Growth Mindset

I do work in the area of Emotional Intelligence as well as Resilience and I came across an article that put these two schools of thought together. Generally, many of these articles start with titles that read “5 ways to…” or “8 things you can…” When I see this, I almost immediately scroll to the bottom and expect to be underwhelmed. Many of these lists are filled with generic, common-sense information that is not very helpful because it’s not challenging. But as I started to look at the list in the article linked above, several phrases grabbed my attention and I noticed something. I’m not sure the author intended this at all, but I’ll list a few of these phrase observations here to see if you can pick up on what I did.

• Waste Energy

• Reject 

• Let Tragedy

• Lock Themselves Away

• Limit Themselves

Do you see it? The article was about what emotionally resilient people don’t do. These are phrases from a fixed mindset. Waste; reject; lock; limit. These are words that are debilitating. Words that feel like being trapped and imprisoned. Then it hit me. People who don’t walk in resilient faith have a fixed mindset about life and their role in it. They have a fixed mindset about God and what he is able to do. It’s likely their faith is stale and stagnant, or their faith is set in traditions that are cyclical and look the same week to week, unlike the vibrant God that we read about in scripture. For whatever reason, perhaps from no fault of their own, they don’t think in ways that unlock doors, release bonds, and allow freedom. 

A resilient mindset is a journey toward a growth mindset. What Dr. Carol Dweck, the woman that coined the phrase “Growth Mindset,” stated in her 2016 Harvard Business Review article on the subject is telling. “...it’s still not easy to attain a growth mindset.”

Resilience is about navigating rough terrain and triumphing over obstacles. Resilience is about the journey of overcoming. Withstanding is what happens in the midst of adversity. There is no need to be resilient if there is no adversity just as there is no growth mindset without development, hard work, and collaboration. A resilient mindset is not easy, nor is walking in faith.

In order to move from a fixed mindset to a resilient, growth mindset, consider these strides:

Challenge your doubts - Call out your negative self-talk or ask people that know you best to help you. Recognizing a fixed mindset is the first step to changing it. Then apply faith to your negative talk.

Shift your routine - If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you've always got. When challenging times come, try a different avenue to a solution. Praise instead of complaining; cry out to God instead of crying to a friend; trust instead of doubt.

Find the Key - If you feel locked down or trapped, don’t stay there! Don’t wait for someone else to come. You have to do something. God provides ways of escape for his children; look for what he has provided and unlock the doors!

Refresh your vision - What did God say to you or about you? Has that vision gone stale? Renew your commitment to the call and craft of God in your life! Renew and reimagine what God has assigned you to do.

Submit yourself - Perhaps it’s time to take your hands off the wheel for a season. Find a coach, therapist, or leader and follow them. I don’t know a lot about NASCAR, but I know this - the person driving makes a huge difference!

That last point is significant. Philippians 2:5 says to have the same mind or same attitude that Christ has. The way you something, view it, think about it, and control it isn’t the best way. The best way is the way Christ sees it, and the way Christ sees you. Trust that, believe that, and walk in Resilient Faith.