What Kind of Mindset Do You Have

Whenever you have to make a big decision in your life, the choices that you have to make depend only on very important thing. Can you guess what that is? It is your mindset. The definition of mindset is: a set of assumptions, methods, or notations held by one or more people or groups of people. So, what does this mean for you? It means that you must take inventory of what your mental inclination is like.
What is the frame of your mind like? Through what lens are you looking at the world with?

Once you begin to breakdown what your mindset entails, you notice that it actually is a collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape your thought habits. Your thought habits affect how you think, what you feel, and what you do. Essentially, your mindset impacts how you make sense of the world and of yourself. An important thing to remember is that your mindset helps you understand attitude and beliefs. Our attitudes are a tendency that we learn to evaluate things in a certain way, which can include; peoples, issues, objects, or events. The evaluations that you make can be positive or negative, but you may also feel uncertain sometimes. What you must determine is who decides what your mindset is like and how it will continue to develop. Is your mindset something that you are aware of or are you just acting and reacting to things based on what you have been taught? Be honest with yourself, how aware are you of your reactions, and your thought process?
A lot of the time, we turn out to have a certain mindset, attitude, or beliefs about things because they were ingrained in us (usually through our upbringing). The problem that some people face because of this, is that they don’t know exactly why they feel “triggered” by something or why they believe something. Hence, why it is important to do analyze yourself and write down who you are and who you want to be. Just like setting a goal for your job, create a checklist for yourself and see where you stand:
1. Who are you and what do you identify yourself with?
Remember that you are not your career or job. Think about who you would be if that didn’t exist. Tap into your passions and things that make you unique.
2. What do you believe in?
This can include your spiritual beliefs, the things that drive you and motivate you.
3. What is your self-talk like?
Do you believe in yourself? Consider what your response is like when handling something
new. Do you say “ I can’t do it, it’s too late” or do you maintain a growth mindset and believe that you can do anything you desire?
4. What is your response to stressful situations like?
Are you quick to give up at the first sign of trouble or “possible” defeat? Or do you stand your ground and continue to push yourself even when things get hard?

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset

After you answer the above questions (you can also do a little more research yourself), you will be able to identify your mindset. It is very important to know exactly what kind of mindset you have, either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset, because it will determine how you do just about anything! People
with a fixed mindset believe that the qualities that they have are fixed and unchangeable. Those with a growth mindset, believe that the qualities and abilities that they have can be developed and
strengthened by being committed and working hard to better themselves. Being one of the other determines how you open you will be about things in your life. Most importantly, your mindset plays a critical role in how you cope with life’s challenges.
For example, in school, a growth mindset can result in greater achievements such as having higher grades, and it can also contribute to increased effort. Both outcomes being positive, which can lead to more possibilities for your future and having doors open for you because of your tenacity. Even in the instances where one must search for a new job or have an entire transformation in their field of work, those with a growth mindset show immense resilience. These types of individuals are more likely to
persevere in the face of adversity, while those with a fixed mindset are more inclined to give up.
The reason that having a fixed mindset is not ideal, is because you are always looking for some type of confirmation of your intelligence, character, or personality. You tend to evaluate each situation, but are usually closed-minded to having more positive outcomes or thoughts. You may find yourself asking:

● Will I succeed or fail?
● Will I look smart or dumb?
● Am I too old for this?
● Am I too far gone to learn something new?
● Will I be accepted or rejected?
● Will I feel like a winner or a loser?

So what kind of mindset do you have? Do you have a growth or a fixed mindset? I want you to really think about if you are living up to your fullest potential. If you feel like you may be “stuck” with a fixed mindset, there is good news because you are capable of changing! You must know that it is a process and will take some time, but it is definitely do-able.

● Acknowledge and embrace your imperfections
● Stop seeking approval
● View challenges as opportunities

● Replace the word “failing” with learning.
By simply applying these tactics in your everyday life, you will begin to see changes. Things that you usually saw as difficult will be less complex. You may end up loving being a problem solver and accept challenges as they come!

You can do it.