Personal Growth:
8 Qualities of an Optimal Mindset
8 Qualities of an Optimal Mindset
Ready to GROW?
At Ascentim, those words are magic to our ears. This month, we’re talking about mental health and part of that includes developing a growth mindset to accomplish your goals. It takes determination and focus, but it is well worth it because learning should be a lifelong process.
Personal growth itself is a worthwhile pursuit. For many, it’s their primary purpose in life to better understand themselves, the world around them, and how they can best contribute to it. It also makes for a great season of self-reflection if there are particular attitudes or behaviors you’d like to change. Having the right mindset will bolster your efforts and maximize your growth.
I work with clients every day who are growing, changing for the better, and improving their lives in so many ways. There are certain qualities that lend themselves best to the development of an optimal mindset for personal growth. Without further ado…
Get Your Mindset Right
#1 – Keep an open mind: To grow, we must consider new perspectives, ideas, habits, and beliefs. If you’re set on approaching the world around you through a single unwavering lens, you’re missing out on differing world views and limiting your own potential for a fuller life experience. To maximize growth, keep your mind open to all the possibilities.
Consider this: If your approach to work and relationships has always been the absolute perfect way, wouldn’t you already have everything you want? Maybe, just maybe, you could benefit from trying a new approach. How willing are you to look inside yourself and find the answer? Are you open to the idea that your objectives could change based on new information you discover about the world and yourself?
#2 – An interest in learning: We can’t gain new insights or skills if we aren’t interested in actually learning them, can we? For many of our objectives, there are clear steps we need to take to get from here to there. You may need to learn about goal setting or project management. You may need to learn how to overcome fear, be a better communicator, or increase your self-discipline.
To be everything you are truly capable of being, you have a lot to learn. The truth is that every single one of us has a lot to learn, no matter how far along we are on our individual journeys.
“It is only through failure and through experiment that we learn and grow.” — Isaac Stern
#3 – The willingness to fail: Beginner’s luck? Not for most of us! Learning new things usually means we have to accept that we won’t get it right the first time. It may take several flops before we achieve success. Whether you’re working on your public speaking skills, training on new technology, or taking violin lessons, there will be mistakes and failures along the way – and that’s totally okay as long we learn from them and keep moving forward.
Try reframing failure as an opportunity to learn. When you know better, you’ll do better the next time!
#4 – The desire to experiment: If you don’t have all the answers (and none of us really do), it might be time for some experimentation. Doing something the same way over and over again and not getting the result you want? Maybe it’s time to try something else.
Should you eat a vegan, vegetarian, or paleo diet? Try them all and see what works for you. You can’t be certain what you want to have, do, or be until you’ve experimented and found the best answer for yourself.
#5 – The ability to set your ego aside: Your ego may pose a significant barrier when it comes to maximizing your personal growth. Your ego will convince you you’re right… even when you’re wrong. It may cause you to blame others when the fault is actually your own. It can also make you afraid to fail – or to reexamine your life. Set it aside for a bit and see what happens!
Give Yourself Time
#6 – Value improvement over perfection: Change doesn’t happen overnight, but seeing a little progress each day can be quite powerful. Perfection may never come, but progress can be made one milestone at a time. Challenge yourself to celebrate the small wins. When you can cheer about a 1% improvement in whatever you’re working on, you have the perfect mindset for personal growth.
#7 – Have patience: Personal growth is an ongoing process. It may take decades to become the best possible version of yourself. Even figuring out an ideal sleep schedule can take several weeks of trial and error. It takes time to overcome social anxiety, lose weight, or master a new sport. If patience doesn’t come naturally to you, it might be worth exploring the ‘why’ further!
#8 – Determination. Change and growth aren’t for the faint of heart, and it takes more than a wish or a proclamation. To change your life, you may need to change the way you move through life. Bravery, courage, and determination will help you push through obstacles and setbacks. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t – because you CAN do what you set out to do. You just need the determination to see it through.
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” – Tommy Lasorda
As you can see, there are no shortcuts on the way to personal growth (although there are coaches who can help you streamline the process – call me!) If you can maintain the right mindset for growth, you’ll find it easier to accomplish your goals. Grind alone is not enough. You’ll need a little finesse too!
My best advice is to stay open, stay curious, and be patient. Use the list of qualities above to check in on your mindset and see if any of them need a little extra work before continuing on your personal development journey. And if you need a helping hand along the way, I’m here for you.
Lisa L. Baker is a professional life coach, career strategist, and keynote speaker. Lisa is the founder of Ascentim – a Maryland-based coaching practice that utilizes a unique G.R.O.W. process to help clients gain clarity, realize new possibilities, overcome obstacles, and win at life. Lisa shows high-performing professionals how to Level Up and Live the Life of Their Dreams.