How to distinguish between a Fixed Vs Growth mindset

Michael Jordon wasn’t gifted with exceptional athletic skills.

It took him years of effort and persistently mastering the art that got him to become known as the greatest basketball player of all time.

Jordan was known to challenge and stretch himself while welcoming failures as opportunities for growth.

It’s this type of predisposition that differentiates a growth from a fixed mindset.

People with fixed mindsets can be an absolute nightmare to work with. They are quick to lose their temper, resist feedback, blame others for mishappenings and give up easily.

In essence, fixed mindsets pride their self-esteem on their intelligence and perceive failures as a blow to their identity.

A direct sign of whether someone has high or low self-esteem is how happy and confident they are.

Luckily, all hope is not lost and self-esteem can be developed by prioritizing effort over settling with current abilities.

Dr Carol Dweck, a leading expert in social psychology, makes an interesting distinction in this area.

Her research has found that people with fixed mindsets gravitate towards activities that validate their abilities (Can I do this well now?) while those with growth mindsets seek challenges that expand their abilities by focusing on effort. (How can I learn to do it well?)

In a world that is evolving so fast and hot skills change as fast as Apple’s software updates, cultivating a growth mindset is not only relevant but imperative for survival.

Changing one’s mindset doesn’t happen overnight but challenging underlying beliefs about current abilities and committing to effort, is a good place to start.

Training the brain to endure pain

As times have evolved towards more convenience and comfort, our tolerance for pain and discomfort has dramatically reduced.

But what if our brains were more capable of handling more than we give them credit for?

Terry Tucker’s brain proves that.

While battling with a 12-year painful journey with Cancer, Terry has persisted through his agony and always maintained a positive outlook towards life.

As he so beautifully puts it:

“I realize pain and discomfort can beat you to your knees and keep you there if you let it. But I also came to appreciate that I could use my hurting and anguish to make me stronger and more resolute.”

In this episode, Terry shares what it takes to make the mind work in your favor, how to reframe adverse experiences and embrace resilience when life calls for it.

The cost of emotional mismanagement

Earlier this week I watched Nina Simone's documentary, which was eye-opening in more ways than I could ever imagine.

Who would've guessed that the voice behind 'Feeling Good' was volatile, with episodes of depression and rage.

Nina had it rough.

Her career brought immense pressure on her and her husband didn't help. He had some major hang-ups too and was violent towards her.

Frustrated and fearful for her life, the singer bailed on her husband and daughter and flew to take refuge in Liberia.

Eventually, she reunited with her little girl there but only to replicate her husband's behavior and beat the poor child.

Nina Simone's story is one of many examples reflecting the struggles that come with fame and how not managing emotions well, can lead to one's downfall.

Not to mention the destruction that's created from not doing the inner work or processing pain the right way.

Success has a lot to do with just being in the right state of mind, which is so often taken for granted. But you don't need to make that mistake.

Becoming emotion-smart is all it takes.

My co-founder and I have created a journey towards mastering your mind and developing confidence so you can thrive in your relationships and in life.

In case you missed me last week….

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