We are currently in a series of topics that can improve our lives. A few posts ago, I addressed the story we are living in. Then, one on how winning habits create a winning life, and, last week, one on emotional mastery/emotional intelligence and how that can take us to the next level in every area of our lives. Today, I’ll address a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset and I want to talk about it from a Christian perspective. This topic gets me excited.
Defining Over-all Mindset
A mindset is a mental attitude or inclination; a fixed state of mind that shapes one’s thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors.
Christian-growth Mindset
For the most part I’m talking to the Bible-believing Christian. When we talk about having a Christian-growth mindset, it’s all about where our thoughts and attitudes come from. Are we aligning them with God’s will and wisdom, for our lives?
A true Christian-growth mindset means surrendering our minds to God. It’s about being transformed by diving into Scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and guide our thoughts and actions according to Christ’s teachings. It’s a lifestyle of fully embracing Christ’s sovereignty in our minds, hearts, and souls.
With a Christian-growth mindset, we’re not just going through the motions. We’re bearing spiritual fruit and reflecting Godly character in a real way. It’s about living out our faith authentically, with our whole being submitted to God’s plan.It’s the most beautiful way we can live out our Christian faith.
At the end of the day, a Christian growth mindset is a whole different ballgame from a worldly one. It’s an ongoing journey of aligning our perspectives with the Lord’s, one day at a time allowing him to grow us.
I haven’t shared this lately, but I’m a firm believer that when you wake up in the morning, before you hit the snooze button, or you start scrolling thru social media. The best use of our time is getting alone, before the world takes our time and attention. For me I use the two-minute app on my phone called Abide. I listen to that and I read our daily bread on my ipad. I have a prayer journal. This morning discipline keeps me grounded as a believer, before the world influences my thoughts. I highly suggest you figure out a morning routine that works for you!
So let’s go a little deeper and talk about three key reasons why a growth mindset is more beneficial than a fixed mindset:
A Growth Mindset Promotes Resilience and Perseverance
A growth mindset pushes us to keep going and persevere, even when faced with setbacks or challenges. It views obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than intimidating roadblocks. In contrast, a fixed mindset leads to giving up easily when difficulties come up, as a person believes their abilities are limited and unchangeable. This makes me think of my mom. I’ve shared with you in previous posts how my father committed suicide when I was 10 and my mother didn’t move us from our small town. She raised us four kids by herself. She did every job imaginable to put food on the table. Everything from selling Mary Kay cosmetics, to selling wigs, bartending, to having a business serving legal papers, and eventually getting a part-time job at the post office. She was for me a true example of resilience and perseverance. She even figured how each of us kids could attend college on the GI Bill. She had a true growth mindset when it came to raising her children.
A Growth Mindset Fosters Continual Learning and Adaptability
With a growth mindset, an individual must embrace learning as a lifelong process and remain open to acquiring new skills and knowledge.This adaptability is crucial for career and life success in our rapidly changing world. It’s important in the area of technology. When I first started my podcast, it was on my side porch four years ago. You can hear birds chirping in the back ground on those early episodes. I started my podcast on a free app called Anchor on my I-pad. My daughter set me up. Anchor was soon taken over by Spotify and I continued to record edit and publish my podcast on my I-Pad. Recently Spotify decided to eliminate Anchor and change to a recording and editing platform called Riverside. I have been trying to figure out this new platform for two months. I watched the tutorials and I just couldn’t get it to work. It was frustrating (this is where learning and adaptability come into play). It turns out Riverside does not work on an I-Pad. I need to buy a computer and retrain myself! This has been my challenge. If I have a fixed mindset and not be willing to buy the computer, learn some new skills and adapt to this change, I will no longer have my podcast! Be willing to make the change, learn something new and adapt!
To further expand on the idea of learning, I often mention being open to new ideas and new ways to look at things. I’m a big fan of reading/listening to Audible books and podcasts. A fixed mindset, however, doesn’t have an open mind to learning. It limits our potential for growth and makes us resistant to change or even new opportunities. We get stuck!
A Growth Mindset Improves Performance and Achievement
Research shows that having a growth mindset is linked to greater motivation, greater effort, and ultimately better performance and achievement. Those with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to improve, leading us to work harder and persevere, whereas a fixed mindset can slow even stop progress and success. Again with a fixed mindset we get stuck!
In summary, having a growth mindset is the way to go! It helps us roll with the punches, keeps us hungry to learn and grow, and allows us to adapt and thrive in our ever-changing world. With a growth mindset, we’re more likely to push through challenges, put in the hard work, and ultimately achieve better results. It’s all about embracing that journey of constant improvement and development. On the flip side, a fixed mindset can really hold us back. It makes us quick to throw in the towel when things get tough and resistant to change or new opportunities. That rigid, stagnant way of thinking just won’t cut it in today’s fast-paced reality. So let’s ditch the fixed mindset and get that growth mindset going—it will open up so many more doors for us to unlock our full potential across all areas of life! I’m a living example, having to make the necessary changes to continue my Podcast—which I absolutely love and it gives me purpose to get out of bed and create and promote content for you!
What kind of mindset do you have? Do you have a Christian growth mindset, or a fixed growth mindset? How we answer this question matters. We have been given this thinking brain. How we use it is up to us! I encourage you to look at the different areas of your life from the perspective of if I’m stuck in this particular area; is it my mindset that is keeping me stuck? Personally, I have had many seasons in my life where I’ve been exactly in that place. Stuck! Inevitably it came down to taking a look at my thinking. For things to change, I had to change my thinking; I had to once again take on a growth mindset. As a Christian I had to take the time to pray, study scripture, and make new decisions. I had to take action. I had to get out of the blame game. I had to gather new information. I had to be willing to try new and different things. I had to get out of a fixed mindset.
Where are you stuck? Where do you have a fixed mindset and think things will not get better? One new decision could literally change your life. Sometimes we just need to do this self-evaluation. Create a growth mindset plan and implement the plan! I’m challenging you on this one! Pick that area that you are stuck! Look at your mindset growth or fixed. You don’t like it? Pray about it, write about it, create new ideas, and try different approaches.
I really feel the idea of a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset is a Christian principal. God continually calls us to renew our minds. Do you accept my challenge?
Monette hosts a weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. She has been a lifelong learner and and appreciates the opportunity to share what she has learned–both through her podcast and here at The Best-Life Project (based on the content of her weekly podcast). Her messages are raw, honest and straight from the heart. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband Leland. They have three adult children and are enjoying living their best lives filled with travel and adventure.