Do you have a growth mindset?

Prior to becoming a coach, I had a pretty fixed mindset. I would say things like “I’m not great at skiing,” “I am just a disorganized person,” etc. I would say it about anything that didn’t come naturally to me. Being a good student that achieved lots of academic accolades with minimal effort, I felt like anything that didn’t come naturally to me meant that I would never be good at it.

 That is one of the most subtle but limiting beliefs that many of us hold. Do you catch yourself saying things like “I’ve never been able to successfully start a business, so I am not meant to be an entrepreneur,” “I am terrible at saving money, so I will never own a house,” “I will never be great at communicating,” etc.?

An important part of a mindset shift is beginning to notice when your inner (or outer!) voice says these things and start asking yourself things like:

• Could I be good at skiing if I actually committed time and effort to improving?

• Could I truly never be organized? If it were a matter of life and death, could I learn to be more organized?

• If I really wanted something, would I find a way to save money? Do I have any experiences in my past of successfully saving small amounts of money?

•  Just because you may have failed at starting a business, does that mean you would never be successful (think Thomas Edison and his hundreds of failed inventions)?

Please don’t allow past behavior to limit your future expectations for yourself. Anyone can choose to improve, grow and redefine themselves, and that starts with subtle shifts in your mindset.

For tips on how to get into a Growth Mindset, sign up for The Free 7-Day Mindset Challenge!