One of the beautiful pieces of being human is our ability to change, learn, and grow. When we make a mistake that feels like the end of the world, shifting our attention to what we can learn from it helps lessen the sting of embarrassment. When we hold a perspective that differs from the people around us, but we’re willing to engage in a tough conversation, we open ourselves up to potential growth. Through the conversation, we may see things in a new way, or we may even inspire the other person to think about it differently. In both cases, growth is occurring. Another example of how we continually grow and evolve happens every time we face challenges. When we’re afraid, uncertain, or anxious about an upcoming situation or interaction, yet we face it head-on, we are teaching our brain that we can face scary, tough things and survive. When we face our fears, we often realize it wasn’t as terrifying as we originally thought, and we are stronger than we imagined.
As you can see, we encounter growth opportunities all the time. The more we can lean in and embrace these moments, the more we will gain from the experience. As Carol Dweck explains in her Ted Talk, we get to choose to operate out of a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Individuals with a fixed mindset often feel like failures when they make an error. They run from the mistake, doing everything in their power to avoid a future mess-up or imperfection. People with a growth mindset, however, view mistakes as opportunities. Through a growth mindset, we welcome new challenges and learning.
The good news is that we can all work toward a growth mindset. Even if our current norm is to get stuck in a fixed way of seeing ourselves or a situation, we can shift to a growth mindset. “In one study, we taught [students] that every time they push out of their comfort zone to learn something new and difficult, the neurons in their brain can form new, stronger connections, and over time they can get smarter.”
As you encounter tough situations and conversations this week, observe which mindset you automatically fall into. The ultimate goal is to approach challenges with an open mind. Ask yourself, “How can I work through this in a way that pushes me to grow, instead of giving up or digging in my heels?”