Importance of a Growth Mindset

In this post, BSP Coach Samantha Uline discusses the importance of mindset on our growth and development. This is extremely important for athletes in training as their mindset can be the catalyst to the success or defeat.

Mindset is everything. In many cases, our bodies can only accomplish what our minds allow for. Meaning, we tend to give up and say “I can’t do this” or “that is past my limit”, when your body is actually capable of more. A mindset may be something you obtain from the environment you are around as a child, but it is also something you can develop and practice. Your mindset is in control of your life and can create opportunities for you, if you allow it.

Essentially, your brain is made up of many different divisions and cells, but in this case, most importantly neurons. Neurons are nerve cells used to gather and transmit information to other nerve cells, muscles and glands. Just like our muscles we can train our brain cells, to retain information or think a specific way. The brain is constantly creating and destroying neural pathways that are used to form our thoughts, behavior patterns, make decisions and choose different actions. The pathways that are continuously used become stronger and the ones that are under-used will eventually be destroyed or replaced.

Now, this leads us to the different types of mindsets. We can either possess a fixed mindset or growth mindset (yes, there are people who are in between the two). A fixed mindset is someone who believes that talent and skill are fairly fixed at birth. Someone who has a fixed mindset believes they can only accomplish so much, there are limitations. This is an example of using the same continuous neural pathways, never allowing for new and exceptional ones to form. This type of mindset, is forcing someone to plateau, never truly expanding their knowledge and pushing their abilities beyond their own beliefs.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have the growth mindset. This mindset is a principle that you never stop improving and learning. This mindset tends to create new neural pathways due to new ways of thinking and applied practices to life, allowing your brain to make more insights and connections to other thoughts or experiences. A growth mindset isn’t something that is easy to obtain, because by nature we like being comfortable and surrounded by things familiar to us. But this new lifestyle is something you can practice and work towards.

A growth mindset is the key to success, in sports, relationships and careers. Take a look at some of the most successful people, Bill Gates, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Lebron James, Bethany Hamilton, Steve Jobs and Kobe Bryant. Although, these individuals come from different backgrounds, career choices and parts of the country, they all have one thing in common…cultivating a growth mindset. It is never too late to develop a growth mindset.

Here are a few different situations the average person might find themselves in.

Scenario One: Someone who has been at the same company in the same position for over 20 years and has never worked anywhere else. Yes, that’s great to maintain a position, but are they continuing to help the company grow? Are they contributing new ideas and projects to their success? Are they allowing themselves to grow as an individual, expanding their knowledge and skill set?

Scenario Two: Every sports team has their star, that everyone can count on to make the shot, finish the point for a kill or shoot the game winning goal. Just because someone possess the skill to succeed, does not mean they will. This person will not always be the star. A college and professional team will have many stars. That is where the separation of mindsets come into athletics. An athlete striving to improve, will have to put the time and effort in to be better than they were yesterday every single day. Now that, is the growth mindset. Someone who is never satisfied by winning a game but always looking at their next move and what they can do better for themselves and their teammates.

These ideas are applicable to anyone, not only someone who is an athlete or looking to start their own business or overcoming a tremendous obstacle. Anyone who trains and practices a growth mindset will set themselves up for success, simply obtaining more knowledge and allowing themselves to think outside their comfort zone. In the book, Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck, she says, “Those with the growth mindset found success in doing their best, in learning and improving. And that is exactly what we find in the champions.” It’s not always about the outcome, it’s about the process and what you have gained and learned from it. The success will follow. Your mindset in life is everything.

Sources:

Mindset, Carol S Dweck (Ph. D)

Association for Talent Development

https://www.td.org/insights/the-growth-mindset-starts-in-the-brain