As each of us go through life, we are all faced with many challenges, some we handle easily…and some challenges we struggle with. These challenges can come from our work, school or from outside of our job. Of course, not knowing how to handle each and every challenge that comes our way is a natural phenomenon. None of us are born with an answer to all questions or problems - but we all have a unique set of talents which we need to develop in order for us to grow. As a matter of fact – our greatest growth spurts come from overcoming challenging situations.

When we face challenges we don’t know how to handle, its normal to feel overwhelmed by the situation and may think that navigating our way out of the challenge is something we “can’t do” or are “not good at.” The phrases “I can’t do ____” or “I am not good at ____” are probably my least favorite phrases and ones that I have heard many times from people of all walks of life. I dislike it because it already limits an individual’s potential even before anything is said or done. It imposes a sort of rigidity.  As someone famous once said “Whether you think you can…or you can’t…you are right.”

These phrases are examples of what is known as a “fixed mindset,” a term used by renowned Stanford Psychologist, Carol Dweck, who developed a scientifically backed theory around our ability for growth and skill development.

So what is a fixed mindset? A “fixed mindset” is a belief system that is characterized by a view that our intelligence, skills, character, and abilities are givens which are inherent and cannot be significantly improved. This mindset views success as an affirmation of our genuine ability, while it views failure as the lack thereof. Thus, this mindset causes us to try and avoid failure or challenges in order to maintain an image of being smart and successful.

The opposite of the ‘fixed mindset’ is the ‘growth mindset,’ which embraces failure and sees it as an opportunity for meaningful growth and skill development. In the ‘growth mindset,’ the abilities of an individual are things that can be vastly improved through effort and experience. It does not put a limit on your potential, and instead emphasizes that learning and development are the keys for tapping into that potential.

The major difference between the two mindsets is that one creates a passion for life-long learning while the other creates a thirst for approval. Another study done by Stanford University researchers found that embodying the ‘growth mindset’ closes achievement gaps among students by 30-50%. Thus, applying this mindset has powerful implications in all areas of life because it allows us to understand that our skills are dynamic and fluid, and that we can control our achievement and success through effort, learning and experience.

America’s promise is that anyone can be successful if they are willing to work hard.  In order to be successful – you first have to BELIEVE you can…and you have to be willing to fail…again and again…learning new lessons each time.

Thomas Edison – one of America’s greatest inventors is credited with the quote “I haven’t failed.  I have just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”

Be brave and courageous.  Accept failure as a normal part of growth (like learning to ride a bike)…but always try to make NEW mistakes instead of repeating the same mistakes over and over.

By Steve Scruggs