AGRITECH | How to Cultivate a Growth Mindset for Business People | As an entrepreneur, how do you cultivate a growth mindset? | How can anyone else believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?
Mark Manson offers practical advice in The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck on how to avoid allowing other people to affect your mood. Jen Sincero explains how limiting ideas prevent you from creating the kind of money you actually want in her book You Are a Badass at Making Money.
When the world’s gurus talk about mindsets, they’re referring to your own beliefs and how they can get in the way of obtaining success or personal fulfillment.
Before discussing the advantages of having a development mentality, it’s useful to define the opposite situation: a fixed mindset.
A fixed mindset entails self-imposed limitations, such as those discussed by Sincero in terms of personal money. “It presupposes that our character, intelligence, and creative capacity are static givens that we can’t change in any meaningful manner,” Carol Dweck said in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
A growth mindset, according to Dweck, is “the predisposition to believe that you can grow.” This is the mindset I’ve embraced as an e-commerce entrepreneur and one that I believe you can, too, if you take the appropriate steps.
Combating a pre-existing entrenched mindset
You must be able to admit to yourself if you are now locked in a fixed mindset before you can adopt a growth mindset.
Those with a fixed mindset believe that because intelligence cannot be changed, no effort is required to succeed. Those who have a fixed mindset believe that their inherent talent, talents, and intelligence will lead them to succeed if they stay in their lane.
People with a growth mindset believe that taking on difficulties allows them to perceive failure as an opportunity for learning and growth rather than a sign of incompetence. This mentality allows for experimentation while also acknowledging that intelligence and skill grow with time and experience. As a result, people who have a development mentality allow themselves to put in more effort when they believe in something.
To be sure, most people use both mindsets at the same time, with each one serving a particular purpose in their life. To overcome limiting beliefs, you must first acknowledge them and then choose to think in a different way.
Recognize and accept your flaws.
It’s difficult to grow if you stay in your comfort zone. Consider the following scenario: Consider a period when you were in school and had to cope with a difficult subject. After a streak of poor exam grades, you may have told others, “I’m just not a scientific person.”
If you ever want to improve, you must first quit making excuses, because they will keep you stuck where you are.
Instead, remind yourself, “I’m currently suffering in science, but I know that with more practice, I can improve,” and you’ll be on your way to getting a solid mark on your next test.
Here are 5 steps from the Tiny Buddha blog that might help you through the process of accepting your faults:
#1 When confronted with a negative aspect of oneself, attempt to condense it into one non-blaming word or phrase. “I become angry” could be my response. Someone else’s could be “I can be judgmental” or “When I’m unhappy, I eat too much.”
#2 Think about the statement and ask yourself, “What would you say to someone you loved if they had this flaw?”
#3 Once you’ve come up with a response, turn it around and address it to yourself.
#4 Do a Buddhist tonglen exercise when you’re feeling self-hatred, regretful, or ashamed: breathe in the agony of every other creature who is suffering from the same condition, and breathe out healing and love for all of you. This can serve as a reminder that you are not alone in your flaws.
#5 Develop the ability to laugh at your own human failings whenever possible.
Giving yourself a clear cause to overcome your restrictive attitudes can help (e.g. “I want to get a better grade on my science tests”).
Of course, adopting a growth mindset successfully is a little more involved than that, so let’s delve a little deeper.
Learn to look at obstacles as possibilities.
Challenges, rather than being an impediment, are viewed as opportunities to grow and learn by persons with a growth mindset. People with growth mindsets aren’t scared to step outside of their comfort zones because they see it as an opportunity to learn from the experience, no matter how it turns out.
When was the last time you were forced to do something you didn’t want to do? Even if putting yourself out there was daunting, you’ll probably find that it all worked out in the end — better than if you hadn’t taken a chance. Even if you didn’t succeed.
Accept failure and learn to live with it.
You must accept failure and be willing to take risks if you learn to accept problems and perceive them as opportunities. After all, failure is a necessary element of progress, and fear of failure will prevent you from doing what’s best for your company.
To genuinely cultivate a growth mentality, you must realize that no matter how hard you try, things will not always go as planned.
Consider this: J.K. Rowling would not have been able to sell more than 500 million books worldwide if she had stopped submitting the Harry Potter series to publishers after her first rejection (or the twelfth rejection before it reached Bloomberry).
Learn how to accept (and use) criticism successfully.
The majority of people are unable to tolerate criticism without becoming offended. However, in order to develop a growth mentality, you must learn to view criticism as a positive experience. Accept criticism as a way to grow and learn instead.
Businesses that are forward-thinking promote feedback, ratings, and reviews. When they’re negative, growth-oriented companies use the data to make adjustments.
Remember that criticism is not the same as an assault.
The first step to accepting criticism is probably the most difficult unless you have a thick skin or a lot of experience receiving straight feedback. Because of the conflict, your first instinct might be to strike back or abandon the area; don’t do either. In a professional setting, neither reaction will get you any brownie points. Think of a phrase or two that will afford you a few seconds to calm down and practice squelching that automatic response.
Having a stock response ready, such as “That’s an interesting viewpoint” or “I’ve never thought of it that way,” can help to mitigate the first emotional impact, especially if the comment came out of nowhere and took you off guard.
#1 Put a Stop to Your Initial Reaction
Before you do anything, pause at the first sight of criticism. It’s true. Try not to retaliate in any way! You’ll have at least a second to pause your response. In real life, one second may seem little, yet it is enough time for your brain to absorb a scenario. And it’s at that point that you can stop yourself from making a dismissive facial expression or making a retaliatory remark and remember yourself to keep calm.
#2 Keep in mind the advantages of receiving feedback.
Now is a good time to remind yourself of the advantages of constructive criticism, which include improving your abilities, work product, and relationships, as well as assisting you in meeting your manager’s and others’ expectations.
You should also aim to keep any negative reactions to the individual who is giving you feedback to a minimum. Receiving criticism from a coworker, a peer, or someone you don’t totally respect might be difficult, but keep in mind that even the most defective sources can provide accurate and valuable comments.
#3 Listen for Intent to Understand
You’ve avoided your usual reaction, your brain is working, and you’ve remembered all of the advantages of feedback—high-five! Now you’re ready to participate in a fruitful conversation as your capable, thinking self (as opposed to your combative, Mean Girls self).
Pay attention while the person gives you feedback. Allow the person to express themselves completely without interruption. When they’re through, repeat what you’ve heard. “I hear you stating you want me to deliver more thorough weekly reports, is that correct?” for example.
Avoid analyzing or challenging the person’s assessment at this moment; instead, concentrate on comprehending his or her comments and perspective. Give the benefit of the doubt here—hey, giving feedback to another person is difficult. Recognize that the person providing comments may be nervous or may not be able to communicate their thoughts precisely.
Concentrate on the process rather than the outcome.
Rather than obsessing over whether or not you’re getting the desired goal, concentrate on the process of getting there. Learn to enjoy the process of learning and look for ways to improve as you go.
There are four reasons why paying greater attention to the process can help you get better results according to an article by “The Discplined Rebel” –
Reason #1: It assists you in focusing on the task at hand. Assume you’re studying and completely immersed in your work. And not being continuously distracted by thoughts like “I hope this test goes well.”
Your performance improves dramatically when you are completely concentrated on something.
As a result, paying more attention to the process will assist you in achieving that laser-like focus.
Reason #2: It Makes It Easier to Identify Improvement Opportunities. You become more aware of which individual components are going well and which are not as you focus more on the process.
This improved awareness allows you to see areas where you can improve.
If your mind is always drawn to the end result, it will be difficult to remember all of the minor aspects and how to alter them.
However, if you’re completely immersed in what you’re doing, you’ll see things you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
Let’s imagine you’re learning to play the guitar and you’re completely focused on the end result.
Maybe your ambition is to become good enough to form a band. If you are preoccupied with daydreaming about joining a band while playing, you may miss subtle aspects of your technique that could be improved.
For example, in certain chords, you might not be holding down some of the notes hard enough.
However, if you concentrate on the process while training, you’ll be more likely to notice those minor flaws. As a result, you’ll be able to make more efficient progress toward your objectives.
Reason #3: Concentrating on the Process Makes Achieving Your Goal More Fun
You’re more likely to find intrinsic rewards in whatever you’re doing if you concentrate on the process. Intrinsic incentives are benefits you obtain from inside in exchange for the work you undertake.
Humans have a tendency to revert to their pre-success level of happiness, according to behavioral research. This is known as hedonic adaptation. That dream career, that wanted position, and that opulent apartment become the new normal in no time. We then lift the ante and increase the required dosage, much like a drug addict. We soon pat ourselves on the back and set out to find a bigger mountain to conquer. The sting of failure stays, unlike the high of accomplishment, which fades swiftly. We’re programmed to focus on negative feedback and criticism, so when we take an outcome-oriented approach, we wind up berating ourselves when reality falls short of our lofty goals.
Furthermore, when we concentrate on the end result, things that we ordinarily like become chores. I enjoy writing, but it loses its appeal when I treat it as a tool to enhance page views, conversion rates, or social media likes.
We condition ourselves to extract intrinsic value from the action when we adopt a process-focused perspective. The procedure takes on a life of its own. As the hypnotic power of process draws us in, we enter a state of flow and lose track of time.
We have a right to our labor, but not to the fruits of our effort, according to the Hindu book Bhagavad Gita. It’ll be icing on the cake if the awards come in. But even if they don’t, why cares if the path leads nowhere if you had fun walking along with it?
Reason #4: It assists you in sticking to your objectives. This is accomplished in two ways:
First, learning to uncover intrinsically pleasant aspects of your quest will make it easier for you to stay on track with your objectives. This is due to the fact that you are more inclined to stick with what you appreciate.
Second, most objectives can take a long time to achieve. If you only think about the end result, you could become disappointed because you aren’t making progress quickly enough.
Focusing on the process, on the other hand, is far more motivating. That’s because you’re concentrating on the minor details of your aim.
And in the short term, those small things are far more attainable.
Remember that an impatient mind is one that is outcome-focused. Grandiose fantasies are sparked by a focus on outcomes. We become enthralled by the prospect of gaining celebrity, landing a dream career, or finding the ideal companion. So we start looking for shortcuts, life hacks, and myth-busting advice from self-proclaimed gurus.
This is a surefire way to fail. Pulling on a flower will not make it grow.
If you read any successful person’s biography, you’ll notice that there is no magical “thing.” There will be no overnight success. There was no “a-ha!” moment. Anyone who has accomplished something spectacular has a process-focused mind.
The amateur is concerned with results and expects them right now. The professional thinks long-term and values the process, honing it for years with little immediate gratification.
Rather than creating goals and focusing on them, consider the following question: What is the process that might lead me to this goal? Then, instead of focusing on the goal, compulsively focus on the process.
The outcomes will astound you.
Make time to contemplate on a daily basis.
What is the definition of contemplation? Only the contemplative mind can bring about the shift in consciousness required to create a world that is more loving, just, and sustainable.
Contemplation is the practice of being fully present to what is—in your heart, mind, and body—in order to respond creatively and move toward what could be.
Contemplation is a daily practice of deep listening to better connect with oneself and divine love for many people.
Receiving and being present to the moment, to the now, without judgment, analysis, or critique is what the contemplative mind is all about. Contemplative “knowing” is a more holistic, heart-centered form of knowing, in which the intellect, heart, soul, and senses are all open and receptive to the moment as it is. “This is how you learn to appreciate things in and of themselves. You learn to hold everything—both the appealing and the unpleasant—together in one embracing glance rather than dividing the field of the moment or eliminating everything that challenges your ego.”
In a nutshell, contemplation is entering a deeper quiet and letting go of our normal ideas, sensations, and sentiments in order to connect with a truth larger than ourselves.
How to Make Daily Reflection a Habit
Consider making introspection a habit if you don’t think you do it often enough. Here are some ideas for how to go about it:
#1 Begin keeping a one-sentence journal. Basically, it’s a simple approach to get into the habit of journaling. Try the one-sentence journal if you’ve tried and failed to keep a journal in the past. It’ll be a habit you’ll appreciate, especially when you look back over a year’s worth of entries.
#2 Make it a habit to do it at the same time every day. There are no exceptions. Even if you don’t start a one-sentence notebook, get into the habit of reflecting on your day by setting aside a few minutes at the end of each day to do so. Journaling aids in the crystallization of those thoughts. Make it a daily habit to reflect, whether you write it down or not. Make a list of your objectives, including what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, and where you’ll accomplish it. Then make it a point to do it every single day, at the same time, and in the same spot, with no exceptions. This will assist you to create the habit if you have a trigger (for example, “immediately after I brush my teeth”). Sign up for an online service that sends you a daily reminder at the same time every day if you don’t already have one.
#3 Get some exercise. Consider taking a stroll and spending that time for reflection if you don’t run or perform any other sort of daily exercise. Make a daily appointment with yourself and stick to it!
#4 Consider your day, your job, and your life. That’s the order. Enjoy looking back on your day and considering what went well and what may be improved. Then go over to your entire existence. It’s a three-step process that yields significant results over time.
#5 Make a public statement about it. You’re holding yourself accountable to a group of people if you put your reflections on a blog, a forum you belong to, or merely a LiveJournal account seen by pals. Your views are shared with others, and if others start reading them and expecting them, you’ll feel a positive public pressure to keep up the good work.
Spend some time at the end of each day reflecting on what went well, and what didn’t. It’s difficult to learn if you don’t set aside time to reflect. Making introspection a part of your daily practice might help you recognize how your own behaviors may be inhibiting your achievement before they become a serious problem.
To overcome restricting beliefs, you must be able to shift from a fixed mindset to one that is focused on progress, whether you work for a corporation or have started your own business. At the end of the day, you’re the only one who can decide what you’re capable of; no one else can tell you otherwise.
Do you have any more suggestions for combating limiting beliefs and achieving a development mindset?
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SOURCES:
Entrepreneur
Forbes
The Disciplined Rebel
The Ladders
The Muse
Tiny Buddha
