"Everyone knows somebody that needs to read this book (Perseverance) !" –Kathie Lee Gifford, Live on NBC’s Today Show
"Perseverance offers… profound insight for all of us seeking to lead a meaningful life." –Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of A Whole New Mind
»More Reviews
Buy Perseverance
How Important is Your Mind-Set?
What allows some people to eclipse the realm of the possible? Are they really the exceptional ones, or is there more to the equation than mere luck?
Unconventional success redefines what we consider possible—it’s success that has not yet been defined by others. Essentially, this means clearing a path through uncharted territory.
The first step in achieving anything is defining your vision. As a start, begin by asking this powerful question: “What do I want?”
Of course, it’s all too easy to gloss over that kind of question without giving it much thought. But without knowing the answer—your answer—you probably won’t get too far.
Once you have a vision of what you want, the next step you’ll need to take is one that leads you toward finding courage. Courage is associated with bravery and overcoming fear, and in order to discover that courage, we must give ourselves permission to choose a different path, to be unconventional.
We talked about clearing a path, so finding the one you’ll take is entirely up to you; there is no specific path that you must follow. Broadly speaking, the course you chart boils down to your mind-set. In his truly remarkable book, The Pursuit of Perfect, Tal Ben-Shahar discusses why one’s mind-set is so critical with regard to his or her path. I’ve read and studied much of the research Ben-Shahar mentions and agree completely with his discussion on a fixed versus a growth mind-set. Although the notion is identified by two different labels, be sure to remember that individuals change constantly. We may have different mind-sets depending on the situation, but we may also have one that exists along a continuum between “fixed” and “growth.” Here, the golden nugget is that nothing is set in stone!
Very simply put, a fixed mind-set is the belief that our abilities (such as intelligence or personality) don’t change. On the other hand, a growth mind-set is the belief that our abilities do change. [An aside: Considering the paragraph above, what type of mind-set do I appear to have at this point in time?]
For a person with a fixed mind-set, hard work is threatening, it indicates that her abilities are limited and that, by extension, she is, too. After all, if she were gifted and talented, then she wouldn’t need to work. Not wanting to appear deficient, and given her belief that nothing can be done to remedy a deficiency, she constantly feels the pressure to prove to herself and to others how smart, competent, and perfect she already is.
The experience of a person with a growth mind-set is radically different. For her, hard work is not only necessary, it is also fun and exciting; she enjoys the journey because, rather than trying to prove herself constantly, her primary focus is learning, developing, and realizing her potential. In addition to being happier, a person with a growth mind-set is more persistent in her efforts and is therefore more likely to succeed. -Tal Ben-Shahar
Think About It:
Do you feel like you can relate to either or both of these mind-sets?
Deciding to create change in your life is a huge step in itself, but we often underestimate the amount of strength it takes to turn that decision into action. It can be incredibly scary to know what you want even while you fear achieving that outcome. It’s definitely a very unsettling feeling, and if we let it take control of us, then change is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Here, it comes down to your mind-set overpowering your fears and feelings.
Gregory Berns, a leading neuroscientist, says that innovative thinkers (like the creative geniuses who make the impossible possible) are able to create extraordinary change because, “They overcome mental barriers that stop most of us cold.”
Sounds simple, right? Okay, well maybe not simple, but certainly possible.
Now let’s circle back to our focus: How important is your mind-set? If you want to create your own path to success, your mind-set is critically important.
A New Series Focused on the Journey of Unconventional Success
This topic is my passion, and it’s my goal to help you believe in yourself and your ability to create change. To do this, I am beginning a weekly series focused on the journey—the how—of unconventional success. Each week, we’re going to ask questions that reveal information about the “how” versus the final destination. Next week, I’ll launch the series and provide a way for you to ask specific questions.
—
If you would be interested in sitting in the hot seat or know someone who would be interested, please e-mail me: carolynblog (at) me (dot) com
… or connect with me on twitter: @clrsimple2
—
Unconventional Success Mini-Series
- 3 Essential Ingredients for Creating Unconventional Success
- 10 Inspirational People Who Have Redefined the Road to Success: Part One and Part Two
- What do you want?
- How Important is Your Mind-Set?
Related "ripples" you might enjoy:
- What do you want?
- Between the Mind and the Pen
- 10 Inspirational People Who Have Redefined the Road to Success (Part Two)
- 3 Essential Ingredients for Creating Unconventional Success
- Are the odds in your favor?
This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 9:01 pm and is filed under Goals & Productivity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
10 Responses to “How Important is Your Mind-Set?”
Leave a Reply
Hey Now Carolyn,
I really enjoyed this post.
Thx 4 the info,
Catto
Twitter: clrsimple2
says:
Thank you for your comment. I was beginning to wonder if anyone had read the post!
This was a perfect post for me to read today. It combines two things for me – my search to figure out what I want (it has really been occupying my thoughts lately and I can’t seem to answer the question) and the idea that I may need to change my mindset regarding my current work situation. Thank you for giving me new perspective and some things to think about.
I enjoy reading your blog. I am delurking so you know more people are reading the post :)
Twitter: clrsimple2
says:
I am so happy that this post sparked some new thoughts for you. And thank you so much for commenting – I really appreciate your support :).
I am in love with this blog. The blogger is the most beautiful person inside and out!
Twitter: clrsimple2
says:
Oh my gosh you are the sweetest sister in the entire universe, Kimmy. I think you’re more beautiful inside and out – we’re sisters (we have to fight!). HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Twitter: benspoont
says:
What an awesome post!! You are definitely using a growth-mindset :)
This is a fascinating series and I cannot wait to read more. You have a natural ability to inspire and make complex things simple to understand :)
Twitter: clrsimple2
says:
Thank you, Ben — your comment means a lot to me. It’s my goal to make the complex a bit more simple — little bite size pieces of information and inspiration! I’m happy that my blog is beginning to do that!
Hi Carolyn. I enjoyed reading this and it reminded me of how inert we can be sometimes. Answering the question: ‘What do You want?’ is possibly one of the hardest questions we can ask ourselves in life. Everybody wants to go in a different direction in life but most people don’t know which direction, once we figure that out we can break the spell of inertia.
Looking forward to your new series.
Twitter: clrsimple2
says:
Thank you for reading and commenting, Steven. Love how you put it, “break the spell of inertia” – so true. Thank you again for chiming in!