Our thoughts matter. The way we think about our abilities has a real impact on our behavior. 

While we can’t control what it’s on the outside, we can control how we react. Our mindset affects our responses, interpretation, and decision-making. The power of our perspective allows us to shape our experiences and affects our lives’ success. 

Our body will follow the mind. If we tell ourselves that we are not good enough, we will never reach the next level. So let’s avoid the psychological trap. Intelligence and ability are not fixed quality. We can build those abilities. We can change our intelligence. We can become better.

For example, growing up in Guatemala, there was little to no technology around me. If I wanted to get on the internet, I had to go to an internet cafe and pay for the service (far away from where I lived). I grew up having a minimal amount of education in computers. But when I came to the United States and saw all the opportunities that technology and computers offered, I needed to learn more. I had a growth mindset, which allowed me to challenge myself by going into a field that I knew very little about and no one in the family had taken. And I thoroughly enjoyed the process! By finding joy in the journey, I learned that even if I failed, I was still progressing.

Of course, we don’t always have a growth mindset. There are times when we might have a fixed mindset. But we must learn to catch ourselves if ever in the position. We can ask ourselves whenever we start to shy away from a challenge. Am I walking, turning this challenge down because I don’t care or am afraid to fail?  

Types of mindsets

There are two different types of mindset: fixed mindset and Growth Mindset.

A person with a fixed attitude thinks that intelligence or talent is fixed. A person with a growth mindset believes you can change your intelligence/talent through practice. For example, a person with a fixed mindset will likely say, “I am just not good at math.”

While a person with a growth mindset would think in something like, “Math is challenging, but I can improve with practice.” See the difference here? They are both facing the same problem. But how they think about it differs. 

What can help you have a growth mindset:

• Manifestation
• Ask what you could do better next time
• When you hit a roadblock, find a way around it
• Focus on the process
• Don’t be afraid of challenges
• Focus on learning over achieving 
• Enjoy the process of growing
• Learn the skill of learning
• Motivate your peers to get better
• Let go of the image of perfection
• Celebrate effort, not just success

While it might seem like we are chained to our capabilities, we are not. No one is born with everything. We can all improve over time if we persist and put in the effort. A growth mindset will help us achieve the desired result, drive us to success, and help us in our personal growth journey.