“Your view of the world affects what you believe.”

Mindset is the way you approach the world and what you believe to be true. Think about that for a second. Your view of the world affects what you believe. When it comes to success, your mindset is the most important predictor of your future.

There are two types of mindset: growth mindset and fixed mindset.

• People with a fixed mindset believe that these qualities are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable.

• Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that these abilities can be developed and strengthened by way of commitment and hard work.

In short, Those with a fixed mindset, who believe their abilities are set in stone. Those with a growth mindset, who believe their abilities can be developed.

How Mindsets Are Formed

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, Dweck suggests that many people are trained in the two types of mindsets early in life, often through the way they are raised or their experiences in school. As a Certified NLP Practitioner, I’ve learned our conscious mind isn’t fully formed until the age of 7. Between the ages of 0-7, our subconscious mind is soaking up everything around us like a sponge and shaping who we will become as a person. When we reach the age of 7, all that information our subconscious mind soaked up forms what we believe about ourselves and the world. Crazy, huh?

Fixed Mindsets

• Children who are taught that they should look smart instead of loving to learn, tend to develop a fixed mindset.

• They become more concerned with how they are being judged and fear that they might not live up to expectations.

Growth Mindsets

• Kids who are taught to explore, embrace new experiences, and enjoy challenges are more likely to develop a growth mindset.

• Rather than seeing mistakes as setbacks, they are willing to try new things and make errors all in the name of learning and achieving their potential.

Your mindset plays a critical role in how you cope with life’s challenges. A growth mindset can contribute to greater achievement and increased effort. When facing a problem such as trying to find a new job, people with growth mindsets show greater resilience. They are more likely to persevere in the face of setbacks while those with fixed mindsets are more liable to give up.