Ever since Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, there has been plenty of research exponentially trying to explore the potential of the growth mindset. It is said to be the key to unlocking our ability to learn and grow in many areas of our life. But while creating a supportive environment is important, we must also take part in activities that contribute to our development. Through planning and engaging in these growth mindset activities, we can not only foster a positive attitude towards learning but also enjoy the process of growing.
A growth mindset is a belief that with effort and consistency, success can be achieved – no matter the challenges faced or the setbacks encountered along the way. This mindset has become essential for entrepreneurs wishing to maximize their potential and grow their businesses. With this outlook, entrepreneurs are more likely to take risks, invest in resources, and receive feedback positively in order to develop and improve their brands.
Understand the Basics: What is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is a concept developed by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck in her 2006 book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Simply put, it’s the belief that intelligence and talents can be developed through effort, dedication, and perseverance. In other words, it’s a way of thinking that helps you realize your highest potential by expanding your existing skillsets. With a growth mindset comes the understanding that failure is merely a stepping stone to success and that every mistake offers an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve.
12 Activities For Encouraging Entrepreneurial Growth Mindset
Growth mindset activities can help cultivate a better attitude toward learning and discovering new things. They’re especially helpful for younger individuals, but even adults can glean great benefits by incorporating such activities on a regular basis. As the quote goes,
“The best time to grow a tree was ten years ago. The second best time to grow one is right now.”
So if you’re keen on seeding yourself with the right growth mindset, give any of these activities a shot and see just how far you can go!
Do Self-Exploration
As entrepreneurs, one way to shift our mindset to a growth-oriented approach is by engaging in activities that challenge us and encourage us to push our boundaries. A great activity to do is self-exploration by watching the short video “Lost Generation.” This two-minute video will inspire discussion around how our current attitude affects our future and how we can alter this course by changing our mindset. Use this video as an opportunity to ask yourself:
- What happens when we embrace a growth mindset?
- How do our decisions affect our paths in life?
Even if you cannot do this group exercise with others, you can still benefit from it by reflecting afterward on your own feelings towards the video.
Identify Everday Mindset Examples
Identifying everyday examples of fixed and growth mindsets is key to understanding how our attitudes affect our behavior. For this activity, start by gathering sheets of paper or typing out a list. Then, write down different everyday situations to determine if they reflect the behavior of either a fixed or growth mindset. Some examples include phrases people use, opinions on challenges and failure, how they handle adversity, etc. To get the most out of this activity, have a basic understanding of both types of mindset first and then do it as a group so you can discuss your answers.
Develop New Skills and Perspective Constantly
Adopting a growth mindset means that entrepreneurs need to become constantly engaged in new learning experiences and stay alert to more efficient ways of reaching the top. Staying up-to-date with trends and industry changes can help you stay ahead of the game and be better prepared for any eventualities. As your surroundings begin to mirror what you learn then positive change will come, allowing you to think creatively outside of your usual scope of operations. With this new outlook, doors of opportunity open that were impossible before — giving you an edge in the business world.
Put Into Action
For entrepreneurs looking to build a growth mindset, one activity to try is taking action. Starting something fresh and new can be intimidating, especially if you have a fixed mindset. However, pushing past the fear is necessary in order to cultivate a growth-oriented attitude and behavior. This means testing out different passions–even those outside of your usual preferences–and learning more about them. Taking action like this allows entrepreneurs to gain meaningful knowledge while also forming lifelong skills.
Practice Self-Reflection
Retracing your journey to success can help you note how far you’ve come, both professionally and personally. It will help you to recognize that when starting something new it’s normal to not be good at it from the beginning. Think back to the challenges that came up in the first days of work or starting a new project. Reflecting on what worked well for you and what didn’t can help you figure out which challenges aren’t worth tackling again and which are worth putting in extra effort to persevere through next time. As progress is made with any new skill or activity, document or reflect on the changes so that patterns or common themes can be identified over time.
Focus On Progress, Not Failure
Growth mindset is all about progress, not perfection. It encourages us to focus on learning and growing from mistakes rather than seeing errors as failures. By this logic, setbacks become opportunities to grow and learn, making a mistake no longer the end of the road but simply part of a journey to becoming better. This way of thinking helps entrepreneurs reach higher goals in their businesses as unforeseen setbacks won’t deter them. Understanding how to utilize a growth mindset both fiscally and mentally can give you every advantage imaginable when it comes to reaching goals and realizing success.
Listen to Criticism and Use it to Improve Your Business
Successful entrepreneurs rely on a growth mindset which allows them to make the most of any situation and look at feedback, ratings, and reviews as an opportunity to learn and grow. They don’t take criticism negatively but rather see it as a means of self-improvement. Growth mindset activities such as taking courses or workshops, listening to podcasts, learning from mentors and coaches or attending events can help entrepreneurs boost their growth mindset and improve their businesses.
Understand the Power of Neuroplasticity
Entrepreneurs should embrace the concept of neuroplasticity and use it to their advantage. Neuroplasticity studies illustrate that the brain has an amazing ability to grow and adapt no matter what age we are. By engaging in activities that challenge our brains, we create pathways that can help us improve certain tasks, skills, and knowledge. A few examples of activities entrepreneurs can do to tap into their growth mindsets include doing puzzles and reading literature that step outside their comfort zones. By actively pushing oneself out of their comfort zones and fostering a sense of discovery, entrepreneurs can learn more about themselves and further unlock potentials they didn’t even know existed.
Actively Look for Learning Opportunities
For entrepreneurs looking to develop a growth mindset, taking part in activities that focus on learning and growth can be incredibly beneficial. These activities can include challenges outside of their usual industry or comfort zones, teaching them how to manage uncomfortable situations. Even if they may not become experts in the new activities, they can still build confidence and gain knowledge that eventually can help them grow their business. Moreover, continuously investing effort and pushing forward – even when it seems tough – is the foundation of developing a growth mindset.
Develop Grit
Grit is what gives someone the determination to complete any challenge that is put before them. It’s a measure of grit and resilience, showing one’s willingness to face difficulties head-on. To develop grit, find something that you enjoy and test yourself by pushing your own boundaries and capabilities. This will help improve what you’re good at, as well as foster confidence in your abilities. Being around people who have already achieved success through dedication and perseverance can also help develop grit. Surround yourself with those who are relentless in their goals; imitating their behavior will lead to similar results over time.
Let Others Inspire You With Their Success
Growing a successful business demands a growth mindset, the idea that you can improve your skills, attitude, and knowledge by learning from challenges. To maintain a growth mindset, entrepreneurs must not be driven by envy of other people’s success but instead, allow themselves to be inspired by it. Reaching out and asking for advice demonstrates the strength and portrays an ability to learn; these are both traits of any successful entrepreneur. Additionally, forming connections with people through advice-seeking activities strengthens social abilities while also gaining insight. Ultimately, having a growth mindset is crucial to the development of the entrepreneurial journey.
Final Thoughts
Entrepreneurs can develop their growth mindsets through various activities. Experimentation is essential to find the methods that yield the best results for each individual. By trying different activities, entrepreneurs will build their growth mindset from the ground up and start to shape it into a tool they can use to move forward in achieving their goals.