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I had a conversation today that really brought ‘mindset’ to life for me. The person I had the conversation with is a friend, who has another friend that wants to get into the same line of business as Adaptas. My friend, (lets call them ‘M’) introduced me to their friend (lets call them ‘T’) 48 hours ago (in person or IRL).

Since that first conversation 48 hours ago T has contacted me 3 times with thoughts/ questions/ ideas on courses they might attend. I have happily responded with my thoughts.

On an early morning walk this morning, I mentioned to M that T has been in touch a few times. M was shocked and expressed concern that T is taking advantage of me.  I explained to M that I am happy to respond and it is no problem.

Getting under the hood of M’s beliefs as to why they believe T should not be in touch with me so much, we have established that M believes that it is not correct to ask for support more than once. I only met M less than a year ago and many times I have seen how M is not achieving many of their dreams and aspirations for their life. M has a few limiting beliefs that are holding them back, including this belief re. asking for ‘support’. And I think a lot of us hold that belief.

I explained to M, that T has a growth mindset, and that adopting a growth mindset can help any one of us to overcome obstacles and get to where we wish to be in our life and career. I don’t know T well (only 48 hours) but I know that if I get to a point where T is sending me too many messages,  I can tell T that this is the case, and T will be open to that feedback. Why? Because I already recognise from our conversations so far that T has a Growth Mindset.

Let’s define what a growth mindset and limiting beliefs are.

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning. This means that you approach challenges as opportunities for growth and see failures as opportunities to learn and improve. On the other hand, limiting beliefs are negative thoughts and attitudes that hold you back and prevent you from reaching your full potential. They are self-imposed restrictions that limit what you believe is possible for yourself.

Many people have limiting beliefs.

These limiting beliefs that many of us hold are often beliefs such as “I’m not good enough”, “I’m not smart enough”, “I’ll never be successful”, or “I’m not as good as others”. These beliefs can be deeply ingrained and hard to shake, but they are not based in reality and are holding many of us back from reaching our full potential in life. I have seen over the years, both in myself, and in my clients that by recognising and challenging these beliefs, every one of us can start to adopt a growth mindset and see challenges, and setbacks as opportunities.

Adopting a growth mindset can have a profound impact on your life.

Adopting a growth mindset helps you to see challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles that hold you back. It encourages you to embrace new experiences and take risks, knowing that failures are simply stepping stones on the path to success. And most importantly, it helps you to develop a deep love of lifelong learning as a human being.

So, how can M adopt a growth mindset and overcome their limiting beliefs? Here are a few tips to get M started:

1. Recognise their limiting beliefs: Take some time to reflect on the negative thoughts and attitudes that hold them back. Write them down and challenge their validity.
2. Embrace challenges: Instead of avoiding challenges, embrace them as opportunities for growth. Approach each challenge with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.
3. Celebrate failures: Failure is a natural part of the learning process, and it should be celebrated, not feared. Instead of viewing failures as setbacks, see them as opportunities to learn and grow.
4. Surround themselves with optimistic people: Surrounding ourselves with optimistic and supportive people can help to reinforce a growth mindset. Seek out individuals who encourage and support our growth and development.
5. Keep learning: Continuously seeking new knowledge and experiences helps to maintain a growth mindset. Stay curious and keep pushing to learn and grow.

For my friend M, adopting a growth mindset and overcoming limiting beliefs is a journey that will take time and effort. But, the rewards will be well worth it. By embracing challenges, celebrating failures, and continuously learning, I know that M can live a more fulfilling life.

Dr. Celine Mullins, CEO adaptas, Author of Our Learning Brain and Developing Learning Habits