You start by opening your mind to different circumstances, different inputs, different ways forward, different people around you, and different feedback based on your newfound mindset.
Soon enough you’ll find yourself more open and curious, with a newfound ability to
- feel empathy,
- see problems in a new light,
- see new opportunities,
- pay attention to unforeseen trends,
- listen to new voices,
- discover uncharted paths,
- do the things you didn’t expect were possible,
- and inspire others to follow, align, plug in, and join in their own way.
All the while you change your trajectory and the trajectory of those around you.
To connect a beginner’s mind toward a growth mindset, start by believing that you can. Then take the next steps, step-by-step, to perceive events more openly, broaden your horizons, explore new ways to unlearn and learn, and believe in yourself and those around you. This is how you make the mindshift from a fixed to a growth mindset and beyond.
Accept uncertainty.
Remember, focus on what you can control. Uncertainty is just a reality, a way of life. In this zeitgeist, the more we try to bring the past forward, the more likely we are to destabilize our future.
Cultivate your sense of purpose.
People with a growth mindset have a greater sense of purpose—a reason for what they’re doing, where they’re going, and why. This keeps them centered and focused on what matters… learning, unlearning, betterment, growth. And it keeps them asking “why” and applying their curiosity and learnings to the meaning of their work. They may even turn it into the spark that also becomes their passion. Once they find it, they embrace it. Their purpose will evolve and grow as they go.
Stay curious and always be learning (ABL).
Keep that beginner’s mind clear, open, and ready. These are novel times, and there’s much to learn to blaze new trails. But as you go, that beginner’s mind will keep you curious and keep you open to discovery, which will help keep you learning.
Build incremental momentum.
Plan for incremental success and appreciate your progress. Assess where you may exhibit fixed mindset behaviors and learn how to address them. Give your transformation a sense of purpose. Where are there opportunities to learn or do something different? What are the trends that you can better understand? What are the skills you can learn to do the jobs of tomorrow? Figure this out and then take steps toward learning something new or unlearning something that’s holding you back, every day.
Embrace the idea of failure.
“The one who falls and gets up is stronger than the one who never tried. Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying.” These are the words of Roy T. Bennett, and they inspire us to rethink the meaning of the word failure from unsuccessful or incapable to trying and learning and trying again. Venturing into unknown territory has no standard for success, yet. It’s failure only if you give up or believe you have nothing to learn.
Find the courage to persist.
Setbacks happen. Growth happens when you allow that spark within you to burn brighter and brighter. Stoke it. This is courage. Unleash that inner boldness and the strength to grow in the face of uncertainty. This is what separates true leaders from everyone else. Dr. Dweck characterized how those with growth mindsets respond to setbacks, “The other thing exceptional people seem to have is a special talent for converting life’s setbacks into future successes.”
Embrace the promise of “yet.”
In her TED talk, Dr. Dweck described two ways to think about problems that seem just out of your reach for solving, those outside of your comfort zone. A growth mindset will lean into this challenge accepting that while you do not yet have an answer, the key is that you’ve not solved it—yet. Fixed mindsets will run away from or fight against difficulty. Growth mindsets are driven by possibilities, with the idea that they can learn their way toward resolution. You’ll learn to engage deeply. You’ll figure it out.
Reflect on your progress.
Reflect on your progress. With a growth mindset comes growth. It only matters when you see and appreciate the steps you’re taking and in which ways you’re growing. Take time to look at your previous state, current state, and incremental improvements as you progress. This becomes part of your narrative.
Don’t give an F.
Don’t give an F. No one will remember your failures, but everyone will remember your success. And if they do hang on solely to the times you fall, without regard for the number of times you kept getting back up, forget them. Seriously.
Excerpted with permission from the publisher, Wiley, from Mindshift: Transform Leadership, Drive Innovation, and Reshape the Future by Brian Solis. Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. This book is available wherever books and eBooks are sold.
Brian Solis is head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, former VP of Global Innovation at Salesforce, Digital Futurist, Silicon Valley Luminary and author of recently released book Mindshift: Transform Leadership, Drive Innovation, and Reshape the Future (Wiley).
