When we are handed a task, an interesting thing happens in our minds: in a flash, we go into our memory banks and pull up moments of past attempts at the same or similar tasks, from which we determine our ability to successfully complete it.
If you have strong memory of performing a task well, you will have no problem the next time around. However, if you have poor memories about performing the task, your ability to solve it or complete it will be hampered as well.
What has been concluded from extensive research along these lines is our abilities to problem-solve are directly linked to how we perceive ourselves and those around us.
A Stanford Psychologist, Carol Dweck, wrote a book entitled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, in which she lays out two fundamental mindsets that each of us carry:
1. The Fixed-Mindset: This relates to people who believe that they are who they are, their skills are fixed, and no matter how hard they try they will continue to fail. Successful people are purely successful, and failures are failures. Typically, those with fixed mind-sets will avoid challenges or trying new things because they believe that their ship has sailed, or that they're no good anyway.
2. The Growth-Mindset: This is the mindset of those who see their lives as full of potential. They seek out new challenges simply because they believe them to be intriguing and provide opportunities for growth and learning. They tend to see life as full of potential. When they fall short in life, they don't get down on themselves, but see it as an opportunity to learn and get better.
Carol Dweck TED Talk: The Power of Yet
Dweck's point is very direct: These are mindsets, not what some are born with and others not. Anyone can have a mindset of growth and success, but it takes realizing this and making the appropriate changes in how you think about yourself and world.
Here are some tips:
1. Stop blaming yourself: It's easy to get down on ourselves for past short-comings, and from there the spiral of "the universe is out to get me"; but that's simply not the case. Instead of continuous self-blame, look at the short-coming and believe that you can rise above it. If you have a hard time seeing it, find people who can advise you. Once you stop blaming yourself and see your troubles as something to move on and learn from, you'll be in a better place for future growth.
2. Give yourself a 'not yet': If you have fallen short of a given objective or goal, give yourself a 'not yet' grade rather than a 'fail' grade. By doing this, you provide yourself with a trajectory of growth into the future, not a fixed state of affairs beyond which you cannot advance. Like Thomas Edison once said, "I did not fail, I simply found 10,000 ways that don't work."
3. Embrace challenge: Challenges are no big deal; you simply try and see how you do. People with growth mindsets seek out challenges, not because of the end-goal, but because of the process of working through it. They don't run from challenges, they embrace them. They don't see falling short as failing, but just another challenge to overcome.
4. Think development: You are a human being, which means you are always developing, always learning. We have residual beliefs from our days in school that learning only takes place when we are in a course--no. We learn all the time. Humans are beings that learn, by virtue of which we are always developing. If you think of your life as in a state of development and growth, rather than being at a dead-stop, then you will find ways to become better. Is it getting back into shape? Being a better spouse or parent? Being a better manager? Think about how you can develop, not how you might fail.
5. Think hard work: Our society praises the genius; we hold them up on pedestals and kiss their bronze feet. What we often overlook is the pure effort that even genius requires. The saying "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" has been found true. Those who accomplish great things put incredible amounts of effort toward their goals. The good thing about this is that if genius is 99% perspiration, then anyone with time and effort invested in a goal or ambition can accomplish great things. If we see growth as hard work and not as intelligence or genetics that some have and most don't, then we will see and grow in our potential.
6. Welcome mistakes: People, according to Dweck, with growth mindsets see mistakes as mere setbacks, not as something that defines them. In fact, mistakes are all part of success. The great jazz artist, Miles Davis, required that all his band members do not practice before the show, but instead use the performance itself to work their challenges out--he actually encouraged his players to make mistakes! And this from one of the greatest musicians in history. If mistakes are ok, you won't be afraid of making them, and you'll be open to try new things.
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