HOW TO THRIVE IN TODAY'S WORLD
There’s no doubt we have experienced some unusual events in the last few months. For many people it has resulted in fear, stress, isolation and grief. Yet others have continued to thrive. Why is this?
What makes the greatest difference in my view, is someone's ability or inability to remain resilient. Current events are developing rapidly and if we are to thrive in today’s world, we need to acquire a growth mindset.
No matter what is going on in the outside world, I want you to thrive on the inside because that is where your results will come from.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:7
God’s word often talks about the importance of managing our mind. It tells us we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind. More than ever before, science is proving how such a thing is possible. Transformation in this case, is akin to growth.
Through decades of studying the human brain aka neuroscience, we now know our brain is capable of changing and developing as we train it to become enormously resilient.
Even our capacity to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit it He asks us to change our course or ability to believe our faith can increase depends on our willingness to change and grow. This is why increasing our growth mindset is even more important.
Yes, we have each been given a measure of faith. But are we using the entire measure we have been given? Increasing our capacity to employ our faith is necessary if we are to fulfill our calling.
If you were born in the 1970s or earlier, it’s quite likely that your parents encouraged you to study or work in the area of your talents because that was the only advantage they thought you had to meet the challenges of our society in those days. If you resisted or preferred a different path, you were thought to be uncooperative or a negative person.
Mindset development starts soon after birth. All babies are born with a growth mindset. Then they learn over time, to adopt the mindset of their caregivers.
Parents with a growth mindset encourage their children to try new things and inspire them to keep learning. Parents with a fixed mindset often judge their children, even shaming them to enforce what is right and wrong, good or bad.
Yes, of course it’s important to teach little ones right and wrong from a young age. What makes the difference is how the children are taught. But that is another topic for another day.
Because you have already read this much of my article, you likely care deeply about helping others become all they can be. If you are a coach and getting resistance to your coaching, it might mean your client isn't ready for coaching. Or, it could be that despite their willingness to be coached, they may be stuck with a fixed mindset.
The good news is that with work, a growth mindset is possible. By the way, some resistance is normal, so if your clients experience this, it can be overcome.
Have you ever heard someone say “I am who I am and that’s all I’ll ever be”? We used to accept this as true but now we know better. The truth is that someone who is comfortable telling you they will never change either doesn’t know they are capable of changing or simply doesn’t want to, maybe both. This is an example of someone with a fixed mindset.
We used to believe that people with rags to riches stories were either lucky or blessed. What we didn’t know then, that we know now is that our mindset has a lot to do with what our life turns out like. If we continually stretch ourselves and take on new challenges, we will learn and grow. We will realize greater possibilities. Willingness to try new things and learn is a sign of a growth mindset.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your
mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good
and acceptable and perfect."
~ Romans 12:2
“Nobody has to be a victim of their surroundings when developing their own mindset. The brain can be trained like any other muscle: if we want a growth mindset, we can teach ourselves to think that way one step at a time,” says Carol Dweck, Ph.D., author of the book, Mindset.
Anyone can acquire a growth mindset even though most of us were not raised to have one.
A “growth mindset” is a trait that all successful people seem to have in common. It is useful for every area of our lives because it takes something that was previously impossible to the realm of possibility.
People with a growth mindset believe that their intelligence and abilities in any area can be developed by study, work and effort. The good news is that anyone can nurture their skills in any area.
Do You Have a Fixed or Growth Mindset?
The answer may surprise you!
Those who possess a growth mindset are far more resilient, studies show. Resilience helps us overcome challenging or difficult circumstances. Increasing resilience has never been more important.
Those with a growth mindset don’t see a failure as a setback, rather a challenge to be overcome eventually. Neuroscience /neurogenesis has demonstrated that our brains are able to transform and rewire themselves to perform more efficiently. In fact, the primary goal of our brain is to perform as efficiently as possible.
Many people find it difficult to change their thoughts because their brains seem to keep thinking the same things over and over again. Have you ever experienced this?
Here's an example of how learning about the growth mindset can help us.: During our certification program for Joy Restoration coaches, students learn that if someone is ready to leave their grief behind, they need to learn new thought patterns. I teach the coaches in this program how to help their clients interrupt unwanted thoughts so that their desired thoughts become their “default” setting. The result is improved quality of life with increased joy and fulfillment.
It’s important to understand that it’s not easy to change a fixed mindset. For many people, likely some of those you will coach, fixed thinking has become somewhat of an emotional crutch. Because fixed mindset people shy away from change and avoid taking actions in order to protect themselves from failure, they gain the comfort of a known environment with very little risk.
But you, by the power of God inside you, equipped with solid skills, can help others make these important changes so they can become all they were called to be.
Be sure to order your FREE Mindset Quiz at https://educonnect.lpages.co/mindset-quiz/.
~ Matthew 11:28-30 |
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