Cultivating a Growth Mindset
Ben Nissen, Co-Founder at Body Fuel Alliance
I remember the pivotal moment when a mentor of mine advised me to treat feedback like a gift. I’m certain he didn’t invent this concept, but nevertheless, it stuck with me. Whether gentle or direct, critical or constructive, feedback provides a jumping-off point for growth. A starting place and (hopefully) some clear direction on how to take the next step forward. This is an element of what’s called, a growth mindset.
What is this you might ask? According to psychologist Carol Dweck from Harvard Business Review, “Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a growth mindset.” Simply put, having a growth mindset means being able to receive feedback, learn from an experience, and cultivate strategies for improving.
Adopting a growth mindset and shifting my perspective were game-changers for me. I found myself taking more risks and trying new things. I found a passion for learning. And, perhaps most importantly, I found myself being more present and satisfied with who I am as a human being.
In this blog, I’ll take you through a little bit of my backstory, how a growth mindset was pivotal to me, and some exercises you can do to help flex this muscle. I’ll throw in some continued reading in case you want to dive deeper!
A little backstory…
Growing up, I really struggled with comparing myself to others. Trying to fix myself to be more like them so I could fit in or maybe find the success they were having. I say “growing up,” but to be honest, this is still something I battle with every day. Those inner demons, or as RuPaul says, my “inner saboteur”. In college, my self-deprecation and hyper self-criticism hindered me from progressing as much as I could have and I found myself unmotivated and isolating. As a performer, I was absolutely terrified to take risks in the classroom or be anything but perfect in front of my peers. I wanted to impress them; I wanted to impress myself. I equated my value as a human being to how successful I was in my classes or on stage. This, of course, was not sustainable, and so I pulled back from performing and pivoted into the business world, thinking I might be able to find some comfort in a less competitive environment… or so I thought.
While working on the business side of theatre, I still found myself making excuses for why I wasn’t finding the same kind of “success” as quickly as other producers, marketers, and creatives were. I definitely needed to address some of my deeper feelings of inadequacy, but struggled to find the time or brain space to do. It was like spraining my ankle, but instead of giving it the attention it needed to heal, I just kept on walking.
The pandemic provided a lot of folks time for reflection and I treated this newfound time off as an opportunity to refocus my life and ambitions. I went to graduate school and started building my consulting business. That’s when an opportunity came for me to join one of my mentors at a tech start-up and build a new team from the ground up. This was terrifying for me because I’d never really worked in a true “corporate” setting, let alone in a role that was brand new, but I was excited to try something new.
In Practice
During my tenure with this company, I had the opportunity to practice receiving, digesting, and actioning feedback.
For example, I would regularly send anonymous surveys to colleagues, seeking candid feedback on their experience with me. I’d categorize this feedback by theme, creating specific goals for self-improvement. For instance, if I seem distracted in meetings, I might turn off my second monitor, close my email, or use "Do Not Disturb" on my phone to enhance my presence. Though I might not have felt distracted, this invaluable insight allowed me to address perceptions and appear more engaged during interactions.
Another example is the way I began conducting retros after literally everything. Instead of focusing on everything that went wrong or not as planned, I ask myself “What went well?” and “What are some opportunities for greatness?”. Instead of saying “What didn’t go well?”, it’s about shifting the focus to how you can action it and grow. And by checking in with myself on a regular basis I also find myself celebrating my wins more frequently!
By building upon this practice, I’ve found myself more collaborative, more motivated, and more forward-thinking. Everything is an opportunity for greatness, and I’m eager to explore them all!
Looking to take the next step?
If this is interesting to you and you’d like to practice or learn more, check out these opportunities:
Read: Two book recommendations: Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. and Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen’s Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well.¹
Watch: Check out Dweck’s TedTalk called “Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck”.
Do: Can you think of any opportunities to adopt a growth mindset in your life? What steps you would take? Try these to start!
Self-Talk: Pay attention to your inner dialogue. Are there any opportunities where you can practice making some adjustments? For example, instead of, “I can’t do this,” you could say, “I can’t do this yet, but I can learn.”
Set SMART Learning Goals: Instead of aiming solely for “success,” set goals around learning and development. It’s not just about the outcome but also the skills and knowledge you gain along the way.
Reflect: At the end of the day or week, reflect on your experiences. What did you learn? What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them or plan to tackle them in the future? Where are your opportunities for greatness?
Have any other ideas? Feel free to throw them in the comments section below or in the Body Fuel Alliance Slack channels!
¹ These affiliate links have been provided in partnership with the Amazon Associates Program. Please refer to our disclosures to better understand how we work with our partners. #ProudParter
Sources:
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/growth-mindset
https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means
Disclaimer:
It is important to note that the information in this blog post is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is always best to consult with a healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your diet.
