Shifting from a Fixed Mindset to a Growth Mindset by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

It is easy to become complacent, whether in business, or in life in general. Every so often, it’s important to have a “reset” if you find that you have allowed your work or your personal life to stagnate. Being satisfied with the way things are, or believing you don’t have the power to change them, keeps you in a fixed mindset. When you’re ready to move something forward, like changing a relationship for the better, or increasing your business, it’s critical to switch to a growth mindset.

Here are some tips for making that change

1. Pinpoint the stagnant areas. Do you want to increase business? Do you want a happier marriage? Do you want to increase employee retention? Write down your goals, so that you can focus on where you want to go.
2. Question everything. Look at the way you do business, how you interact with customers, your overall business model. Question it. Remind yourself of why you do it that way, and reevaluate whether or not the model still works. Take a look at your relationships. Are you and your spouse in a rut of not talking or picking fights?
3. Come up with a plan. Here’s where you may need some help. Talk to people who will be affected by the changes and people who will need to change along with you. Discuss ideas you have, and get their ideas as well. Target specific steps that need to be taken to reach the goals of change.
4. Write it down. Document where you want to go and the steps you must take to get there. Be as specific as possible. Be sure that the people who must help you in the change buy into the goals and the plan to reach these.
5.  Make it part of everyday life. The hardest part of shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth one is living it out every day, even when you don’t feel like it. Keep your written goals and steps close at hand, and review them every single day. Over time, the new behaviors that will move your forward will become routine.

To stay in this growth mindset, it is important to regularly reevaluate your goals and the steps you need to take to reach them. It’s ok for goals to change, and it doesn’t make sense to keep working on goals that are no longer relevant. Regular evaluation will help you to stay focused and keep in that growth mindset that helps you move forward.