Adopting a Growth Mindset

Having a positive mindset can impact many areas of your life. Taking time to assess your natural mindset is a great way to reflect and make adjustments. When was the last time you thought consciously and critically about your outlook?

Mindsets can vary greatly from person to person. Some see the cup as half full, while others see it as half empty. This analogy may be cliche, but it’s an excellent example of just how different various mindsets can be.

What Is a Growth Mindset?

Having a growth mindset means acknowledging that your skills, abilities, and position in life are not fixed. Instead, they can grow and develop with time. Individuals with a growth mindset know that when they struggle with something, it’s not an excuse to stop, but an opportunity to improve.

Let’s go over an example of what a growth mindset is not. Say a student fails a science test and decides they’re never going to be good at science. Because of this, they stop studying or attending class. This is not a growth mindset because the student doesn’t acknowledge that, though they’re having a hard time now, their abilities could improve in the future.

If this student instead adopts a growth mindset, they might study extra hard, seek additional learning resources, and meet with a science tutor. This willingness to accept a gap in their abilities and therefore a need and desire for growth is the foundation of a growth mindset.

Changing Your Mindset

Having a growth mindset can be extremely beneficial, but how can you change your outlook? This is not a simple question, nor does it have a simple answer. Achieving a growth mindset takes work and continual adjustment. A great way to start would be speaking with a mental health professional about your goals and why you’d like to have a growth mindset.

Another excellent way to adopt a growth mindset is to keep a journal. Reflecting on past journal entries can help you examine times when you didn’t have a growth mindset. Use this information to improve your outlook in the future.

Adopting a growth mindset can better your mental health and make it easier to accomplish your goals.

If you’ve been struggling lately with recovery or life in general, consider evaluating your mindset. Mindsets are so important and can impact how you view every area of your life. If you’re ready to discuss growth mindsets further and improve your mental health, feel free to give Avalon Malibu a call at (844) 857-5992. We’re always here to answer your questions and provide you with further information about the services we provide. It’s never too late to adopt a growth mindset and develop a more positive outlook.