-wired into our brains as habits. Old dogs really can learn new tricks!
3 steps to cultivating a growth mindset
The first step is realising that you need to change your mindset. Them there are three key things that you can do to develop a growth mindset:
- Recognise that a growth mindset is not just good, but is also supported by science. In other words, you need to be committed to developing a growth mindset.
- Learn and teach others about how to develop and improve their abilities through adopting a growth mindset. This will help you to take control of your life, which is hugely empowering. Research shows that people who feel in control tend to perform better.
- Listen out for your fixed mindset voice. When you hear that little critical voice in your head telling you that you can’t do something, reply with a growth mindset approach and tell it that you CAN!
It doesn’t matter how old you are or how set in your ways you might be. It’s never too late to change your mindset to one of growth and ensure you get all the best things out of your life.
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