The Importance of a Growth Mindset Throughout Your Career

Mindset matters, whether you are trying to run your first marathon or find your first job after graduation. One of the newest and most powerful mindset tricks was featured by Carol Dweck in her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, which describes a growth mindset. If you can work hard with the help of a career coach to reset your mindset, the sky is the limit.

What Is a Growth Mindset?

One of the best ways to understand a growth mindset is by first knowing what it is not-a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset believes that character, intelligence, creative ability and other factors are set in stone. We are all dealt a hand in life, and our life should be about accepting the hand that we are dealt instead of trying to shuffle the deck and deal it again. A fixed mindset can leave you stuck in the mud and prevent future success.

A growth mindset, however, sees the qualities that we are born with as things that are changeable and modifiable as we age. We can all grow and change ourselves as a result of effort, experience, therapy, practice, coaching and more. In this mindset, instead of thinking of failure as something we deserve or our destiny, we see it as a way to learn and do better the next time.

What Does This Look Like in Practice?

One of the examples that Dweck uses in her book involved children putting together puzzles. Each child had the choice to redo a jigsaw puzzle they successfully completed before or try a harder one that was new. Children who had a fixed mindset selected the familiar puzzle to reaffirm their abilities and make them feel better. Kids who had a growth mindset wanted to push themselves to become smarter and learn, even if it might lead to failure.

How to Develop a Growth Mindset

The great thing about mindset is that it can be changed without spending money or taking much time out of your day. What are some quick ways to practice?

1. Stop viewing failure as a negative thing, and instead look at what you can learn from the situation.
2. Look for opportunities to grow constantly. When you get in the habit of learning as much as possible and making new connections, you might be surprised by how many career opportunities arise seemingly out of nowhere.
3. When was the last time you challenged yourself? Whether it’s a project or a skill you want to learn in the workplace, seek out a challenge that could help you to grow and change.
4. Push your limits. One of the biggest aspects of cultivating a growth mindset is stretching beyond what is comfortable and easy and pushing yourself.

Create the Career of Your Dreams with Benjamin Preston

Benjamin Preston works with young professionals and anyone craving a fulfilling career path through coaching, training, career mapping and workshops. Benjamin believes that we all have the ability to live purposeful lives today, and that we don’t need to keep putting off the career and life that we have always dreamed of. To learn more about his services for business and individuals, visit his website here.