Do you feel like you are stuck in a rut either in your personal or professional life? Perhaps you are unable to move forward or to achieve the levels of success that you want. Well, if so, you are not alone. A number of people are held back by one of the biggest obstacles in their lives – their fixed mindset.
The reason for this is that most individuals have a static idea of themselves. Unfortunately, this means that they never really take the initiative to develop themselves so that they can evolve or blossom into someone better. If you are serious about transforming yourself and taking those vital steps forward, you are first going to need to change this mindset of yours.
This was proven by research conducted by Standford professor Carol Dweck when she examined the idea of changing students’ mindsets. She found that people who believed that they could change aspects of themselves were more likely to achieve success.
Now, there is no denying that this will not be a simple process. It is going to require determination, practice, and patience on your part. However, if you make the necessary effort, you will be able to expand your mindset and reap the benefits of this transformation. So, with this in mind, here is what you need to focus on doing.
Even if you use yoga as a way to improve your fitness levels and become healthier, you can’t ignore the fact that it has a positive impact on your mind and emotions too. In fact, there are studies that show that yoga can actually help to change certain structures in your brain. Let’s focus on the part of the brain that pertains to your mindset – namely, the superior parietal cortex which is concerned with directing attention. Scientists have discovered that yoga devotees are more likely to experience an increase in the size of this area of the brain. Thus, they are a lot better at re-directing their attention to desired topics or matters.
However, by practicing yoga, you have more control over your attention. As a result, when these negative thought patterns appear, you will be able to direct them to more positive concepts. To put it simply, you are able to change from “I can’t do this” to “Ican do this”.So, how does attention link up with changing your mindset? Well, the idea of a fixed mindset can often stem from negative thinking patterns and self-talk. If you are constantly bombarded with thoughts that say you can’t change something or achieve a certain goal, you fall into the habit of succumbing to those negative voices.
Meditation is a rather large part of yoga and offers many benefits as far as your mindset is concerned. There are studies that prove that meditation, especially those linked with yoga practices, have an impact on your brain. To be more specific, it increases the amount of grey matter which is associated with self-awareness. So, the more meditation and yoga that you practice, the better you are at being self-aware.
As you can imagine, this plays a rather large role when it comes to your mindset. By being aware that your potential is not limited and that you can continuously grow and learn, you are already freeing yourself from the bonds of your current mindset. You are able to accurately analyze who you are and what you are capable of, allowing you to move forward in your life.
In addition to yoga and meditation, it is also important to ensure that other aspects of your life are geared towards promoting mental and emotional wellness. This includes leading a healthier lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, doing moderate amounts of activity, and solid sleep patterns.
To change your mindset, though, you need to stop viewing failure as something linked to your capabilities. One way to do this is to understand that it is normal to make mistakes. Even the richest, most intelligent, or most successful individual has been unsuccessful at some point.A fixed mindset can make any obstacle or failure seem like the end of the world. With this attitude, it will not take much for you to believe that it is your lack of talent or ability that resulted in your setback. This is what makes you remain in that cycle of belief that you have created for yourself.
So, what separates them from you? The answer is – they didn’t stop trying. Failure doesn’t mean the end of the road, it just means that you have to find a new way of doing things. So, rather than blaming your intelligence or talent, try to come up with another way to solve your problems. And yes, this can sometimes mean strengthening a current talent or even learning a whole new one, just so that you can come up with a solution.
One of the most prevalent pieces of advice that people receive is “find your passion”. This is followed by another gem, “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. Well, it turns out that you can’t really follow these positive affirmations too closely.
The previously mentioned Carol Dweck went onto expand on her initial research, which is how she discovered the connection between growth mindset and passion. She, along with other researchers, came to the understanding that perseverance along with a moderate level of interest trumps following your passion.
Once again, perseverance is the key here. It is all about being determined to stick with a particular career path or goal rather than just looking for projects that excite you. By taking this particular route, you are more likely to reach those goals you have set for yourself. So, do what you need to do to steel yourself and focus on completing the objective at hand. With time, you will be able to gain satisfaction and find success. This, in turn, will help shift your current, fixed mindset to allow for the option of being able to succeed against all odds.
There is no way to tell how long it will take to change your mindset. It could be weeks, months, or even years. What is important, nonetheless, is that you don’t give up on this endeavor. If you stick with it, you are sure to be able to transform yourself into a stronger, more positive individual.
Joi Bellis is a writer with a focus on Psychology as well as on emotional and mental wellness. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree. When she isn’t writing, Joi spends her time doing yoga and spending time in nature.
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