Written by Alex Walker, Digital Projects Assistant
Every single person who has ever done anything competitive shares one common thought: “What makes some people so good at what they do?” I’m talking about the Sidney Crosbys, the Steve Jobs, the Michael Jordans, and the Serena Williams. Not just athletes, but everyone in the world who is the very best at what they do.
They all have one very simple thing in common: the mindset.
They’re all natural born winners. Have you ever heard a person of this status say that they’re good enough, and they don’t need to work any harder? I would be surprised if the answer was yes. Every interview I have ever seen from a high-end talent has been the same thing: “I can do better”, “There’s always something to work on”, and “There is always something to learn”. This is what separates the good from the great. Psychologists all over the world have studied this ideology, labeling it as a ‘Growth Mindset’.
The growth mindset has been attributed to almost all successful professionals. A growth mindset is used to describe the beliefs that people have about learning and intelligence. People with this attribute see no end to how much they can learn and absorb; they believe in themselves. This becomes an incredibly important trait to a person that works in an ever-changing industry, such as digital marketing and digital sales. I don’t want to sound like a typical ‘modern’ agency brat saying: “This is the way of the future!” and then jump on the bandwagon, but it is… and we should… With that being said, what are the key differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset?
Challenges
In a fixed mindset, one would avoid challenges, and stick to what you know to keep your confidence. In a growth mindset, one would embrace challenges and see them as an opportunity to learn and gain more confidence.
Obstacles
In a fixed mindset, one would give up when faced with an obstacle because they’re worried about failing. In a growth mindset, one would persist, as they see obstacles as yet another learning tool and opportunity to grow.
Effort
In a fixed mindset, one would see effort as a pointless thing, as ‘you either have the skill, or you don’t’. In a growth mindset, one believes that effort is the only way to master a skill; that everything is possible to anyone if they put in the effort.
Criticism
In a fixed mindset, one would take every type of criticism as an insult, and discard it. In a growth mindset, one would take criticism as a teaching point, or use it to fill their drive and prove others wrong.
Success of Others
In a fixed mindset, one would feel threatened when they see a friend or a coworker being successful. In a growth mindset, one would feel happy for the success of others, and use it as a lesson or as inspiration to do better themselves.