In the worlds of psychology and business, you’ll often hear the terms ‘growth mindset’ and ‘fixed mindset’. Mindset in general refers to the learned attitudes you’ve adopted over time; so a growth mindset is the attitude that you can always change for the better whereas a fixed mindset means you believe that you’re stuck with your natural skills without any room for improvement.
Every single person on earth has one of these mindsets but the best news of all is that if you’re stuck in a fixed mindset, you CAN make changes to shift into a growth mindset. One way to make that shift is to incorporate tiny habits into your routine. Complete these habits enough times and a good habit forms, which can help shift your mindset.
Why do you want to achieve a growth mindset? Quite simply, because the world then opens up a lot more options when you’re eager to grow. Growth mindset means you can learn new things; you can change your lifestyle; you can create a more positive outlook on life which then leads to new opportunities.
Think about your coworkers or friends who complain about their job or their boss. Complainers are usually stuck in a fixed mindset, meaning they think they’re stuck in this cubicle job for life. If they were in a growth mindset, they would be asking for new responsibilities, searching for a new job, or thinking of starting their own business.
What are Tiny Habits?
I’m referring to those small habits that you incorporate into your daily life which help you shift into a more positive growth mindset. A tiny habit might be reading a self-help book every night for 15 minutes; reading not only improves your vocabulary and expands your knowledge but you can put this self-help advice to work in your life. The process of reading, learning, and incorporating this advice will eventually shift your mindset toward growth when you see positive changes occurring.
Here are three tiny habits that can help you shift your mindset:
1. Spend 5 minutes a day visualizing your next career step. Rather than thinking of your ultimate career goal, break the path down into smaller steps. For instance, if you want to start a business, think of what you need to accomplish first before quitting your day job.
2. Recap your accomplishments at the end of the day. Focusing on the positive results of your work day allows you to leave on a positive note. Avoid dwelling on what wasn’t finished; simply put those tasks onto a new to-do list and save them for tomorrow. Knowing what’s on task for the next day also allows you to start the day mentally prepared.
3. Be grateful. Take just a few minutes to meditate or journal about your gratitude. When you recognize all that’s good in life, your daily attitude will naturally become more optimistic. Acknowledging gratitude has also shown to lower blood pressure and stress levels.
You don’t need dozens of tiny habits to shift your mindset. Simply choose one or two to start and incorporate them into your daily life. Soon you won’t even remember life without those habits and you can always add more as necessary.
