All through my life’s journey, I have come to realize that people think about and understand their abilities and potential in two main ways. These include; fixed mindset and growth mindset. It is these two views that have completely changed my attitude towards challenges and personal development.
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For a long period, I lived with a fixed mindset. I thought that my abilities were cast in stone. This is who I am. This is what I’m good at, and this is all that I would ever be able to do.” Whenever new challenges came up, they made me scared because of being afraid of failure as well as proving myself wrong to others. Therefore, anything that made me feel uncomfortable or pushed me out of my comfort zone was avoided.
However, with time the truth dawned on me; this mind set was holding me back. What seemed to make significant improvements in their lives were people around me who embraced challenges as opportunities for growth. They didn’t fear failure but considered it the next step to improvement. With this realization, I became curious about the growth mindset.
The perspective of a growth mindset is about assuming that you can develop your abilities through commitment and hard work. It is realizing that right now is just the beginning while you can make it better with effort and resilience. This approach has been a game changer for me.
One of the biggest changes I had to make was learning how to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. In other words, this meant challenging myself beyond my comfort zone. At first, it was not an easy thing to do. I always preferred staying in a safe place where there were no chances of making mistakes. However, by remaining there, I could not grow.
I started small. I began setting myself some little challenges. For example, if it were at work, I would try doing tasks or assignments that everyone else disregarded because they thought they were difficult or too hard for them, in particular me. With every task like this one that I attempted; I got more self-assured about myself as my competences improved.
One of the most memorable experiences in my life was when I decided to explore public speaking. Public speaking terrified me always. The thought of standing before people and talking used to make me highly nervous. All the same, it is something that had to be done for me to grow personally. I joined a local public speaking club where I started gaining experience. However, this soon changed. This helped me understand that each time I did one; I improved by learning from mistakes and receiving feedbacks.
This implies that being comfortable with the discomfort also means being open to criticism and feedback. In my earlier years, any kind of criticism was so personal or just another way of pointing out my inadequacy like not having what it takes to measure up against someone’s expectations. Now, when someone criticizes me, it means an opportunity for growth as an individual with more knowledge than previous time through a critical review rather than being judged negatively.
Furthermore perseverance is another important component of a growth mindset. There are moments in our lives when things do not go as planned and it is easy to get discouraged however Perseverance is the key word here for growth because without determination goals will never be reached.For example ploughing on regardless in bleak situations, continuing to work on your dreams even when it seems impossible etc.
It has not been an overnight thing for me to change my mindset. It necessitates ongoing attempts and introspection on my part. At this juncture, I still have moments when I don’t believe in myself or want to remain in my comfort zone. Yet, every time that happens, I remind myself that only as far as I am willing to be uncomfortable and confront challenges can there be any growth.
One of the most transformative decisions I’ve ever made is embracing the growth mindset. This allows me to view difficulties as opportunities, become comfortable with being uncomfortable and always strive to get better knowing very well it might not happen. The journey is long but worth it. If you are prepared for discomfort and growth, anything can occur.