This topic is hammered from school to work to sports and it can be an infuriating thing to really pin down and describe. We know it when we see it, but seeing it in real time is difficult, because growth takes time. Not to mention at any given time it might seem impossible to realize if we are growing or not.
Do I really think growth mindset is BS? No. But, it is overused.
Here is how we can reframe it to know and realize when we are growing and work to get the most out of it.
Why does it even matter that we or the people we are responsible for grow?
-Growth from doing difficult things can be the cornerstone of confidence in all of life.
-It teaches our mind new ways to critically think and solve problems
-The building blocks of perseverance, which we will need at every stage of life
-In my opinion it’s one of the truest forms of self actualization and it’s fun once your on the other side
#1-Growth starts when comfort ends
Growth is rarely fun in the moment!
Doing something new, at a higher intensity or in a new setting can all be quite uncomfortable. It’s painful, but good coaches & mentors show their worth by guiding you through it.
We can all think of a time when a teacher, coach or mentor helped us through a difficult patch, it usually wasn’t by doing anything tremendous. Just an empathetic ear or an extra dose of patience at the right time moves mountains.
If you find yourself doing something uncomfortable or insurmountable, congratulations you’re growing.
#2-Failure is a good thing
For our working definition failure will be failure + application.
If we fail a test, because we didn’t study chances are we didn’t really apply ourselves.
Failure (+ application) means we tried, it means we applied ourselves, it means we pushed ourselves past comfort to try something new. We went past comfort, we went past what we know and reached.
This is why the mantra of Silicon Valley is “Move fast and break things” developers try to fail early for the greater good so they don’t waste time working on a project that might not ever bear fruit.
#3-Process over Outcome
“I want to be a billionaire”, “I want to be a collegiate athlete”, “I want x”.
Awesome. Think like one, train like one, grow like one.
Work on building. How to eat like a college athlete, how to create a sustainable business, how to refine a lacrosse shot.
Work on the process, the “Hows”, and most importantly act on it everyday.
“A goal without action is just a dream”
#4-Calculated Mindset
We are not in charge of events that happen to us, but we are in charge of our response.
Event + Our Response = Outcome
A Calculated Mindset is about taking accountability of how we think and respond.
Think of this as “your game face” for various scenarios or roles you play in your life.
For me my Calculated Mindset is to be the excited, exuberant, supportive coach for every client that walks through my doors, regardless of what is happening in my life at the moment. I slap the door and “go to work”. This sounds disingenuous, but it is so much of who I am at this point. I only need to “put on a mask” on the really hard days, but those are when I need it the most, as I tend to gaslight myself into a better mood.
When I play rugby my mindset is to be cheeky, sneaky and vocal. Pump up music is more Drop Kick Murphys than Metallica. This is to communicate and organize teammates, have fun and not be bothered when someone else starts chirping on the pitch.
Recap:
-Growing is good
-Get uncomfortable
-Fail often
-How>What
-Use your mindset
Thank you for reading!
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Ian Smith
Owner, Lead Trainer Mountain Speed Strength & Fitness
Evergreen, CO
