Growth Mindset- The Success Mantra
Of paramount importance now than ever before!
This is a 2-part series.. which, we hope, will enable you to come out successfully from the present VUCA (Volatile-Uncertain-Complex-Ambiguous) situation.
The NCOVID pandemic is rapidly changing the world. Businesses are at a standstill or moving slowly, resources and inventory is lying idle, people are worried about stepping out and going to the office.
Every aspect of the economy as we know it, will never be the same again. Financial experts are of the opinion that the economy will bounce back albeit, very slowly.
What do we need to come out of this situation .. first.. COURAGE , second.. PATIENCE and third… HOPE. How are ‘courage’ , ‘patience’ and hope connected to a ‘Growth Mindset’ .. you may ask ?
During the lockdown, every time I step out to buy essentials, I see the policemen and policewomen, working tirelessly, to ensure that people adhere to the norms. And it makes me admire their courage .. knowing that they too can catch the virus, they are willing to take the risk and do their duty. They have the patience and hope, to not give up and keep encouraging people, persistently, to stay at home and be safe.
What makes some people come out of any changing situation, more stronger and successful ? How can I learn this technique ? These were the questions that came to my mind and for which I started searching answers.
As individuals we get habituated to manage and live life in a certain way and it has worked well for us, all these years. However, during any change, the challenges are different and the suddenness of the situation makes us scared and not knowing “what next”, makes us depressed. Behavioural Masters say, every change comes with an opportunity !! And the ONE THING that can help us see this opportunity, is our ‘MINDSET’ and to succeed in the current change, we need a “GROWTH MINDSET”.
What Is A Mindset ?
Mindset is defined as “the established set of attitudes held by someone”.
What is a Growth Mindset ?
The term “Growth Mindset” was coined by Stanford University Psychology professor Carol Dweck. She worked with thousands of children, accumulating decades of research and found that success in the classroom had less to do with innate ability and everything to do with mindset.
In “Growth Mindset”, you believe your abilities can be developed, such as: intelligence can improve with study and practice, or physical abilities can improve with training and effort. Plus, challenges and mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.
A Growth Mindset needs courage to take risks and make mistakes, and patience and resilience to allow yourself to come out of your comfort zone and learn new things.
This contrasts with “Fixed Mindset” in which one believes that smarts and talents are innate, fixed traits that can’t truly be cultivated. This often leads to limiting beliefs such as: if a person is good at something, she is “smart,” but if that person is not good at something, then she must be “dumb.”
While there are many inspiring stories of people with a Growth Mindset, sharing one such story here –
PAULAMI PATEL
12-year-old Paulami could have never foreseen that her family’s traditional summer vacation to Hyderabad in 2001 would change her life forever.
That year, a terrible accident left her with 75-80 per cent burns and an amputated arm. Paulami was shattered – but not so much that she could give up on life. Sixteen years and 45 surgeries later, Paulami is perhaps one of the most resilient and strongest persons you will ever meet. She now runs her family business, which deals with heavy machinery, and is happily married to her childhood sweetheart.
“I never thought that I’d meet with an accident and little did I know that it was going to change my life forever. But it happened anyway, and there was nothing anyone could do to undo it. But what I could do was fight back. There were two choices—either give up and drown myself in self-pity or make peace with the situation and face it with a smile. I started seeing everything as an opportunity rather than a hindrance. And that’s what made the difference!
Our next series will cover ‘How can I develop a Growth Mindset’. ** Before we close, like Paulami, all of us are faced with a situation that is unexpected and sudden. And going back to where we started, I want you to don a Growth Mindset Hat (colour of hat is your choice!!) and ask yourself, do I have the ‘courage’ to do what is needed to succeed in this situation and do I have the ‘patience’ and resilience to dig my heels, learn new things and not give up. Write down what choices do you have to see this situation as an opportunity and what can you do now that will make a difference to your personal and professional life.
