Two ideas you should know to fire up your Growth Mindset
I was once at a hospital, and I could not stop gazing at the ECG monitor with its graph making its crests and troughs. I realized how our lives, when plotted on a chart, will be very similar to this image — full of ups and downs. Without this, our life will just be a dull and boring straight line.
When you think of this line on an ECG monitor, you know that you’re in for some bad news. These ups and downs are proof that we’re living a life.
The strongest are those who have the will to convert those downs to ups.
That is an upward battle.
These few also happen to be the ones who possess a Growth Mindset.
Before you start developing your Mindset, here are two ideas you need to know.
1. Life is what you make of it
I look around to see people sad and dragging themselves, every single day — either to their jobs or in their relationships. If you identify with such unhappiness, accepting it is the first thing you should do.
The instant you are finished reading this post, head to the mirror, and look at your face. Smile wide and remind yourself of your blessings, and KNOW that you have the power to keep yourself happy.
I am not suggesting that you have to be all chirpily happy and continuously laughing, 24*7 — that is inhumanely impossible. But, if you analyze your life and find that most of it are just you being sad and waiting for life to get better, then you need to make better choices. You need to choose to exit your life’s auto-mode and wake up.
You need to be grateful for whatever you have as of today and solidify your relationships at the same time. You are the product of all choices that you make, and that is the first step in developing a growth mindset.
2. Your Self Esteem is a Constant Work in Progress
Your self-esteem is the value you assign to yourself.
Most people in this world tend to nurture a victim mindset — always criticizing, constantly picking faults in others, and treating this world in a hostile manner. People with an optimistic approach tend to view every challenge as an opportunity to grow, and every obstacle, a reason to learn.
Here’s a quote from The Fight Club which summarizes it well:
You’re not your job.
You’re not how much money you have in the bank.
You’re not the car you drive.
You’re not the contents of your wallet.
You’re not your fucking khakis.
You’re the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
It is normal to have self-doubts about your abilities or get anxious before a major presentation. Still, you should be courageous enough to deep dive into yourself and know that you’ve got what it takes and that you’re worth the opportunity.
I picture my self-esteem like a plant. Till the time, I am watering it, and taking good care of it; I am making it grow. Sometimes, I have to weed out some parts of it to prevent the infection from spreading. As long as the ultimate goal of nurturing it is honored every day, I’m a happy plant owner who is doing her job well.
As for your self-esteem, can you say the same?
I have The Growth Mindset blog called Empower To Strive (https://www.empowertostrive.com). How about subscribing to my newsletter and getting more articles like these straight in your inbox?
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