Why Mindset Is Everything: A Full Guide
Mindset is everything. The power of the mind is far greater than you can ever imagine. Going through a shift in mindset is going through a shift in your whole perspective towards the world. This new perspective translates into new initiatives and actions, which redirected your life on another path, giving you the opportunity to experience a brave new life.
What Is Mindset?
Mindset is the underlying beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that shape a person’s thoughts and behaviors. It is the lens through which an individual views themselves and the world around them.
Note that mindset is more than just your immediately apparent beliefs and thoughts. Your subconscious thoughts and beliefs are also part of your mindset. In fact, that subconscious part plays an even larger role in shaping your mindset. We don’t usually have full insights and knowledge of the subconscious part in our mind, and as a result we also don’t know full well how it influences our daily activities and reactions to the external world.
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Let’s take the imagery of a tree to illustrate the 3 layers of our life:
The outer layer: This is the visible layer that consists of our actions and behaviors that we display to the world. It’s like the leaves of a tree that we can see and touch. This is the most tangible part of our life.
The middle layer: This layer is like the trunk of the tree that supports the outer layer. It consists of our beliefs and attitudes that influence our actions and behaviors. These beliefs and attitudes are shaped by our experiences, culture, and environment. Usually only the individual can gain access to this middle layer, while others can’t easily and immediately see through this middle layer.
The innermost layer: This is like the roots of the tree that we can’t see but are crucial for the tree’s survival. This layer consists of our deepest thoughts, emotions, and intentions. It’s the layer that determines our overall mindset and shapes the other two layers. It’s where we can find our core values, purpose, and spirituality.
Why Mindset Is Everything?
Mindset is a critical component of personal growth and development, as it shapes how we perceive and respond to challenges, setbacks, and opportunities. Just as the leaves of a tree are affected by the quality of the soil, water, and sunlight, our thoughts and actions are affected by the quality of our mindset. If our mindset is positive and growth-oriented, we are more likely to produce healthy and positive thoughts and actions. On the other hand, if our mindset is negative and limiting, we are more likely to produce unhealthy and negative thoughts and actions.
Let’s say there is a person who used to have low self-esteem and lacked confidence due to their weight and physical appearance. They decided to make a change and started incorporating exercise and healthy eating habits into their daily routine.
Initially, it may have been difficult for this person to stick to their new routine, but they made a conscious effort to push themselves and stay motivated. Over time, they started to see results – they lost weight, gained muscle, and felt more energized and confident in their own skin. They began to enjoy the physical challenges of their workouts and started setting new fitness goals for themselves.
As a result of their transformation, this person not only improved their physical health but also their mental and emotional well-being. They gained more self-confidence and self-love, which positively impacted their relationships and overall quality of life.
As someone looking in from the outside, what will you say? “Oh, this person changed. They decided to hit the gym”, probably. But that’s only looking at the outermost layer. We usually look at the actions, but we may forget that for the actions and behaviors to materialize, the changes must happen from deep within, in the innermost layer, in the mindset.
Changes to a tree don’t happen to the leaves and branches. They happen to the roots. The roots take in a different set of nutrients, these nutrients influence the chemical balance in the tree, and then materialize as growth and improved tree health.
Similarly, radical changes to a person don’t happen if they decide to “change” their actions. To truly change is to shift your mindset, shift your “roots”, and shift your core values. That’s how mindset is everything. By changing your mindset, you changed everything.
Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset
| Aspect | Growth Mindset | Fixed Mindset |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work | A belief that intelligence and abilities are innate and cannot be changed |
| View of challenges | Embraces challenges as opportunities to learn and grow | Avoids challenges as they fear failure and look to avoid looking bad |
| View of failures | Sees failures as opportunities to learn and improve | Sees failures as a reflection of their inability and avoid them |
| Effort | Sees effort as a necessary ingredient in success | Believes that success should come naturally and without effort |
| Criticism | Welcomes constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth | Takes criticism personally and defensively |
| Success of others | Is inspired by the success of others and uses it as motivation to improve | Views the success of others as a threat and feels jealousy and resentment |
| Resilience | Is resilient in the face of setbacks and obstacles | Gives up easily when faced with setbacks and obstacles |
| Potential | Believes that their potential is limitless and can be developed with hard work and dedication | Believes that their potential is limited and predetermined |
Now that we established that mindset is everything, we realize that mindset affects all aspects of our life. And “success” is usually what comes to mind when we think of shifting our mindset.
What is success?
Success is simply the accomplishment of a goal or achievement of something desired. It is a subjective term that varies from person to person and can be related to various aspects of life, including career, relationships, personal growth, health, and wealth.
For some people, success may mean achieving financial stability or career advancement. This is the standard definition of success. Whenever we say “success”, this meaning springs up. But this is a pretty limited definition of success.
For others, success may be related to personal growth and development. Developing a new skill, learning a language, or overcoming a personal challenge are all success. For others, success is when they have a happy and healthy family life or a strong network of friends and colleagues.
Ultimately, success is a personal definition that depends on an individual’s values, beliefs, and goals. It can be achieved in many different ways and is not limited to any particular area of life.
How Mindset Affects Success
To be “successful” at whatever you want to achieve, you need to be in the right mindset. From the right mindset comes the right emotions and attitude, from the right attitude comes the right actions to materialize into success.
Our mindset determines our ability to achieve our aspirations. Those with a growth mindset usually achieve more than those with a fixed mindset because they are receptive to learning and growth.
A person with growth mindset view challenges as learning opportunities, instead of obstacles. They are ready to take on difficult tasks, and with effort, they overcome them, thus acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary for success. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are unchangeable, making them avoid challenges and setbacks, leading to stunted growth and ultimately hindering their ability to accomplish their goals.
Those with a growth mindset also set achievable objectives and develop plans to realize them. They understand that success is not just about natural talent, but also persistence, hard work, and the willingness to learn from their mistakes. They focus on the process of achieving their goals, which leads to greater success in the long term.
How Mindset Affects Relationship
To best illustrate this, let’s use a list.
Phrases of people with a growth mindset:
- “I’m sorry, I’ll work on improving that.”
- “I value our relationship and want to make it work.”
- “Let’s work together to find a solution.”
- “I appreciate your feedback and will use it to grow.”
- “I am open to learning and growing with you.”
Phrases of people with a fixed mindset:
- “This is just the way I am, you have to accept it.”
- “You should just know what I need/want.”
- “I don’t see why I should change.”
- “I’ve always done it this way, and it’s worked for me.”
- “I’m not the problem, you are.”
How To Shift Your Mindset
1. Identify your current thought patterns
The first step is to identify any thought patterns that may be holding you back. To do this, you need to develop a higher sense of self-awareness. Take time to be aware of your breath, usually through meditation practices. Actually you don’t have to sit down and start a whole “meditation” session to be meditating. You can meditate in literally whatever activity you are doing. Here are a few actionable tips for you:
- Slow down and stop doing things on autopilot
We often go through our daily routines without really paying attention to what we’re doing. We just do it, sometimes like a robot. Slow down and start to live consciously. For example, try typing more slowly than usual or taking a few deep breaths before starting a task. You don’t have to rush.
- Train yourself to be more aware
Whenever you catch yourself lost in thought, return to the present. At first you may not be able to be aware of your thoughts drifting away, but as you “muscle up” your mind, you’ll slowly be better at it.
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- Practice mindfulness
One of the best ways to develop awareness is through mindfulness. Take some time each day to focus on your breath or an object of your choice, and really pay attention to the present moment. Even when you scratch your head or turn pages in your notebook, do it with intention and awareness.
- Witness your thoughts
Randomly check in on the thoughts that are going on in your head, but don’t give them energy. Instead, just observe them like a curious bystander. This helps to cultivate a sense of detachment from your thoughts, which can lead to greater awareness and clarity.
2. Reframe negative thoughts
Once you’ve identified negative thought patterns, work on reframing them in a more positive light. Reframing does not mean denying or ignoring the reality of our problems. It means finding a different way to look at them that can help us cope better and feel more optimistic.
For example, instead of thinking “I’ll never be able to do this,” try reframing it as “I may struggle at first, but I can learn and improve over time.” Or instead of thinking “This is a disaster,” try reframing it as “This is a challenge that I can overcome.” You can also use positive affirmations, such as “I am capable,” “I am worthy,” or “I am resilient.”
Remember that reframing is a skill that takes practice and patience. Don’t expect to change your thinking overnight. Be gentle with yourself and celebrate your progress. Just keep in mind that you have the power to choose how you think and feel. Thoughts come and go.
Here is an interesting example: when things are misplaced, your job is to rearrange that thing. After that, you let it go. Thoughts are like that. You look at the thought, acknowledge it, then let it go.
3. Practice gratitude
To cultivate a strong sense of gratitude, it’s important to make it a daily habit. Take a few minutes each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for in your life. It can be as simple as being thankful for a warm bed to sleep in or a loving family. When you focus on the positives, it helps to shift your mindset towards a more optimistic outlook. Instead of dwelling on the negatives, you’ll find yourself feeling more content and appreciative of what you have. So start today and make gratitude a daily practice in your life.
4. Take action
Finally, take action towards your goals and dreams, even if it’s just small steps. This can help build confidence and a sense of accomplishment, which can in turn shift your mindset towards a more positive outlook. Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things – even if you fail, you can learn from the experience and grow as a result.
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