Mindset matters! When the authors of the book “Peak Performance,” Brad Stuhlberg and Steve Magnus, talked about shifting mindsets to propel real growth, they were not joking. The lens through which we analyze the world influences everything.
Don’t believe them? Okay, just answer the following questions truthfully, will you?
If most of your answers were yes, it is your first obstacle towards growth — a wrong mindset.
Take, for example, if you are a Christian, you believe God wants you to do new things with your life. As He presents His plans to you, He will give you dreams that may overwhelm you. They will force you to trust in Him rather than your own strength. And if you are not ready to launch yourself with a leap of faith, you will stay on the launch pad, not achieving your moonshot.
In short, you need to adopt the right mindset. And what’s that? Well, it is called the growth mindset.
In the words of the world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, “People with a fixed mindset, those who believe that abilities are fixed, are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset.”
A growth mindset, or an infinite mindset, is the belief that people can develop and improve their abilities and intelligence over time.
Simon Sinek believes, “Leading with an infinite mindset in an infinite game really does move us in a better direction. Groups that adopt an infinite mindset enjoy vastly higher levels of trust, cooperation, and innovation, with all the subsequent benefits.”
In the Gospels, we read that the disciples initially had the wrong vision of their intended ministry. They thought Jesus was going to be a military leader and guide them in a revolt against the Romans.
Although Jesus explained His true mission to them many times, using parables to clearly explain His intent, they still did not understand what they were supposed to do. It wasn’t until the disciples received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost that they knew they were tasked with spreading the good news throughout the world. Once they comprehended the correct vision of their ministry, they were able to achieve it.
The second obstacle is having the wrong vision. Scientist and aviator Samuel Langley developed his vision of a machine capable of carrying people through the air. He built his gasoline-powered aerodrome with a pair of wings in the front and rear and a tail. But in trial after trial, his craft did not achieve flight.
Nine days before the Wright brothers made history, Langley made yet another attempt. As the engine left the launcher on top of the houseboat on the Potomac River, the rear wings and the tail crumpled the instant it left the launcher. The aerodrome once again fell directly into the river, almost drowning its pilot.
Obviously, Langley had the wrong vision for successful airplane design. The Wright brothers developed the right concept. It was the Wright brothers’ genius and vision to see that humans would have to fly their machines and that the problems of flight could not be solved from the ground.
While performing glider experiments, they discovered how to solve the issue of sustained lift and how to control the aircraft during the flight. They then designed a lightweight motor to power their airplane. On December 17th, 1903, Orville Wright took off and flew for 37 meters.
Having the correct vision for your life is vital to achieving success. As self-help guru Napoleon Hill says, whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Benjamin Hardy takes this one step further when he writes, The more connected you are to your own future self, the wiser decisions you make here and now.
The third obstacle is that you don’t know where to start. Not knowing where to start has hindered me from doing many big projects, so I know how that feels. To accomplish an ambitious goal, you need a reason to scale that mountain.
Bill Walsh, one of the top success coaches in the world, says that if your ‘why’ is strong enough, you will figure out ‘how’. In other words, when you have a compelling vision for something you feel you have to do, you will work at it until you achieve it.
Did you know that the best-selling novelist Stephen King once struggled to figure out where to start his career? While in high school, King submitted his short stories to dozens of magazines. He received so many rejection letters that he kept them on a nail on his bedroom wall. After a while, he had to change a nail to a spike.
Kerry, King’s first published novel, was rejected 30 times. But his wife believed in him, and when King threw the manuscript in the garbage, she retrieved it and encouraged him to submit it one more time, which finally paid off with publication. Today, Stephen King is the author of more than 60 books that have sold a total of more than 350 million copies. All King needed was that initial break to kickstart his career.
Believing that you can develop and improve your abilities and intelligence over time is super powerful. It can make a huge difference in all areas of your life, from your job to your hobbies to your relationships. By embracing the concept of growth and development, you will become more motivated to learn and take on new challenges.
You can choose to see every setback as an opportunity to learn and grow. Having a growth mindset can also help you be more adaptable and resilient when things change. And let’s face it, the world is changing all the time. By having a growth mindset, you will be ready to take on anything that comes your way. So if you want to live your best life, start by believing in yourself.
Sometimes it can be tough to accept change. After all, we all have our comfort zones, but it is so important to remember that change is a natural part of life. It is what helps us grow and learn new things. So why not embrace it?
Sure, trying something new can be scary, but think about it this way: If you never try, you will never know what you are capable of. Who knows? You might even discover a hidden passion or talent you never knew you had. And that can be pretty exciting.
If you are feeling hesitant, start small. Maybe try a new restaurant or explore a new neighborhood. Every little step counts. And before you know it, you will have a whole new perspective on the world around you. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and embrace change and all the wonderful opportunities it can bring. You might be surprised at what you find.
Thirdly, focus on the positive. Negative thoughts and feelings can easily consume our minds, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and helpless. But don’t worry; there are ways to combat this and shift our focus towards the positive.
One approach is to reflect on the good things that are present in our lives. It can’t be as simple as writing down a list of a couple of things you are grateful for each day. By doing this, we are able to train our brain to recognize and appreciate the positive things in our lives. If you're looking for more ways to shift your mindset towards the positive, meditating on God’s Word will help.
Take a few minutes each day to reflect on what God is telling you. You will be surprised at how much this can help quiet your mind and reduce stress and anxiety. So remember, changing our mindset takes time and effort.
Developing a growth mindset is pivotal for achieving success in any area of life. By adopting a growth mindset, being open to change, and focusing on the positive, you can overcome limiting beliefs and achieve your goals.
Remember that the power to change your mindset is in your hands, and with the right mindset, anything is possible.
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