A growth mindset empowers you to develop your skills and abilities.
Everyone has the power for growth and development. However, people with a fixed mindset don’t see that. A “fixed mindset” is thinking you are who you are and cannot change.
People with a fixed mindset are more likely to:
- Think negatively about themselves and others
- Give up easily
- Have anxiety and depression
- Act defensively
- Avoid challenges
Alternately, people with a growth mindset:
- Love learning
- Thrive on challenges
- Have faith in themselves
- Learn from mistakes
- Are good at developing new skills
Here are four ways you can build problem-solving skills and develop a robust growth mindset
Develop Growth Mindset Tip # 1: Get perspective
The chaos of problems limits perspective. But, when you zoom out and mentally view challenges from a distance, it eases your nervous system and enhances your understanding of the situation. From there, you can respond in the best way for you and everyone involved.
Tip # 2: Notice your skills
You are unique and already use problem-solving skills. Unfortunately, our society has accustomed you to focus on your deficits and take your skills for granted. Fortunately, when you intentionally notice your skills, they become more available to use.
Tip # 3: Do hard things
A growth mindset has you embracing challenges and seeing your effort as the path to mastery. Doing hard things consistently builds confidence, reminds you to ask for help, and develops new problem-solving skills.
Tip # 4: Be kind to yourself
When you end the destructive cycle of negative self-judgment, it expands your emotional bandwidth and increases your odds of success. Become your own cheerleader. Having faith in yourself helps you persist in your goals, even when things get tough.
A growth mindset can enhance every part of your life. Plus, the more you build your skills, the better you become at developing them. Surround yourself with friends who also have a growth mindset so you can inspire and motivate each other to grow.