What are growth mindsets, and how do I get one?
That’s not a typo in the title. I didn’t mean the power of “Yes.”
Consider the power of the word. “Yet” is equally as powerful a word when you allow it to have a meaningful presence in your life and career growth.
- “I don’t know how to deliver an amazing presentation…yet.”
- “I’m not ready to lead a team of people…yet.”
That one little word says a lot about how capable you believe you are, and your confidence in your abilities impacts everything. If you aren't exactly where you want to be now, you will be soon. "Yet" acts like a professional cliffhanger—where the next chapter or episode will be so exciting and different.
Now, how do you get there?
What Are Mindsets + Why Do Mindsets Matter?
First, let’s learn about mindsets.
Specifically, the work of Stanford psychology professor Carol Dweck focuses on fixed and growth mindsets.
Fixed Mindsets
People with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence and talent can’t be changed; either you’ve got it or you don’t. They spend most of their lives avoiding challenges, giving up easily, and believing extra effort is pointless.
Growth Mindsets
On the flip side, those with a growth mindset believe intelligence can be developed. This creates an innate hunger for learning and persistence in facing challenges. In other words, those with a growth mindset believe in the optimistic promise of “yet.”
Studies have shown that people with a growth mindset learn more and are more successful. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to order the growth mindset, please.
Now that you have an understanding, let’s talk about ways to impact your performance at work and better your career planning by using the simple concept of “yet.”
Creating a Growth Mindset With "Yet"
1. Throw Your Hat in The Ring
Do you want a promotion? Say so. And then do the work to prepare yourself.
You won’t be great at everything right away, and that’s okay. Chances are, it will take practice.
You’ll need to test many approaches and strategies to determine what works for you. But it all starts with being willing to put yourself out there and tell people what you’re interested in learning. Being communicative about your goals—even if they seem far off—is a great step to empowering yourself.
2. Learn From Failures + Try Again
It’s inevitable. Eventually, you’ll try your best, and it won’t go as planned. So what?
In scenarios like that, what matters most is that you get up after you fall. Don’t let one situation prevent you from trying again. Persevere in the face of challenges, and you’ll grow no matter what.
Learning by trial and error is a powerful way to learn.
3. Ask For Feedback to Stimulate Real Growth
Keep track of how you’re performing. Asking for feedback can be extremely helpful for personal growth, and it’s also a concrete way to demonstrate to your boss or colleagues that you care about your performance. Just make sure you’re prepared to hear critique; if you become combative or defensive, people might not be as willing to give you feedback in the future.
Go into those conversations with an open mind. If it turns out your work has some flaws, believe in your ability to improve. That way, it’s fine if you’re not good at color balancing, accumulated depreciation sheet balancing, or high beam balancing…yet.
4. Encourage Others
Sometimes, when you’re stuck in a fixed mindset, you’re not as psyched when those around you thrive.
It’s tough for you to be excited for them without being critical of yourself. Instead of focusing on what they’ve got and you don’t, celebrate their success. And then, most importantly, ask them how they got there.
A little competition isn’t necessarily bad if it’s used to motivate you rather than drag you (and others) down.
5. Repeat, Grow, Repeat
We’re all a mix of fixed and growth mindsets, but educating yourself on the differences is a great first step. Once you start to notice those fixed reactions in yourself, take care to manage and actively will yourself to adopt more positive, growth mindset qualities.
What’s on the other side of self-doubt and negativity is more rewarding than most of us realize. Small changes over time can lead to major developments in work and life.
