Why Is Your Mindset Important In Your Life?
Two types of mindset.
There is a perception out there that there are primarily two types of mindset that control us.
The “Fixed” mindset and the “Growth “mindset
Studies seem to indicate that people with a growth mindset seem to achieve more and be more fulfilled in life.
They participate and move with life, creating an overall superior experience .This gives them a sense of control and contentment in their day to day activities. Optimisms and enthusiasm so becomes more of a trait found in these individuals
The fixed mindset personality is of the opinion that their life has been largely predetermined.
Their skills, potentials and hence successes are somewhat out of their control. This feeling of powerlessness, often leads to a mode of abandonment.
They tend to abandon striving for things to accomplish and progress in their life. In some cases it extends even into moral abandonment. All of this tends to sway these persons into a pessimistic frame of mind.
Some other Significant differences.
The two different mindsets control the attitudes and perception of control that a person has over their life.
A primary issue, is how a person views obstacles or mistakes and their response and attitude toward life’s inevitable hindrances when they happen.
A fixed mindset person, is inclined to become more easily discouraged and far more apt to give up at the first setback encountered. Alternatively the growth mindset individual, with their more optimistic outlook, could view the exact same scenario as a growing or learning opportunity. They would try and make the best of the situation and attempt to turn what may initially have been perceived as a negative experience into a learning experience, Something that can be used in future to either avert aor more easily cope with future similar situations.
So based on the above, it is clear that the fixed mindset does not allow much room for expansion, learning and the associated prosperity. The growth mindset on the other hand is the more positive and fruitful approach to life, leading to more focussed action and consequential success and achievement.
Does our mindset affect other areas in our environment and physical being though?.
Whilst being more productive and successful, possibly better off financially is likely something worthwhile, the question comes up , whether there are any physical or other consequences.
The obvious first question would be whether our mindset can have any significant impact on our health and wellbeing.
Evidence suggests that a person that is more pessimistic and despondent, actually has different hormone production compared to a happy and content person. That being said, the growth minded individual will consequently have a different biochemistry than a fixed mindset personality.
Medical research has shown that the hormones produced when a body is stressed are more likely to cause an occurance of ill health. If for no other reason than the bodies defences against viruses and infections being at a lower level. Also the time to recover from illnesses and ailments takes longer, for the same reasons.
So people with a growth mindset, whilst also being happier and healthier, tend to become ill less often.
Your Control over your mindset.
Psychologists and other mental care professionals are of the opinion, that the mental outlook of an individual is to a large extent controllable by that person. So ultimately you have the ability to control your health to some extent, by altering your mindset.
The good news is that your mindset type is not set in stone. Even though you may have been operating from a fixed mindset point of view your whole life,. This does not mean that you cannot now turn that around. You can decidedly shift your mindset to a growth mindset and choose to take control over your health, wellbeing and ultimately your life to a greater degree than before.
So if you are stuck in a pessimistic and depressed lifestyle, be aware that you actually do have options to move away from that into a more positive life experience.
Obviously you need to be willing to do this, open to alternative points of view and above all, willing to actually act upon new found knowledge and insights. Taking small consistent steps in the right direction is the best way to achieve positive results here,
There are different strategies as to how to progress in this quest.
The most effective seems to be the same one that the multitude of highly productive and prolific people use, the “turtle” method.
Simply put, it is slowly taking one focussed step at time into the right direction. Oblivious to anything around you.
You may think that this would be difficult with all the distractions we face on a daily basis. However it is the most likely to move you forward.
When you hear of overnight successes and 3 day miracle whatevers, those may be true for those people, but would they work for you?
The truth is you don’t know.
What you do know is that having simple easy daily steps is within your reach. If that step is small enough to not be a burden, you can easily do it. Guiding these steps in the desired direction, will guarantee you move to a more desired state. Easily, surely.
You identify what you need to be doing, break it down into small enough parts, and then make it a priority to internalise that one part only, until it becomes second nature to you, like a habit. You then move onto the next part.
Slowly but surely, the new and desired parts, will replace the old flawed parts.
It may be a slow process initially, but like a snowball, it will gather momentum with time. And the results are virtually guaranteed.
In conclusion,
Look at your mindset. Where are you now. Do you have a fixed and inflexible mindset?.
Or would working on your mindset and making it a more fluid and growth orientated mindset improve your life?
Only you can answer that question.
When you have your answer, do some more research and then take some action.
Just a tiny bit of fun action. But do something. Your Mindset can make all the difference.