Mindset Matters. Or: Why The Journey’s Indeed The Reward.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. — Confucius

Cross your heart — who hasn’t at least once heard the pernicious questions about our “role models” or, even better, our “good intentions”? And now, who’s consequently made up a well-considered and at least as well-sounding repertoire of impressively confident and convincing answers to them?

Let’s face it — at the latest by next New Year’s Eve dinner, we want to be able to look up from our mug of mulled wine, sigh meaningfully and then make a statement with such poetic profundity that it sets the bar considerably high for the ensuing soul striptease, so that we can lean back confidently while we are proud as punch that we were so damn well prepared.

But if we now hit the pause button at that moment when we come up with some dazzling but actually hollow answer and sincerely ask ourselves:

Do I have resolutions? And what about role models — are there people I look up to? And if so, what have they taken on, what have they mastered? On whom, on what or how do I orient my thinking, my doing, my being? And this is where we begin to think authentically and honestly about what might be called our inner compass: our mindset.

Our mindset determines how we perceive our own abilities and qualities: it affects our creativity, intelligence, and ability to relate.

Nothing trivial, then, our mindset. If it is such an important setscrew in our self-perception and our socioemotional actions, we should pause for a moment to take a closer look at it. And then carefully select the wrenches to adjust this screw in such a way that it gives us leeway, as it were, but also security.

A distinction is commonly made between two types of mindset:

1. “Fixed Mindset”: people with this mindset focus on their qualities and assume that these are innate and unchangeable. They are primarily performance-oriented and success for them means having “won” — it is measured by external recognition.
2. “Growth Mindset”: people with this mindset see themselves and others primarily as having experiences, passions and abilities, and they understand these as being in a process of growth. They are primarily learning-oriented. For them, success means having improved a competence and having grown through an experience. Success means developed, refined talent.

What are the potentials of the “mindset” theory?

The assets of the theory, originally by Dr. Carol Dweck, psychologist at Stanford University, can be summed up in three main points:

1. Our mindset determines how we deal with difficult times: The way we perceive, accept and approach challenges is primarily dependent on it.
2. Our mindset plays an important role in achieving our goals: It can be a hindrance or a support, both in terms of which goals we set for ourselves in the first place, but also in terms of whether and how we tackle them.
3. The mindset also determines our coping strategies and our resilience: With a “fixed mindset”, the motto is “effort is pointless, I can’t do it anyway”. However, if you have a “growth mindset”, you accept efforts as challenges, recognize the learning potential in them and develop strategies from there. The motto here is “Think outside the box!”

Okay, so much for the theory. Still not convinced? Maybe if we talk about where and how you can actually change your mindset and thus help yourself and your fellow human beings.

How can we work on our mindsets?

Social spaces influence our mindset development.

Everybody is confronted with feedback from their fellow human beings day in, day out — echoes from friends, family or work colleagues, which for the sake of simplicity we now subsume under praise and criticism. It makes a huge difference whether we, in our biographies, receive praise and criticism primarily with regard to our results, our skills, or rather with regard to our development. In the former we are likely to develop a “fixed mindset”, in the latter a “growth mindset”.

You’ve probably filtered out the message: we do ourselves and others a favor when we work towards a “growth mindset”.

So what are we waiting for? Here are three questions we can ask ourselves with this goal in mind:

1. What am I particularly good at? This is about getting to know your strengths. Why do I think I am good at this? What challenges have I already mastered? And most importantly: What is the mindset behind it? (P.S.: My previous post was about exactly that — feel free to check it out!)
2. What am I not so good at? Now it’s time to look at your weaknesses. Why do I think I’m not as good as I expect to be? What challenges still exist here? Even though it might not always be easy: think outside the box!
3. How can I be a role model for others? You can develop yourself, yes you can! And since it’s not just you who enjoys and needs this, but others as well: make sure to praise consciously for efforts on the way to a goal, not just for what has already been accomplished or achieved.

Have I convinced you? Maybe even so much that you think to yourself: I might as well start right now!

How can I, heads off & hands on, practice a growth mindset in my everyday life?

All right, here we go:

1. Cooperation and communication between thinking and acting: Tell yourself what you want and use the right words. Language has a lot of influence on our actions. A goal-oriented, strong vocabulary steers our development towards growth. Your brain does with your body what it thinks you want.
2. “Not … yet!” Be your own biggest fan. Think to yourself whenever you are on the verge of despair and resignation: I haven’t achieved what I set out to do yet. I can’t do it yet. But: the skills are there and I am still on the way to the goal.
3. Change your perspective on challenge and effort: What you have previously perceived as sometimes even insurmountable hurdles, you could in the future also see as opportunities for further development. Effort and challenges will then be evaluated positively rather than negatively and suddenly appear worthwhile — they are milestones on the path of our (further) development!

… and mistakes? What if I feel that I have screwed something up along the way? Well, generally it makes an impression to quote eloquent people in conclusion, so:

Don’t worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.

Sherman Finesilver