Are you the kind of person who is up for anything? Do you welcome changes to your lifestyle? Are you constantly looking to learn something new and challenging? Or are you the kind of person who doesn’t like to change routine? Do you prefer to stick to what you know rather than venture out into new territory? If you answered yes to the first set of questions, you most likely have a growth mindset. On the other hand, if you related more to the second set of questions, you might have what is called a fixed mindset.
When it comes to how people view themselves, their abilities, and how they fuel their behavior, Stanford psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck theorized that these are the two main types of mindsets based on their attitudes to learning and experiencing new things.
Fixed Mindset
People with fixed mindsets view their abilities and personality traits as permanent and resistant to change. They fear failure and don’t venture outside their comfort zone. So they’re more likely to say things like “I’m never going to lose weight” or “I’m not the athletic type”. Because of their fear of failure, they are less likely to try something new or stick to it when it doesn’t seem to be working immediately.
Growth Mindset
People with growth mindsets are the exact opposite. There is a host of benefits to training yourself to think this way but especially in terms of getting fitter and healthier. If you have a growth mindset, these are the ways in which it can help you get to your ideal level of fitness, especially if you are just starting out.
1. You Welcome A Challenge
When it comes to eating healthier or starting a new regime, you see this new challenge as exciting rather than intimidating. You recognize the benefits of doing so and are eager to learn from the experience.
2. You Embrace Change
You adapt easily to lifestyle changes. You might not usually be a morning person but if you needed to wake up earlier to exercise, you would find a way to do it! You’ll see this change as the start to a healthier, better lifestyle.
3. You Are An Optimist
You don’t bog yourself down when a challenge seems difficult. You expect to do well no matter what it is. You don’t let yourself think about whether your skills are enough to pull you through. You’d rather try your hand at something and find out rather than sit it out thinking your abilities aren’t good enough.
4. You Are Process-Oriented Rather Than Goal-Oriented
There’s nothing wrong with setting goals but being fixated on them can lead to disappointment when you can’t reach them. Rather, focusing on the process itself and being diligent and disciplined with everyday practice will bring forth the results automatically. You are also more likely to keep to your commitment for each day, taking it one step at a time. You are not discouraged when results don’t show immediately and are less likely to quit.
5. You View Failure As A Lesson
Failure, to you, is not a harrowing, humiliating experience. You see it as a chance to learn and do better the next time. If you don’t reach your fitness goals in the stipulated amount of time you set for yourself, you are not afraid to find out what you might be doing wrong and try again. You welcome this new challenge with open arms just as you did the one before.
6. You Almost Never Give Up
Your positive view of failure, your optimism, your desire to learn, grow and become better, means that you are not likely to give up on your goals easily. You’re more likely to try and find a solution to the problem than give up on it completely.
This pattern of thinking can really help you get moving and push yourself harder. If you can cultivate this type of mindset, you will find that your fitness goals which seemed far-fetched in the past may suddenly be within reach.
